The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-15
THEY ARE CLEARED
Coroner's Jury Exonerates Asylum
Attendants of Blame for the
Death of Hahn.
Verdict Reached at Rochester Last
Night-Words of Censure
for Two Nurses.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Rochester. Mimi, Nov. l5.-The state
hospital attendants who have been on the
rack this week because Of the death Of
George Hahn Of, st. Paul from injuries
received in a struggle to control him, have
been completely absolved by the coroner
jury. the verdict reached last night acquit-
ting them of any malice or viciousness in
handling him.
The only words Of censure in the YER
dict are directed at the head nurse and
the nurse in charge of the ward In which
Hahn was confined. They are reproVed
on minor points Of procedure only. The
verdict of the jury is
That the said George Hahn came to his death
at the Rochester state hospital at 1890 Friday
evening, Nov. I. from FRACTURE of four ribs
on the left side and three on the right side and
also of the steruum
The broken end Of the left fifth rib having
penetrated the left lung caused a leakage of ali
into the chest cavity, this being the immediate
cause Of death.
There is no evidence to show that the attend
ant caring for the said George Hahn viciously. or
in anger. feloniously with intent to produce
said injuries, caused Halms death. but that
the said patient received injuries to his ribs
during a violent struggle with his attendant or
attendants between the hours of and on the
evening OF Thursday, Nov. 6, 1902, either at a
time:
First--when one Of the attendants, in his
effort to prevent said patient from biting his
hand threw his knee ACROSS said patient;
Second-At a time when said patient fell
across his bed, striking his chest, at which time
the attendant may have fallen upon him, Hahn.
In his maniacal state being still able to strug-
gle after he had received the injuries.
The attendants may not have known how said
injuries were caused until several hours had
elapsed, by which time air had escaped from
the lung puncture into the chest cavity sufficient
to cause serious symptoms.
The patient being known to the attendant as a
powerful man, who. when In need of restraint,
violent and dangerous, it the duty of
the head nurse, when informed that the attend
ants were having trouble with the patient, to
have al once given them assistance and to have
in person directed the work of controlling and
quieting the patient, which he did not do
Further, the nurse, who after the hour of
$50 Thursday evening was in charge of the
ward In which such patient George Hahn was
confined and who personally directed the remov-
ing Of Hahn to the restraining seat, who knew
of his preceding struggle and who accompanied
the attending physicians to the patients quar-
tiers at $50 the evening, should have told
such physicians of the violent struggle OF the at
PENDANTS with the patient. Notwithstanding thai
the patient was then sleeping.
Signed-S f.. Mosse coroner; A. T. Stebbns,
K. A. knowlton, G. T. Massey, J. II. Wagner,
H. r. Hynes, Walter Hurlburt.
There Is some talk that the grand jury,
which meets in a few days, will investi-
gate the case