The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-17
USED TO
BAD EGGS
State Hospital Supervisor
Has Had So Many That
They Make No I'm
preston.
COMMITTEE COMEDIES R0ACHES
Says It Is Satisfied They
Were Occasionally Ser
we'd to the Pa
tients.
WHOSE is THE RESPONSIBILITY !?
Attendants, Supervisors, Med
ical Director and Warden
Shift the Blame.
WHOSE IS THE RESPONSIBILITY ?
especial to ."rhe Jersey city Newa."l

Especial to 1.-THE Jersey City News."1
TRENTON, Aug. II, 1901.-The official
probe of the managerial committee OF the
State Hospital reached close to the neart
of Warden william P. Hayes at yester-
days session and startling disclosures
brought to light conditions which more
than prove the charges made concerning
the food. which is the sole topic being
considered by the COMMITTEES.
The committee, after hearing the evil
dence of half score Of witnesses, is at
least fully convinced that COCK reaches
form a frequent ingredient served to the
patients. So fully convinced, indeed, OF
this fact are they that Judge Thompson
yesterday suggested that the roach prop
osition be eliminated saying the commit
tee would concede that they had on var
ious occasions bean found in the dishes.
Equalling convincing and equally cor
roborated was the evidence that stale
eggs only were served; that rotten beef,
rotten cabbage and rotten potatoes We're
a common diet; that patients had been
sickened by the food; that the prescribed
dietary is not adhered to; that there is a
1nonotonous sameness to the food That Is
served; that much of it was so bad that
Only q person. SldlNiAS HNtAA
rendered undiseerning by his meneai all
ment could eat it at all.
The committee was not prepared 10
make such broad concession as thls'
and so the investigation will go on.
The proceedings have progressed to such
a stage as to make evident the general
lines of the defence which Warden Hayes
will interpose. First he will try to prove
that he purchased good food, and sec
ond, he will try to shirk all responsibility
as to the manner in which it was cooked
or served-and this despite the fact that
the present law gives him absolute control
of the kitchens. the help employed IN
them and the preparation of the food
In its efforts thus far to place the re-
sponsibility, the committee, from the tes-
timony given, finds a peculiar condition
of affairs suggestive of an endless chain.
First. the attendants have unanimously
testified that they have never had any
authority in matters pertaining to the
dining rooms, and absolutely no duties at
all to connect them with the kitchens.
They have made complaints to the dining
room men, but matters have not been
improved.
The question of responsibility is really
one of the most important problems in the
eyes of the committee, with which 1t IS
confronted it being admitted by even the
members that some, at least, of the food
was not served in an eatable condition
Another highly interesting feature OF
Yesterdays proceedings was the change
in the attitude of the supervisors. Su-
pervisor Wynn, who last week declared
most emphatically that every defect In
the quality of the food was noted in his
daily reports, admitted yesterday that
daily reports, admitted yesterday that
has even accustomed himself to eat such
as are not too far advanced in the pro-
cess of incubation, yet his reports prior
to the time of the investigation fail te
disclose any such condition.
Since Mr. Wynn's vigorous cross-ex-
animation his reports have undergone a
complete change and poor or bad food, as
well as variations from the dietary are
recorded.
This leaves only two conelusions-either
MIR. Wynn failed in his duty before the
investigation, or Warden Hayes has al
lowed the food to grow suddenly worse,
the latter conclusion, however, not being
borne out by the evidence.
ne ulnil1S lOOui uicu dASO ucCidic tAlci
they have no jurisdiction concerning tht
food, except it be to carve meat or some
thing of that kind. 1t is not for them t.
pass upon whether it is fit to eat OF
whether or not it shall be served.
When they have noted something
wrong they have reported to the super
visor, but even this they do not regart
as within the strict line of thier duties
The supervisors admit the responsible
aty of reporting deviations from the die
tary and bad quality Of food, but neithel
have they the power, they say, to correc
existing evils, or even to say whether foot
shall be served or not.
The supervisors send in daily reports
A. DR.. Ward, the medical director, whs
In turn passes them on to Warden Hayes
1)r. Ward holds that his duties end whei
he so reports TO the warden, in whom lie
the power to correct such evils, unless
they be so fragrant that the medical direc
tor deems ii necessary to report to th
board of managers.
Warden Hayes does not deny his autho
fty in and over the kitchen, but claims
that It is not his place to see that tn
food is properly served, but the duty Q
those employed in the kitchen. Thus, b.
system of progression and retrogression
the responsibility for the feeding OF owe
1000 insane patents is placed in the kit
rhens, a largs proportion oe the help II
which is composed Of patients, while Il
pne kitchen at least the head cook Is sais
10 be a patient herself.
The same is true Of Assistant Super