Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-05-28
THE ASYLUM.
BOARD or DIRECTORS WILL ASK
FOR INVESTIGATION OF
THEIR INVESTIGATION.
Governor otero Expresses His Readi.
ess to Appoint Committee Of Scien-
tifc Men from Outside to Make RI.
nal Report. :. =. . =. 80.

nal Heport.... =. . -. -.
Governor Otero left this afternoon
for Santa Fe, after taking steps that
will. without doubt. result in getting
10 the bottom OF the charges regarding
the management of the Territorial In.
sane asylum. The sitting process Is
to include not only an examination Of
the charges and an investigation OF all
the conditions at the institution. but
also an inquiry into the motives and
methods Of those making the charges.
Or. Hart OF Ration. a member Of the
board, who Is here assisting In the
investigation, informed The Optic
that u soon as the board was In q
position to submit to the governor Its
complete report of findings tn the mat
ter 1t would request the governor to
appoint a committee of scientific and
capable men from outside towns to
make q further investigation and pass
upon the correctness OF the boards
report and the thoroughness Of its in
quiry. Every facility will be placed
at the disposal Of the outside commit
tee 70 hear both sides, to examine ev-
cry detail OF management and to ar
rive at an independent and unpreju-
diced conclusion.
Governor Otero. when spoken to re-
garding the matter. said II the board
accompanied its report by such a re-
quest, he would appoint a committee
that would be non.partisan and in the
ability and rectitude OF which no one
In the territory could have the slight
est doubt. The governors view OF the
matter il that the charges reflect upon
the board AZ well as the management.
and III the former asks Tor an inquiry
into its own Inquiry II Is right that
ii should be granted. The executive
says he has the greatest confidence
In the board and believes that the
majority Of the general public vii
have confidence III Its report, but al
il Is important, owing TO the magni
tudc OF the interests involved, To have
the matter carried TO such d concius
ion as will leave absolutely no doubt
IN the mind of any one, he thinks il
is good policy to appoint an outside
committee.
Governor 0tero has nothing 10 say
at the present time regarding What
he believes will be the outcome Of the
Investigation by the board. He re
| serves comment on what he saw ant
heard At tho institution. where he me
all the patients and talked with al
The attendants privately. He hal
nothing 10 do with the Management
directly. but holds file board respoil
sible, The board had full control Q
tho management. lie believes TIN
board Is taking the proper steps 4
secure the most comprehensive infor
nation concerning the whole question
Or. Hart said that tle board wa
taking the written testimony 81 III
attendants and Of all who could throw
any LIGHT upon the matters at issue
The whole matter would be thorough
~ aiftad and d fun report publishes
in both English and Spanish wonl'
be given TO the public.
Both gentlemen ,leplored the care
l~essness that had apparently been dis
played, when the bones of a patien
had gotten scattered about the yart
Some evidence there Is which point
10 this having been done malicionsl,
This matter liz also under ~inycstiga
ton. DR.. Hart remarked that 1t wa
a gruesome thing. however IL hal
pencd, and something to be regretted
The director Is willing to say that h
believes the result of the additions
investigation being prosecuted by th
board will be to establish beyond .
doubt that patients have not been il
hnmancly treated in the institution.