Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1903-06-26
ASYLUM INVESTIGATION.
An Ell Paso Witness Tells Of the Pro-
ceedings at Las Vegas,
SUBSIDIZED PAPER MISQvOTeO FACTS.
From the Eel Paso News.

From the FL Paso News.
Robert l.. Corbandt. who recently
returned from Las Vegas, where he
gave testimony in the insane asylum
investigation, makes the following
statement regarding the inquiry at
that place:
He said: Il found the investigation
commission to be men of integrity
who will be governed by the testi-
mony given in the hearing. instead of
being governed in their decision by a
partisan press. The gentlemen of the
hoard were all men of standing and
they paid particular attention to all
that was said by the witnesses.
The Las Vegas Optic took an un
due interest In the case. and it's re.
ports from first to last were in favor
of the administration of the asylum.
an my testimony the inquiry board
asked me whom, in my opinion, |
thought responsible for this state of
affairs, which | he'd been speaking
about. | told them hat | considered
the steward, George w. Ward, respon-
sible. My testimony was substantial
ly the same as that given in the Even
ing News. | was not questioned with
regard to the matter OF the skeleton
| of Mary Leonard, as | explained to the
board of inquiry that | was no respon-
sible for that.
The Optic shows it's bias in its ed
itorials on the matter. In its news
columns, it gave the testimony OF Ad-
olfo Gonzales, a former night watch
attendant. Gonzales Is a bartender in
Las Vegas. He was in the institution
six months. His testimony admitted
that the Ferris wheel, the bucking
and ~gagging, and the tieing of patients
in their beds was carried on, n that
he had participated in it. The Optic
thinks that because in Gonzales testi.
mony h says that such treatments
are proper, they are proper and right.
Gonzales is held up as a criterion, and
his statement that he believed the gag
was a necessity is taken as a justifca'
ton of the asylum management in
permitting such a thing.
Gonzales was not the only n who
testified to these practices. Every
witness, almost, who made a sworn
statement, said that he had seen the
various treatments administered time
and again, and that he had in some
instances assisted in carrying out the
punishment.
Nov the partisan papers OF Las We
gas are striving to influence the opin.
ions of the investigating board by their
editorial comments. The Optic has
twisted the testimony in an effort to
show that the asylum was well con
quoted, but, as will be seen by the ties.
timony of Gonzales, they have some
times admitted the truth of the
charges.
They try to justify the administra-
ton of hyperdermic injections by the
insane patient, DR.. Molau, to other pa.
tents. Gonzales himself admitted that
he saw DIR. Molau kick a patient and
twice he had seen the insane man give
injections to other patients.
Il think that the board of inquiry
will take cOgnlzance of these thing:
and | believe that they will find
verdict according to the facts as shown
Ivy the testimony. | have no complain
| 70 make of my treatment by the board
!, They heard all that | had to say will
respectful attention, and treated me a!
a gentleman throughout my presence
before them"
Mr.. Dorbandt says that the only
complaint he had to make was in the
treatment he received from the Optic
which. he asserted, m%isquoted him viii
fully in the statement that he hac
never reported any of the eruelties tC
the steward. He says that his trouble
with Ward was caused by complaints
he made regarding the treatment
which had been given a patient.
What Mr. .Dorbandt said before thu
board he declares was that he had no
, reported the matter to the medica
superintendent. The FL Pasoan furth
> er says that If Ward claims he did no
know of the treatment inflicted, h
must have been negligent of his dut,
as a person IN charge of the institu
ton.