Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-11-23
NO DIRECT EVIDENCE YET
Doctor, Superintendent and Other Em-
ployes Tell what They Did and
Of Them Eye witnesses "
tho Assuu1ts

supervisors of the insane met Ut the
pathological building at the hospital.
together with states Attorney :. Iiol-
lister Jackson OF Barre who looked
after the interests of the state. Sew
cral important witnesses in the ease
were called and some valuable tcsti-
mony taken.
The first witness called was br. Her
man ID. Bone, third assistant physician
at the hospital. DR.. Bone said that his
attention was first called to the con
diton of Mr. Durant Wednesday morn
ing, November ], about 300 n. m,
when he was making his rounds on
ward g. The man seemed to he suffer
ing ana he had him put to bed. where
an examination showed Il large dis
colored area on the breast over the
breast bone. Or. Bone poulticed the
wound and made Durant AS comfor-
table as possible, but, owing to the
fact that Durant could speak no Eng
lish, could get no information from
him. Witness certified the report
drawn up of the autopsy to he n correct
one. On being questioned about what
conversation he had had with Coon or
denied any knowledge of how Durant
some talk with them at different times
after their arrest. In these convcrsa-
tons Coon did most of the talking. He
Denied any knowledge of how Durant
received his injuries and said he was
ct Responsible for it. Dennis also denied
any knowledge of Durant's beng injured.
Both denied having struck l'urant or
having abused other patients Nv other
times. Or. Bone said that patient
named Flannery said that he saw Coon
and Dennis knock Durant to the moor.
Witness related the circumstances OF
the arrest of Coon and Dennis. stating
that both men tried to leave town on
hearing that the matter was being in
vestigated Witness said that Wright,
the charge nurse, and c. Q. Damrcn.
assistant supervisor. who bathed Dur
ant after his arrival at the hospital
October 2S. found no discOlorment on
the chest at that time.
DIR. CIRCUITS TESTIMONY.
Or. Don d. Grout, superintendent of
the hospital. was next called. Dr.
Crout said that Durant was admitted
from Middlebury October rs. and that
he was then in an apparently vigorous
condition for man of his age. which
was over so. Witnesses attention was
next called to the case November ],
when DR.. Bone told him that the pa
tient was in bad way. DIR. Grout
asked Bone to Investigate the matter
and the latter came up soon after in
some excitement and said that ne had
that the patient must be
suffering from rough handling by the
attendants. Witness then related the
details of the arrest of Coon and Dem
mis-, both of whom threw down their
keys and endeavOred to leave town.
They were apprehended at the station
by Sheriff c. c. Graves, and on COM
plant of DR.. Grout were given near
ing and held in $500 bail. Relating to
the past record Of the two attendants
Or. Grout was qucstinoed quite fully.
Dennis began work at the hospital
July 20, 1905. October 3 he went
to Springfield, Mass. tho reason
given being the illness of sister. 1t vas
afterwards found, however. that he had
worked IN Springfield hospital. from
October IS to October q. and that, on be-
ing discharged from there. he returned
to Waterbury and resumed work here.
Dennis had been employed in different
hospitals off and on for about ten years.
Coon's letter of application WAS referred
to DR.. 5. Il. Lawton, superintendent of
the Brattleboro Retreat. but on COM
,nunication with him it was found that
a man named Coon had beer discharged
for profanity and general incapacity
from that asylum. His application was
therefore rejected but he later appeared
at Waterbury with letter Of recon-
incubation from this same DR.. Lawton,
On further communication with DIR. Law
ton the latter said that they had un-
doubtcdly caught the wrong Coon in the
first report. Coor was therefore given a
place as attendant. After COon's arrest
old records were found showing that nc
Rad been employed hero from October
30. 1897. to January %. 1875. his discharge
AZ that time being due to smoking and
having alcohol in his room.
Relating to Dlrant's case rr. Grout
said that he found large discololcd
srot on the chest, and that Drs. lanes,
stanley, WATSON and Upton, besides MINI
self, were in consultation on the case. 1t
was not suspected that Durant had any
broken bones until the autopsy, which
showed four ribs and his breast bon.
were broken. Dr. Circuit had no talk with
Coon. and all that no heard the at
tendants say was the testimony given
in tho hearing before Justice G. II. Dale,
', hich was held in the pathological build
ing at the hospital. There wa, mo- pie a
at that time that Durant had tried to
injnre them or that they had acted in
srlf-defence. He did not recall that the
attendants said that Durant had teen
injured by some one falling on him.
LR. UPTON EXAMINED.
Dr. W. ]. Upton. first assistant phys-
clan at the hospital, was next sworn.
Ne said that, acting In the absence of
l'r Grout he had looked IN the record
in connection witt, CoOn's application. lie
had questioned him about his work at
lIrattlcboro and his experience III the
work Ct nursing seemed sufficient reason
for engaging him. DR.. Upton l.. iicratcd
the statement of DIR. Grout that he had
found the previous record OF Conn's being
employed at the hospital ir the winter
Of 1ss7-lS,S. and later being discharged,
this not being, however. until after Coon S
hvrest. Relative Ia Durants committal,
NJ his admission to he in good physc al
condition. tie was brought Ivy OvcrsocI
81 the Poor William NJ. Jackson OF Mid
dichury on the noon train. October IS
When seen nv the Witness that night he
was apparently al right. Witness went
on his NaratiCu al this time and 50 ,ill