The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-14
CRUSHED.
Amos Maxwell Meets Frightful
Death at Asylum.
His Chest Smashed and Ribs
Broken.
KILLING HUSHED UP.
Nothing Said About 1t for
Several Hours.
Attendants Charged With Out
rage Not Arrested.
BAILEY TAKES A HAND.
Sends Assistant Attorney GEN.
eraI to Inquest.
Insists That Killing Shall Be
Probed to Bottom.
Startling Condition of Body Re-
veaIed in Post Mortem.

ave found on the body of Mr..
Maxwell slight external injuries, a
few small bruises were al, soma on
the forearm and one on the hip
There was no fracture of the skull
I he post mortem showed that the
sternun, or breast bone, was frac-
tured between the fifth and sixth
ribs. On the right side, all the ribs
between the third and ninth, inclu-
sive, were fractured in one or moro
places, and the 1ung cavity was
punctured correspondingly. The
lett side showed all ribs from the
fifth to the eighth fractured IN the
same manner, and the broken
points had also punctured the lung
cavity. About a o9art of free
blood was found IN the lung cavity,
which had settled from the internal
wounds" p Coroner Hogeboom's state
ment after making a post mortem ex-
animation of the body 81 amos l. Max
well, who died at t1e Topeka Insane
Asylum
Amos L. Maxwell. 4 paretic patient at
the state hospital for the insane, died
at that institution Friday under cir
curnstances that implicate Earl Neil ana
NJ w. Peterson, attendants. in his
taking off The story is one of revolt
ing brutality.
The man died suddenly a short time
after he was roughly handled by the
two men. ana the condition of the body
Of the patient, when examined after
death, showed evidence of how cruelty
he was used
At an early hour Friday morning. be
fore breakfast. in ward 5 of the build
ing where new arrivals are kept, Max
well was brought out by an attendant
according to custom of the institution.
and told to assist in sweeping the hall
The chairs and settees were piled alons
the center of the hall for this purpos1
when the man was brought out Ac-
cording to the statements made to Supt
T. Z. Blddle later. the patient. instead OF
taking the sweeper as directed, sprang
at one of the attendants, Peterson, ana
grappled with him. Neil came to Peter,
sons assistance, and together they sub
Jugated the man, throwing him down
and both falling on him IN the scutfie
Then they put him in a chair and he
became quiet again.
Maxwell went to breakfast as usual.
ana complained OF no pain or injury.
After the meal he was taken to the
ward bath room, and given bath
w nile the man was in the bath tub the
attendants say he gasped once or
twice became unconscious, and was
dead before the ward physician DR..
Van Nuys. assistant superintendent,
reached the patient
DR.. Biddle was also called He went
TO the room of the patient. where he
saw that he was dead The two attend
ants who are under suspicion were
dressing him The dead man was living
on his face on the bed, and DR. Biddle
says he saw that no marks were on the
man back, where the bruises appeared
a rev hours later The death occurred
ABOUT $50. and it was not until after II
that DR.. Biddle had any suspicion that
the man had been killed. He knew that
the patient was pareUc. whose condi-
ton was such that he was liable to die
suddenly at any time, and did not think
much ab0ut il. Ii was not until IL
o'clock that r. IT, Farrah, a gardener.
came to DR. Biddle privately and told
him that when ne. Farrah entered the
hall of ward to cali out certain s'trus-
ties who are detailed to help him in
the out door work. he saw the scuf1e
between the attendants and Maxwell
the patient, He said that he saw the
man down on the floor and Neil and Pc
terson kicking him.
DpOn this information Dr. BiddIe and
other asyIunls authorities hurried to the
morgue, where Maxwel's body was laid
out, and made an examination. On the
dead mans back. where no blemish had
been seen three hours earlier. We're two
or three black and blue spots and an
examination showed TWO or more ribs
broken.
The county authorities were not noti-
fed until in the afternoon when it was
evident that the matter could not be
hushed III. Even then the two attend
ants were not arrested.
superintendent Dr. Biddle notified
Governor Bailey of the occurrence. and
under the surveillance of the city au-
fhoritias there is no hurry on the narl