The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-13
PATIENTS CHOKED.
Startling Facts Shown by In
vestigatiOn in Kentucky.

Louisville. Ky, April 13.-After hav-
ing made repeated denials that attend
ants in the Central asylum for the iu-
sane in Lakeland, Ky, had been guilty
of brutal treatment of their charges
DR.. ]. G. Furnish, superintendent of the
asylum, today dismissed I. B. Pratt and
William Waller
Pratt and Waller were Intercepted
by the committee and admitted strix-
ing, knocking down and kicking pa
tents. They also admitted striking
helpless lunatics after the latter had
been strapped to beds or chairs. Pratt
and Waller earned $50 month and
board They left the asylum and its
vicinity Immediately. However, this
will not prevent handling them by the
grand jury in case that body decides to
act. Meantime Waller and Pratt viii
have had time to leave the country If
they so desire. It is said that Waller
and Pratt can tell a great deal about
other attendants if they are willing.
Members of the board of asylum COM
missioners expressed the opinion that
the mere loss of a $40 q month job was
trifing punishment, but Dr. Furnish
made no effort to hold the men.
The board of asylum commissioners
met in the asylum, and it was expected
that the special committee would re-
port. Only routine business was trans
acted, and the committee announced
that it would resume its Investigations
this week.
The investigation may take consider
able time, as the mem ers of the COM
mittee have unlimited scope. 1t may be
that they will go into the alleged as
sessment of attendants at the asylum.
1t is stated that even the girls employ
ed in the laundry at s14 per month were
recently compelled to pay an assess
ment Of 10 per cent or S1.40. If this be
true, it is no Offense against the state
law. but the rumOrs. coupled with the
stories of admitted brutality on
the part of attendants, has aroused pub
lie opinion against the asylum officials.
A number of patients have testified
before the investigating committee that
they have been the victims of acts OF
cruelty. and some Of the witnesses
stated that they feared to tell all they
knew on account Of the fact that they
would suffer at the hands of the attend
ants at the close of the examination
According to the testimony of several
witnesses one of the favorite forms OF
/. <nishment for slight infractiOns OF
rules on the part of the patients was u
beating with a slungshot formed of
sock, in which potato or some Other
hard vegetable had been placed.
Some of the patients declared they
had frequently been choked until one
had been taken into a back room and
tied to a chair. an attendant following
with a leather belt. The witness who
occurred in the back room. however.
Bruises on the breast and legs of one or
the patients was shown as proof that
he had been kicked by the attendants
and it was developed that shower baths
were also used as means of punish
ment, the patients being held while colo
water was allowed to drip on them.
The stories of the patients who could
be induced to talk. discarding all Suci
as were evidently the Pigments Of pure
insanity. were similar and cOrrObOra-
tive.
The terror which confronted the COM
mittee and sealed the mouths of the in
mates may be inferred from two in
stances:
One patient, who was deaf. and. could
only speak with great difficulty and in
distinctness. was asked if there was
any cruelty
Can't tell no tales" he responded.
shaking his head dejeetedly.
''Why2" wrote Mr.. Taylor on a piece
of paper.
Catch it again" replied the man, and
no further information could be drawn
from him.
Another patient who had been exam
ined came over to DR.. Satterwhite and
said:
Doctor. for Gods sake protect us
from the attendants when this investi-
cation is over"
Another patient who had not heard
the evidence of his fellows. also related
the story of the potato in a sack and
described the instrument as sack ike
sock. about foot long. with some
thing about the size of a potato in the
end He had seen it laid across the back
OF several patients. He said that Ho-
bard and Settle had frequently mis-
treated patients. but he did not recall
any choking He mentioned a boy who
had been abused. and the boy was sent
Tor, but on arriving seemed frightened
ana denied that he had been hurt.