Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-05-12
WATERBURY HEARING CLOSED.
Testimony as to Treatment Of Patients
Report Expected June 1.


Report Expected June I.
| The work OF the committee investi-
{ eating state institutions was resumed
! al the state hospital for the insane at
Waterbury Wednesday, May 10. At
torney-General Fits of Brattleboro.
| G. III. A. Stafford of Morrisviile and n.
, @. Williams of Bellows Falls. members
: OF the investigating committee. were
present, with George W. Wing of the
board of hospital trustees.
The first witness was Mrs. Charles
II. Stevens. Of ST. Adams. whose son
had been confined in the hospital at
three different times, and for whose
lcare 50 week was paid. During his
stay there i'm the winter, she thought
her son was not out of doors enough.
OF this she complained TO the superln-
tendent and she was given to under
stand If she would pay three times as
much the patient would be taken out
more. She said the food was good and
her son was comfortably clothed. The
witness then stated that her son COM
planned to her once about being choksd
by an attendant and that another time
the same attendant bumped the pa
tents head severely. She understood
that this attendant left the institution
soon after her son complained Of this
| treatment She stated that her son
was now in the Brattleboro retreat
where he was granted many more
privileges. He is taken out doors twice
a day and his physical health Is i'm
proving though his mental condition
| is no better than when at Waterbury.
She said that the fact that outside
physicians were not allowed to visit
patients in the state hospital she con-
sidered to be mistake as often
specialists from New York and Bos-
ton were desired This was allowed
at Brattleboro, and she had always
understood that ii was also the prac-
tice in other institutions. The wit
ness said that Supt. S. E. Lawton Of
the Brattleboro retreat did not give
her son any more personal attention
than did Supt. Marcello Hutchinson.
NJ. II. Alexander of Georgia testified
that he had taken two patients to the
Institution. The first one was Town
Clark and the second Michael Conley.
The last time he went there he stayed
all day and went through the institu-
tion. He was surprised to find Con-
ley tied in a chair with muffiers on.
Coniey had been in very poor health
and he thought he should have been
in bed. Conley died within a week.
H. o. Pierce, a selectman of Georgia,
corroborated this story.
Thomas Kelley of Richmond a
former employe, thought the patients
We're treated as well as they could be
under the circumstances. Some COM
plant had been made that one ward
was not properly treated.
Carl A. Allen. a brick mason, Will
liam Deal, carpenter, Willis B.
Clark, cashier of the Waterbury Ma
tional bank, and A. H. Smith, a hard
ware dealer, testified to the effect
that Patrick Lyon, former witness.
was untruthful and that his reputa-
ton was not good. 1t will be re-
membered that Lyon, a former en-
poyee. gave evidence in Boston that
was damaging to the ability of Super
intendent Hutchinson.
C. G.. Andrews, first assistant ply
sician testified about the manner of
a patient. He said Su-
perintendent Hutchinson did not visit
the wards regularly. No force was
allowed on the part of attendants and
discharge Immediately
He said that unpleasant
feelings existed not only between DR..
Berry and DIR. Hutchinson, but ex-
tended TO the other doctors and Off
GERS of the institution. DR.. Hutchin-
son seemed to use more authority than
was given him by the trustees and
of the hospital. He
never knew of hospital supplies being
used by doctors for personal uses and
denied that great deal of company
had been entertained at the hospital
at the states expense. The treatment
Of patients, he said, was as good as
possible under present conditions.
During the past eight years, 80 at
-endants had been discharged on ac-
count of ill-treating patients.
DIR. Upton, second assistant physi-
,ian. testified along the same lines.
He denied that Mrs. Bowman had
been given the post mortem bath"
before she was dead. She had been
given necessary bath at o'clock in
he morning. but had lived for two
hours after the bath. Her husband
vas sent for, and was present when
she died. DR.. Upton was supervisor
If the ward in which she had been
latient.
Dr. w D. Wasson. pathologist, tes-
flied that he had investigated several
.ases where it had been stated that
he statements false. No autopsies
we're ever made without the consent
# the friends and relatives of the de-
eased; about l31 had been made in
he past eight years.
Gov. C. j. Bell attended the hearing
He has asked the COM
nittee to prepare its report at once
nd it will be made public June 1.
The supervisors of the insane, DR..
!. NJ. Greene of Bethel, DR.. G. s. Fos-
er of Putney, and DR.. F. E. Steele
f Stockbridge, testified yesterday
hey pronounced the condition of the
Institution excellent and attendance
f the best; said they visited 1t every
Month. or oftener: opportunity for
nore outdoor exercise for patients
,as needed and more fire escapes.
'hey thought the superintende
hould devote more time to the med
al work and less to the business
interests. Two hundred and sixty
our patients were received at the
ospital between June 80. 1902. and
une 80 1904, and during that time
"a had been discharged.
Misses Elizabeth and Louise Nutch
{ Baltimore are visiting their neph-
NJ Harry Il Hans.