The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-08


Marcelrs testimony. corroborated that
given by Albert Johnson few days
ago, and it proved that some asylum
employees who are still employed in the
institution have taken pains to cover up
the truth to the extent of testifying
falsely. He testified that it was some
times customary to slap and pound the
patients into submission when they are
unruly, although this is contrary to the
rules. 1t would seem that the rules are
not very effective. Like johnson, Mar
cell included himself among the others
who violated the rules once in awhile.
although he said he had never slapped
a patient. He testified that these same
things had been done by WEIGH and
other attendants who have testified that
they never saw anything of the kind.
One thing that the testimony has
shown thus far has been that not
enough attendants are employed, and
that the wages are not sufficient to Sc
cure competent men for the work. Only
three and sometimes only two attend
ants are employed for forty to fifty pa
tients, and the wages run from twenty
to thirty dollars a month, which in the
present era Of prosperity is not sufficient
to keep a man of judgment and ability
to properly care for the insane
MARCEL was an attendant in the To-
peka asylum about two years. He was
only twenty years old when he entered
the institution He testified that he
knew both WEIGH and Johnson, who had
previously testified and considered them
good attendants firm but not rough
Did you ever see any alterations or
fights between attendants and pa
tients?' he was asked.
AT times I have" he replied.
Were the patients required to work %
Some of them I think were
How much work were they required
to do2"
HAD TO WORK.
That depended on the condition OF
the patient Very few ever objected to
doing a little work, all that was ever
required. It was only occasionally thai
we had any trouble"
What did you do when there was
trouble?"
I generally looked to see that none
of the attendants got hurt"
well, how did you handle the pa
I'VE usually tripped them and threw
them down. 1t does not hurt them to
trip them. If they still fought after
they were down and held on the floor
they were confined in their rooms"
Were the patients ever pounded to
make them submissive2"
Sometimes"
Was any report ever made Of it?"
IF it was very serious it went into
the daily report. It was very seldom
that anything Of the kind occurred
Did the attendants ever use their
fists on the patients ?''
"A little. But the usual way when a
patient got unruly was to close in on
him and trip him up
When patients wouldn't work was it
the custom to slap them?"
Sometimes.
''The attendants would hit them to
make them work ?"
Sometimes"
What was the rule concerning that?'-
1T was not permissible
What was done when it was found
out2"
The attendant doing it was dis.
charged if the superintendent found he
had not proper grounds"
THEY ALL DID IT.
Did all the attendants do that sort
of thing?"
7 don't think any of them were en-.
tirely guiltless''
How about Welch? %
Il never considered him very harsh"
Has he slapped patients?"
Yes, sir; have seen him do So"
Have you ever slapped or struck pa
tients2'
7 never slapped them. I have struck
them.
where would you strike them?"
ON the body somewhere"
How hard?"
Not very hard. Just enough to let
them know I was there Some of the
patients did not know what attendants
were for"
Did the patients ever strike back2"
yes. sir
What happened them"
a general fight"
Did you ever have one2"
No, sir
Did Welch?"
7 don't know"
ATTENDANTS STOOD TOGETHER.
Mr.. MARCEL testified that the attend
ants would not report each other -