Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1903-05-25
BOTH SIDES
ARE FIRM
Grand Jury Investigating
Charges Against Insane
Asylum Management.
n n nFn1 " Fnnll rllF m m
NO REPLY FROM The BOARD
Governor Qtero Has the Utmost
Confidence in the Directors
and in Dr.. Upton.

The charges made against the man
agement of the Territorial Hosplta
for the Insane at Las Vegas, hav
been declared to be without founda
ton by the board of trustees. The fol
lowing statement has been issued b,
the board:
THE board of the New Mexico In
sane Asylum carefully Investigated al
the charges of mismanagement ant
inhrman treatment Of patients at thu
asylum, and find them without foun
dation. They also recommended tha
the medical superintendent, DR.. w
r. Upton, be instructed to discharge
the assistant physician, DR.. Da Costa
Signed-Jefferson Reynolds, Pres; M
Brunswick, Sec'y.; o. l.. Gregory
T nomas Ross"
DR.. A. r. Da Costa, who was assis-
tant superint' ndent and from whom
he charges seem to have eminated,
has renewed them Notwithstanding
the finding of the board and the grand
jury of San Miguel county entered in
to an investigation of them on Satur-
day.
The Las Vegas Optic on Saturday
.,cning limited complete and long
$ atements from each member of the
boald, sustaining the management and
expressing the belief that the charges
of cruelty were without foundation
and accepting the explanation of 9TH
ers by the management as perfectly
satisfactory. The Optic states that
representatives of the paper made a
thorough investigation and did not
fnd conditions as represented. On the
other hand, the Las Vegas Advertiser
repeats it's charges and says that
complete investigation by that paper
las subs { inflated every charge made.
1t quotes a number of employees in
support of liz statements. The Adver-
t'aer claims [. have in it's possession
the gag that vas used and says 1T Is
blood stained. Dr. Da Costa has been
dismissed and both sides are still as
firm in the position occupied for or
against the management.
In official circles, the fact that DR..
Da Costa has seemed to be responsible
for the charges, has rather tended to
weaken them His military record in
the territory shows that he has tried
to push himself forward with
out regard to the rights of
others. He was commission
ed captain of the company of infantry
in Las Vegas and three days after his
commission was issued, wrote to Colo
mel Borradaile, commanding the regi-
ment, asking that he be appointed ma
jor The letter was sent to headquar-
ters and a reply was sent that in the
event of vacancy, there were other
captains who had long been in the
service and whose claims We're entitled
to prior consideration. Soon after
wards his resigna tion was sent in and
when it was about to be accepted, was
Later Captain Da Costa
did resign and the resignation was ac-
cepted. He was an unsuccessful ap-
plicant for appointment on the terri
torial board of health, on the Las We
gas armory board and on the gover-
nor's staff. He again made applica-
ton for commission as captain and the
exigencies of the situation caused the
to be granted. His resig-
nation of this commission Is now at
headquarters, but no action has been
taken on it. His appointment as as
sistant medical director was made by |
DR.. Upton. III, 80
Governor Otero has''not' had any re-
oly to his communication in regard to
he charges. my letter was only sent
IN Saturday" said the Governor, "and
t would scarcely be possible for me to
nave a reply before this evening or in
The morning. 1 do not know whether
,r not the board will deem it necessary
% make another investigation or
merely submit to me the findings from
he investigation already made. have
he utmost confidence in the members
If that board and there is no institu-
ion in the territory that has better
,oard or one that would inspire more
confidence than the one in charge of
hat institution. They have taken
rreat pride in the institution, and If
he legislature had given them one
,alf what they asked for no better in
.titution of the kind could be found
n the country. I have the greatest
confidence in DR.. Upton. His stand
ng as a physician and as man is un-
,uestioned. He is not cruel man
md whatever he has prescribed for
he institution, 1 believe is for the
,est. Insane people often have to be
reated as little children and have to
,e punished for conduct or infractions
f rules. do not for one moment be-
ieve that DR.. Upton would counten-
nee any cruel or inhuman punish
nent or treatment of the patients.
ave visited that institution and have
zone through it more times than II:
ave all the other territorial institu-
ions put together and I have never
- H. A.