Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-03-23
prrice Ballard Tells Of Irregular.
ties at State Insane
Hospital.
COAL WAS EXPENSIVE
letal1 Price Paid for Large Quantities
-Attorney.Geucrnl Fits Says Asy.
linn officials Have Refuted the
Testimony Of Il. A. Morse
Given Thursday.

Waterbury. March 1.-THE investigat-
k1g committee appointed to investigate
Ihc conditions existing at the Vermont
Stato hospital for the insane, accom-
Bancd by GOV. c. J. Bell. arrived in
Iown Thursday evening. and continued
heir investigation in the pathological
building at ten o'clock this morning. The
! rst witness on the stand was Orricc
Ballard IL former trustee of the institu-
hon. Mr.. Ballard said that on one OF
lis last official visits To the hospital ne
VAS called in to- the office of the super
fisor of the male side. James Nj. TOWN.
| bend Mr.. Townshcnd showed him
en- quart pan of eggs and tod MN mat
bout three quarters of them were rot
nn. That they had been cooked and
iven to the patti ntS. but That they had
efuscd TO cat them. lie also said that
|evcrnl times chickens had spoiled as
hey had not been placed in the cold stor-
&c soor enough after being received by
|hc institution
| In regard To- the cooking ut the hospital.
Iir. Ballard said that he did not consider
| r. Packard. u former cook ut the in
.titutior a competent cook. and while he
3tas trustee had entered n complaint TO
ls effect, but no attention had been
ivcn it. and Packard had been retained
cook at the hospital for two years
ftor he had severed his connections with
be- hospital as trustee.
In regard to the question Of coal, he
hid he had no definite knowledge. al
hough he had called the attention of the
Their members of the board to ih" fact
bat they We're paying as much per ton
,r coal in quantities as he could plr-
hasc IT for by the ton at st. Adams. He
rid tho expense of coal per month at
Elc institution was about $1,000. Mr.. Bal
hrd said he considered that the staff at
physicians at the hospital were COM
etcnt. and faithful in the discharge of
heir duties. Mr.. Ballard said that his du-
- had been mostly connected with the
arn work. He said he believed that Su-
crimtcndent Shipman was competent
lanascr Of tho farm. and That no re-
ections could be cast on his manage
hent lie thought. however. that more
3cip WIS employed than was necessary
II the farm. He also said that h" did
ot consi dor the farm as Il good invest
hent for the state as he believed that
he provisions could be purchase d at less
xpeusc than they could raise them on
'''-'''
|hc farm.
REGARDING the friction between Sup
Irintendcnt Hutchinson and Dr. Berry
he said that ii was evident that their
{elations had not been of a friendly ma
lure during part of the time Berry had
been connected with the institution;
Ind that the unpleasantncss seemed to
grow more intense as long as he re
,,,i .,, hr fat Mr. Ballard
,aid that he had dined several times at
hc hospital ana did not consider the
living extravagant. He said that during
his connection with the institution as
rustec he had visited the hospital sew
kral times without the knowledge of
superint cndcnt Hutchinson and had al
ways found things in good order in the
Institution. Mr.. Ballard said that one
bf the last official acts of the board OF
trustees while he was trustee was a
vote that the superintendent should
Visit the wards once each week. but sc
far as he could learn that the order
bad not been lived up to. He said he
considered the superintendent OF
Electrical work, w. ], Redmond. a COM
,ctont man for the position. Mr.. Bal
lard was given every opportunity tC
riticizc the management of the insti-
hutton. but said he had no further
etatcmcnts to make.
The next and last witness was John
r. Murphy, u senior student in the L. V
Nj. Medical College at Burlington, who
fromcrlN served as an attendant at the
hospital. Mr.. Murphy said that he had
been employed at the institution as at