New-York tribune., 1901-02-21
DAVIS IN His OWN DEFENCE
ACCUSED NURSE TELLS OF HILIAARD's
DEATH MAKES 4 GOOD IMPRESSION


J.sss r. Davis the former head nurse in The in
zane pavilion Of Bellevue Hospital on triai oeiore
Judge coNtag and Jury In the Court oi "si'e' -
Sessions charged with responsibility TOT 1"e uea'n
Of Louis n HillaTd in the pavilion on Deeeih"'
- vas : patncss IN Ms own defence yesterday
MS sppearancc was that Of a modest sehueh"i's
and quiet young Of intelligence ana s"oo
temper He is slender IN build ano wears slass''s'
In reply 20 questions put ny Francis l.. Neilrnai,
his counsel Davis told OF tho frantic strugsies "'u
,,sane behavior of billiard on the day OF his death
IN the na,ilion and OF the Efforts OF the nurses 10
RESTRAIN the man. ie denied that ne hao ~ usFu m III
NECESSARY force and that he had caused hiliia'o
death Davis's testimony and his calnncss Aiu
patience when nc was cross-eNamneo ny ~ $50
District Attorney Pierce created a favorao'e I'M
preston.
Faefors Davis went on the witness stand there was
some brief testimony tending further TO o'soieu'
tho statements made by Thomas j. Mihh0ch, "'e
star witness OF the prosecution. AinhooA u,u NJ NJ
sppear IN court and there was no furthet "iiuSi'"
made 20 the letter which he had written rum
Philadelphia 20 his foster mother MinnocK i's'si
father testified that MnnOck was a rogue anu
could not be believed. A man in charge OF ue
clothesroom at Bellevue testihed that hliharo
c,othinr was dry when turned IN Tor SAFE
keepiuC after his DEATH although Minho'A mao
sworn that Hlllard drenChed WIN Wattf'
John w Binn an engineer, ana pateht al heie ~
vue for Two emonths, testified MAT DAVIS Was N"O
20 the patients In hts care.
when Davis took the stand ne said ne was
,N-enty-seven years old, and was born IN ONO IL
went 20 school until ne WAS twenty years ola nc
heean his service Bellevue on December . h''''
lie declared that he never had tasted whlshe' @ pis
,lous 20 the accusation Of responsibility ioF iill-
,sra's death Davis described Hiiisrd as resuiess
snd uneasy patient and told Of some outbreaks
previous 20 tho afternoon Of December L. His eN-
animation proceededt
o-When did YOU 60 on duty in tho ward on De-
A a :. >
o-You saw Hiliards A.-Nes several times; TIC TIC
named FRY ! admouishcd him, bat did not have
70 resrraiu him.
Rls STRUGGLE WITH HLIIARD
o-vhat happened At supper time? Al heard
A commotion aud out and found lIilliard Siding
down under the table and Dean trying 10 qulet
fesd re lit me
Davis said Hliard ihon srsppied with him ana
trey fen together. Iiillisrd knocked DaFiss glasses
oa cutting ms face. FIo unable 10 see much
N,trou, tho glasses and Dean ran 10 help him
while Marshall guarded the door 50 the other
raticn,s could not get out. Hiliard got away from
Dean and ran into the bathroom
o-what happened then' Al went TO the
and restrsning belt Then l Went mt to .,aT inc
ssa, pnns sra al Ts s see taked to him
and said 20 the nurses We would haNe 20 ,t
N troni SO the others could get al HIM behinS.
and Hard ried 70 strike me III re ~ ny hro MsrSns do1a
In coins o,ii ~ the bathroom ne started run
os-N'herc did hc strike himself? A.-On the left
sids
Then" continued Davis "he fell over back
ward ana received scalp wound which bled
freely When he was down got hold 81 him
and ne struggled yiolontly. lie threw Marshall
against and knocked me over. He tried 10 bite
Marshall and got hold Of Marshalrs leg. Hhliard
jumped We were exhausted. He was putting
his tongue all tho time and was muttering.
Then ne began Ia get exhausted, and took him.
each side and led him 20 his room He
walked. holding him under the arms. He got
the he'd himself Tie was breathing hard and
I began 20 undress him. Then gave him Whiskey
snd strychnine for stimulation. and started art-
hcial respiration. Then called DR.. Moore"
ODD you at any time choke him? A.-No
o.-Did you a, any time hit hims A-No,
n you Sbe 515 hes or never sGpt s ans hs
never san ID done IN the institution,
Q-Did YOU 81 amy time use any VIOLENCE other
Q-Mhat sort Of man was billiard? Was he
N,ut he was wiry catiike and very dinacui 10 con.
'rol when excited az he became wild and violent
basin." asked a juror. A
lie broke away and ran and fell"
e-Was any nne holding him? A.-He was being
.,o.-bid YOU call up The Morgue and ask about
.,o-Dd Or, Moore say at the time what he
q DID Drs srenman and Muir. of the Manhat.
insane wards A-Thcv did " wv
o-You wrote a statement OF the alteration with
Hiard Ia thu record book. and you intended IL
70 be fun statement? A.-tnder the excitement, I
o-Then you were excited? A.-Yes. and ex-
o-Didut Willard go into the bathroom a sec
ond time. and wasn't that when he kicked YOU.
AAo he went into the bathroom only once.
Q.-Did Dr.. Moore order strvchnine and Uhiskey
as you say in your record book? A.-No.
What the sSoPS s9u sh sheReed sRe next DAY as
.e ennld YOU say . Gommissioner Keller thar you
homo IN his neck A.-Nes.
o-Do sou know of anything that occurred in
hone. A-No VIZ
IN reading Dsyis,s statement made to Commits
mOny
SHEET COULD not HAVE CAUSED DEATH
william r Hayes. employed in the clothes room
81 Bellevue; testified that billiards clothes
60 When they we're sent 10 the clothes the
cans a. Bellevue and professor Of anatomy and
clinical surgeon IN the New-YOrk University Medi-
Have yon eKpermented 10 ascertain whether or
sheet srolfd tho 1,eclr oslseS NJ xs,I,, '''s
The witness" said Mr. Pierce lis Incompetent
with dead body csnnot qualify him 10 testify as
20 What would happen with live persons"
Question allowed and Dr. stewart said: II
hsTe ts sspeFimentsd on four dead bOdies."
eeso BODY than in live person" A.-More easily IN
o-pid you succeed in breaking the bone in any
~ these cases. A-No.
broken by twisting sheet about the neck A
bons aseS sS T TeI rsTSs A6Se Of hyod
o-po YOU know that OF thirteen eases recorded
don't ''- 'F'" were CAUSED 0y enoN'ns' Al
c:-Dc YOU say that the hyOid bone could not be
o-You can break the hyoid bone by hanginss
O-Rv a strapg A-Yes