Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1906-03-28
HoRRrrYINa TRAGEDY AT PHoE-
NIX ASYLUM.
From Thursdays Daily.l

insane curry Mohuay eNch'hk, Wh'cn
was not made public until yesterday.
and which involves the taking of the
life of a female patient by female
attendant, though evidently without
murderous motive, says the Phoenix |
Republican.
Hardly less remarkable than the
death Of the woman was the astound.
ing fact that not n word OF IL was per.
mitted TO leak from the institution for
twelve hours after she had breathcd
her last.
The story of the incident as related
before the coroner and his jury is
horrifying one, though 1t should be
borne in mind that il is onc-sided. The
attendant responsible for the death of
the patient. Miss Halle jerks, has
not yet told her version of it.
The story told before the coroncr's
jury was by Miss Nellie Ditto, sub
ordinate attendant, who was present
when the incident happened, having
Dcen calleu 10 ahsist hiSs J'Hhs'
The story is that the patient, Sadie
Jones, a woman about 80 years old,
was more than usually noisy and re-
fractory on Monday evening. Miss
jerks said she would quiet her, and
entered her apartment. She called TO
Miss Ditto TO assist her, and when
the latter arrived Miss jerks asked
her to hold the patients hands. She
did az directed, Miss Jones being on a
cot and struggling. Miss jerks then
saturated pillow slip with turpen
tine and threw il over the patient =
face, and pushed IL into her mouth. Miss
Ditto questioning the proceeding. in
sisted that Miss jerks desist, whici
she did finally, but the patient wa
then exhausted, and in most alarm
: ing condition. The steward was sen
= for, DR.. Ward, the superintendent, be
:, ing absent in California. Immcdiatel.
y thereafter DR.. T.. T.. Palmer was sum
moncd, and ms soon as he could ge
:. there began efforts for the relief of tn
u patient, who fingered two or thrc
hours, and finally died, 1t Ii supposed
T. from breathing the fumes Of turper
y tine in poisonous quantities, or bein
so weakened by the smothering thu
VI she was unable to recover from II
W exhaustion.
- -. .p.t1apf
re made public until II O'Clock yestcrda
of occa.ioned most unfavorable conme'
Mt and led to report that an effort WI
ne being made by the authorities or u
NJ administration TO cover the incide
on with n veil Of secrecy. Mr.. Bandy, q
by steward. when asked concerning N
p' delay, replied that It was about
Mt o'clock at night before the pate
died. II was then his duty to ma
le. report Of the incident in an ofhcl
m way. utilizing formal report blan'
If. This report he began early in
is. morning. and il was about 10 o'cio
cp. when he dispatched messenger to
Ne governors Office. The governor
m, mediatcly on receiving the news te
of phoncd To the coroner and to the
ZEN rifY. and the coroner with jury w
In soon en- route 70 the asylum.
ny Miss jerks VIM arrested, but
our thing will ~ done in the nntter OF
,a~ until after the inquest.
nm. The dead woman had been an INN
ing OF the ASYLUM hut five days, hav
been brought from Tombstone, VIII
rles Il il said, she had lived life OF
hey graduation and shame, and was In
the physical as we'll as mental health
,ge- Miss Ditto has been an cmpioye
8rst Abe ASYLUM about two months, tho
was she had never been employed IN
him vard until about FIVE days ago.
title Miss jerks has been an cnP'oy'
hots the ASYLUM about nine months
into b,a been accounted one OF the
ID n competent and Trustworthy attenda
lllet Che Is n niece Of Mrs. $. V. Reef
his North First street. Deputy sh
18th. Standard took her into custody at
,uty asyium, and brought her at once
the the county Jail.
the One circumstance that has ore
It something of an siv Of mystery rs
, a mort 10 the effect that after the "s
rhe- ering ~ Sadie Jones, Mis- Di,'o
II cd Miss jerks why she had done
mar. and the latter, pointing to ie
ored said that would explain things,
p IL she would read IL TO her later. ""
occasion Of her arrest she tore tine
ter into fragments. It's contents
not thus far been revealed. the
,,iet attorneys Office telephoned
have the fragments gathered ~
oo"' possible, and saved.
eV' George r. Truman, citizen me'
Oh ~ the board Of control, when ask
sec g.. tnatitutlOD perm