New-York tribune., 1901-03-22
SANE, LOCKEDIN BELLEVUE
MAN WHO WENT To GET AMBULANCE
FOR INSANE FATHER PLACED IN
PAVILION THROUGH MISTAKE.

Through somebody's careessness a young man in
full possession Of his mental faculties was locked
I'D for seven hours with the forty more insane
patiepts in the Bellevue Hospital insane pavilion
yesterday. His protests that il was mistake were
unheeded He was Frank Malek. a cisarmaker.
nineteen years Old living at No i2S East seventy
third-st.
several weeks ago Franks father. also a cigar
maker began to act strangely. Two weeks ago
his physician DR.. A. NJ. Renner, of No 2ls East
Seventy-second-st advised that the father De senI
Bellevue for treatment and he was put In the
insane pavilion He was released ten days ago as
cured Yesterday he manifested symptoms of vio-
ence. and DR. Renner said he ought 10 be sent back
Bellevue.
Here Frank" he said. calling the son, you take
this letter to Bellevue and they'll send an amou-
lance after your father"
Frank took the letter and hurried to Bellevue.
He reached there at o'clock. He was directed 10
a room where mildly insane persons await the ar
rival of a physician. DR. Marsh in the mean time
had been handed the usual committal slip. on which
only the last name, 'Maek,' was written. Malek ,
story of his experience follows: The doctor told
him TO follow attendant. The situation dawned
on him. He had been mistaken for his father and
was believed he insane. He protested that he
all right, and that it was his father who was
unbalanced.
Now thatn be all right Frank said DR.. Marsh
soothingly. "Of course. it's mistake Wen fix
it up You so with this nice man and he'll fix
II up"
vilion There he was received pleasantly enough.
Take off your clothes and go in there and take
a bath" one of the male nurses commanded
81 don't need no bath; it's my father: this is a
mistake" said Frank. 80
Il know it's all mistake said the nurse, but
you go and take a bath and then We'll fix 1t up. =
He decided TO take the bath. When he came cut
the handed him a glass containing mix
punch He drank it.
The nurse asked if he'd have another. and he
agreed. 49,,
nurse
Maek protested. but several nurses put him to
bed He fell asleep and remembered nothing more
until o'clock in the afternoon. when nurse
to let him out
When Frank did come home his mother
and brother began to worry. The father was
troublesome and dangerous. Mrs. Malek got her
friend Carl Schultz, OF No 4OS East Fifty-fourth,
st. TO go to Bellevue. BY dint OF explaining ana
threatening he made the mistake apparent and
Frank released.
An ambulance then sent for the father, hut
when Mrs. Maek heard OF Frank experience shee
declined TO let her husband go They VIII XII
him" she protested a policeman persuaded the
family 10 let the father be taken 70 bellevue, ana
the ambulance came after him.
AT Bellevue Hospital last night the clerks ana
doctors and even Night Superintendent Rickaro
professed know nothing about the case lhey
said IL happened when the day men were on
The most probable explanation is that the clerk
decided that the bearer was the patient. ana tnIs
unwittingv was the cause or all the uoupie., II
was case without precedent in the hospital MS
tory Commissioner Keller announced his inten'ion
of making a thorough investigation. ana metlhs
out whatever discipline the error calls Tor.