Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-06-29
MANAGEMENT INDICATED BY
SIX OF THE INVESTIGATORS
Logical Statement Of Findings Resulting From Fair and Com
prehenSiye Hearing Of Charges


The Optic publishes today the COM
plete report of six members of the
;Special investigating committee ap-
pointed by Governor Otero to look into
the serious charges preferred against
the management of the Territorial In
sane asylum. A minority report by
the remaining member Of the commit
tee, Hon. e. v Chaves OF Albuquerque,
fails to agree with some of the find
ings of the majority. Mr.. Chaves' re
port will be published tomorrow.
Wits report to the governor the COM
mittee also filed the convincing and
vOluminous report of the proceedings.
These proceedings are open to the
public for inspection. The report re-
published below is stated in such
manner as to convince the public into
whose hands it may fall of the thor
oughness and fairness of the investiga-
tion made. The press and people
throughout the territory, as well as
that large public to whom reports OF
abuses were carried by INSCRIPTIONS
individuals, have declined to believe
the extravagant and unlikely charges
made. The report of four of
the ablest physicians of the territory,
subscribed to by the democratic lead
or Of Central New Mexico, and one of
the territory's leading bankers, will
remove any lingering doubts from the
minds of all whose opinions are
worthy OF consideration
Las Vegas, N. NJ, June 20, 1903. !.
To the Honorable Miguel A. Otero.
Governor Of New Mexico,
Santa Fe, N. M,
Eir:-The committee to investigate
the Territorial Insane asylum, ap-
pointed by your official order Of the
9Th inst. respectfully submits the fol.
lowing report of its proceedings and
findings.
The committee was organized by the
selection of Mr.. r. J. Palen as chair
man on the 18th inst, the day desig
mated in your official notice to the
members for the meeting Of the com
mittee, and the necessary steps were
taken to give the utmost publicity
possible to the manner of proceedings
to be observed in the investigation
by public notice in the newspapers O
Las Vegas, and by formal subpoena t
all witnesses whose names could b'
ascertained by the committee, or were
furnished by the representatives o
the parties who had been instrumen
tai in procuring and publishing details
of the alleged mismanagement of tn,
asylum. Steps were also taken in al
cases to procure the attendance of an
sent witnesses, and in this particua
the board Of regents of the asylum
heartily co-operated with the commit
tee by paying all expenses and trans
pOrtation of such witnesses, and e1
tending every facility to your commit
tee for procuring their attendance.
Request was made of your commit
Zee by representatives Of the partie
making the charges to be present i
person or by attorney, which wa
granted, and during the greater pal
of our sessions they were SO repr'
sented. similar privilege was gran
ed the board of directors of the as.
lum and exercised by them. Five fu
days, with long sessions, open to tn
public, were given to the taxing {
the testimony attached to this repor
Before proceeding to take the test
mony, your committee made caref,
and thorough inspection of the as
lum and thoroughly looked into q
the methods used by the officials
command and management of the p
tients and In the discharge Of the ge
eral affairs OF the asylum, and II
asylum appeared to be In the most e
cellent condition, and its AFFAIRS jud
ciuusly and properly managed. Pc
feet cleanliness prevailed, there va
an entire absence Of repulsive fe
lures. the patients appeared to be {
Z we'll cared for and under at little r
straint as was compatible with the
mental condition, and it was matt