Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1906-03-02
Only Spite of a Fired
Nurse.
ACCORDING TO MANAGEMENT
TALE OF CRUELTY IS ABSURD
Morning Journals Correspondent
Upon investigation Finds Story
Is Simply a Plain Fake.

Miss Frances Addleman, a former
nurse in the New Mexico insane asy-
lum at Las Vegas. has brought the
most sensational charges against the
management of that institution. The
board of directors denies the charges
absolutely and 1t is understood Is pre-
pairing 10 take vigorous action against
the discharged employe for bringing
the accusations.
The most startling charge brought
by Miss Addleman is that patient in
the institution was kicked and beaten
to death by a nurse.
The following dispatch from Las
Vegas to the Denver News gives the
charges in detail:
Because of charges filed against the
management of the territorial insane
asylum by Frances Addleman. former
ly a nurse i'm the institution, the board
of directors, while denying that the
charges are true. has made arrange-
ments to engage legal talent to take
action against Miss Addleman.
Miss Addleman charges that Marie
Fspnosia de Baca. an insane Mexican
woman, was kicked and beaten to
death by Bessie Sherrard. another
nurse in the institution. and that she
died from her injuries within forty
eight hours after the assault took
place.
Dr. Upton. the medical superinten-
dent Of the Institution is charged
with having failed to visit the woman
when she was reported dying. and
with having made the death certifl-
cate read that she died Of nervous ex-
haustion.' after the body had been
buried on the asylum grounds.
Miss Addleman further says that
she left the institution because she
was unable to witness the inhuman
treatment accorded the patients there
without remonstrance. and her words
having no effect, she finally resigned
and left to avoid the scenes of horror
which she witnessed daily.
"Pounccd On" Woman.
The nurse declares that all the
women patients were ordered out of
their beds at $3.50 o'clock on tho
morning of December 20. She says
that Mrs. de Baca. who was frail OF
body, appeared before Miss Sherrard
with another patients clothes on,
whereupon, Miss Addleman declares.
Miss Sherrard pounced on the woman,
throwing her to the floor, where she
hammered her head against the the
wood until Mrs. de Baca was almost
unconscious, and that then the nurse
arose and kicked the PROSTATE wom-
an several times inquiring, mean
while, why she had dared to take the
clothes of another patient.
After the beating, so Miss Addleman
states, the insane woman. with her
body covered with a mass of black
and blue bruises was carried to her
bed whore she died. within forty
eight hours, and that the body was
hastily buried, after which DR.. Upton
signed the death certificate.
w. H. Gortner secretary OF the
board Of directors. declares that Miss
Addleman was discharged from the
Institution. and that her charges are
now founded on spite. He says that
he has secured abundant evidence 10
this effect from the employees The
medical stan. Il Is stated. Investigated
the charges and found that the treat
ment Of the insane woman had in II no
element of brutality
Many reports have been circulated
within the past few years to the effect
that the insane asylum management
left much to be desired but no ELI
dence has as yet been adduced to sup
port the charges.
Correspondent Denies Charges.
The fact that these sensational al
legations were made as above stated
having come to the Morning Journal
week ago, the latter instructed its
Las Vegas correspondent to lnvestl-
gate and see II he considered there
was any foundation for the story. The
latter reports that there Is nothing
In II more than the usual wall OF a
dismissed employe sr else the mem
bers of the board and all the officials
fail TO tell the truth. The district
attorney referred the complaint back
to the board and they made COM
plete investigation. The Morning
Journals correspondent interviewed