The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-05-04
BADLY ABUSED.
State Of Affairs in a
District Hospital.
CRUEL TREATMENT
OF the Defenceless Inmates OF Govern
mept Institution In the City Of
Washington. People Not Insane
Confined In the Bull Pen,
A TyDiCat Case,
A Typical Case.

A Typical Case.
An investigation of st ElIzabeth's
hospital, Washington d. G the home
of many AFFLICTED government employ
ees, army and navy Cfiioers and mem
bers CT the marine corps, by the house
committee on the District Of Co!um"
bia, he's disclosed a horrible state Of
affairs.
Speaking of the discipline at this
institution. the committee In its re-
port says: "It would appear from
and statements made to US
chat atrait-j ackets, handouts, etc.,
are in frequent use; that tho feeding
tube has been upon occasions thrust
down the throat as @ method and dis.
cipline, as we'll as Of alleged necessity; !;
that wiring out by wet towels and
'toweling' with dry towels placed
about the patients neck and twisted
from behind until the patient falls
over semi. conscious (sometimes with
soap In the mouth) Is not an unoom.
mon practice; that the saddle" has
been used at times, cOntrlVance upon
which refractory patients are said to
be placed In a reclining position, fas-
toned, hand. foot and neck, and 30
that no movement is possible except
to roll the eyes around cirouD1scribed
area of the ceiling, and thus left for
hours.
''R!oking and cutting by attendants
for failure to obey C,ders or do work
properly, or for taking an extra spoon
full of beans at table, ETC., ID allegeo.
An incident is told Of an attendant,
disturbed at night by somnambulis.
tic pEtient, striking him in the mouth,
and Knocking him down, and carrying
his ,Rn hand Ia bandage for several
days in consequence; and Of another
attendant breaking a patients leg in
di.il jInInBT NIX. -----i ii-----r,-s-.,s
There are different ways Of train
Ing q horse-but one attendant made
the statement that he was inuruoted
to make patients fear him as he would
o horse, etc., and he commenced doing
80 his first day on duty, by knocking
a patient down and chooking him, af.
ter which he had no trouble with that
one.
Many other like occurrences are
reported, but these are more than sui.
ficient, If true, to present vivid con-
trast to the methods of gentleness and
sympathy carried out In other insti.
tutions."
Many attempts have been made re-.
Gently by inmates Of the hospital tC
81 cure the services Of attorneys to Of
feet their releace, such attempts have
invariably been followed by brutal and
inhuman treatment. Que case In point
Is that Of an old man named Willis
who was not insane and wanted to be
released. or this case the committee
says. THE Willis case is no doubt OK.
oeptional; this is brief Of its history.
An old man, but vigorous Of body and
intellect, was prevailed upon to deed
valuable property to relative. He
was drugged In New York, taken 1,00C
miles to a soldiers home at Milwau'
kee. Wis, from there to St. Elizabeth
there regarded as insane, and his
statements taken as proof positive OF
"perst cutory manila" He was punish
cd in the hospital for his attempts tC
secure legal release; his pension OF
Sl2 per month used by the hospital
his pension Of $50 per month for life
az an old employee Of Arnold, Consta
BILE 81 Co., commuted and released by
the relative to whom he had decided
the property for cash payment; II,
Is now penniless and friendleSs. ant
his prospects for escape from life Inn
prisonmont from among the tDBan,
are exceedingly small,
"A woman, believing this man
story secured q writ of habeas CORPUS
for him and the case came before JUS
tice Wright, OF tho supreme court 0
the DISTRICT OF Columbia. He hold til,
commitment unconstitutional and ille
gal, and sai6 'one might as we'll argu
that policeman could bo authorized
to arrest citizen, charge him will
murder, pronounce him guilty, ant
hang him to lamp post. Willis wa
then discharged after having been hel,
In the hospital two years and was sen
out Without ono penny.
In the Shaffor case, 1t appears h
was too religious to suit the taste o
an official In the hospital ward at tn
soldiers home, who commanded hin
to stop praying With the slck inmates
his refusal caused Immediate trani
fer to st. Elizabeth. There no show
ed no signs Of insanity, but his re
quests for discharge were refused an
his release by habeas corpus resisted
Finally he managed to have his Gas
brought into court and ho WAS foul
perfectly sane In every respect and OF
dered to be discharged.
There are about 500 INDECENT pa
tiepts at ST. Elizabetha, and these
the committee says, are confined |
the bull pen.
The bull pen is triangular enolo
ure Of about three acres, of whic
about one-half Ia occupied by built
ings. 1t is surrounded by brick wal
, and high paling fences, through whiC
/ the inmates can be- seen trampiI
/ wearily back and forth like Gagged or
/ mails, or sitting listlessly waiting I'll
bell for meals. Some have been the
for decade or over. One old soldi
In this pen stated that he was treat
! as we'll as any old dog shut up In
back yard with water to drink and
tough chunk to gnew on; If he did u
attempt to dig out, OF Jump the fent
!. or howl at the moon, no was left alo
and kept out Of trouble"
w, w. PRIoR.