The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-07-24
LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR
An Investigation Into Treatment Ac.
corded Unfortunate inmates Is
Urgently Demanded.

Il
ganizer of a society known as the
United States Protective league has
made some decidedly ugly charges
against the management of the Warm
Springs insane asylum, in a letter to
the governor. Copies of the letter
have got out. Among those who have
received one is the Great Falls Tri-
bune, which publihses it in full. The
statements made by Gordon are high
ly sensational, whether true Or not.
The published copy of the letter
is as follows:
Honorable j. K. Toole, Helena, Mont.
Dear Sir: wish to call your attention
to the shameful manner in which the
state insane asylum at Warm Springs
is being conducted.
The food is very bad-at times not
fit to eat. The bedding is not changed
regularly and | understand some of
the buildings are infested with ver-
min.
Please investigate the case of one
McCauley, said to have been scalded
to death in the plunge-literally
cooked alive-in the fall of 1902; also
the case of John Galena, room 4, from
Butte, who was GU on parole for two
months last summer and is said to
have been offered his liberty perma-
nently on payment of $1,000. Held
for ransom in a civilized country!
Please investigate the case of Peter
Baer, from Fridley, who, together
with one Washburne, was kicked and
beaten by the guards until they had
to be sent TO the hospital, also that
of c. C. H. Smith from Tom Miner
Basin and formerly a prominent bust
ness man of st. Paul-said to have
been beaten and kicked by guards sun
til he had to be sent to the hospital,
where he died shortly afterward; also
that of one Peterson, a convict from
Deer Lodge, choked and thrown into
a'cell for praying in the dining room;
afterwards kicked and beaten by
guards until he, too, had to be sent
to the hospital, where he died in less
than a week-murdered in cold blood!
Investigate one Rudolph Roe at hos
pital, evidently a well-developed case
Of leprosy.
Thomas Donhene, ex-policeman
from Butte, had his scalp split open
with a pair of steel handouts on the
night he arrived, and whose body to-
day-if he is alive-is one mass OF
bruises from head to foot.
Chinaman No. /, kicked nearly to
death and sent to the hospital, where
the doctors finished the job.
Chinaman No. 2 had his right eye
gouged out by the doctors in an at
tempt to remove a cataract by the
18th century method.
OF three of epilepsy, one, that
of Henry Topper of Bozeman, is be-
lieved to be caused by tape worm;
that of Tom Stewart, son of Granville
Stewart, caused by indigestion and
improper food, while that of VIM. j..
Pierson from Lima is evidently caused
by a fracture of the skull. Has any
thing been done for the benefit Of
these patients? MOI; On the con-
trary, they have been drugged, doped
and beaten until they are worse now
than they were the day they came.
Sodomy is practiced among the male
patients to a alarming extent.
The sum of 100000 was a%ppropri-
ated by the last legislature for the
care and maintenance of these pa
tents. OF this amount l understand
the superintendent has a salary of
$500 per month for looking wise,"
while his two assistants get $3.50 and
5000 per month respectively, for put
ting refractory patients out of the
way; then. too, l understand the three
Mitchell boys are allowed $50 each
month for spending money" sup
pose it all comes out of the appro-
priation. How long, l ask you, do you
think the taxpayers of Montana are
going to stand this kind of work?
Let your commissioners and legis-
lators open their eyes and go to the
plunge when the patients are bathing
and see the bruised and bleeding bod
les of these unfortunate wretches in.
stead of being beguiled with Mitchell
& Mussigbrod's whisky and cigars and
DR.. Warren's cheap jokes.
There are upwards of 100 men at
work on the farm, in the laundry and
kitchen and dining room; if these
men are able to work for Mitchell &