Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-11
THE OLCOTT HOUSE.
SPECIAL COMMITTEE
Took Testimony of Several Wit.
nesses Today
IN INSANE ASYLUM INQUIRY
Patients Were Mistreated as Admitted
by Attendants.
DR.. WHITE TO HAVE HIS INNING
Beginning Probably With Next Tues
day - Immunity Promised to
Employees Who Testify.
Patients Were Mistreated as Admitted
by Attendants.
DR.. WHITE TO HAVE HIS INNING

Several witnesses testified before the Ole :
ectt special committee today concerning
conditions at the ST. Elizabeth Insane Asy-
hum. 1t is expected that DR.. White will be
given his hearing beginning with next
Tuesday. The committee Will not sit on
Monday.
Mrs, Della NJ. Snyder was the first wit.
ness. She had frequently visited the asy-
lum for three or four months last summer. /
Her daughter, who was an inmate. had
been treated. Mrs. Snyder said. however.
that there were persons In the epileptio /
ward who should not have been there and
whose actions and language shocked the |
other patients. She considered there were
too few attendants at the asylum.
Mr. Siddons Evidence
F. l.. Siddons of the local law firm OF,
Ralston & Siddons. testified that he was asI
the asylum last April the day the board OF
visitors met. He went there to appear be-
fore the board. but was told that. as the
legal member of the board was not present.
the matter In which Mr.. Siddons was inter
ested would have to walt
Mr.. Siddons explained that he had been
retained by certain of the nurses and at
tendants to advise them as to their rights
in the matter of annual leave and the eight
hour law After an investigation he was
satisfied that the eight-hour law does not
apply to the employees at the asylum.
II learned" said Mr.. Siddons, that en-
ployes at the asylum were required TO work
twelve and fourteen hours day.
Small Salary Paid.
Mr. Siddons said further that employees
receive only fifteen days annual leave and
no sick leave In his judgment the wages
paid the attendants at the asylum were 80
lac x1f
attendants were secured. and that the at .
tendants were constantly leaving.
Returning to the civil service proposition.
Representative Smyser wanted to know IL
employees In the classified service had their
mouths padlocked
Mr.. Siddons said lie thought this was true
to a. certain extent.
Let me disabuse your mind of that be-
lief" remarked Representative Smyser. III
any employe in the institution has a we'll !
founded grievance he may come before this
committee and testify, civil service or no
civil service.
Patients Mistreated.
Lewis Taylor colored an employe in tho
hospital laundry since January. 1898. was
the next witness. He had seen several
patients mistreated. Henry Satterfied,
another employe. had teased patient
named Mike Linden and struck him with a
wet towel Another employe. Allen BaId-
win, has teased a patient named Gregory.
and finally struck the latter on the head
with his closed fist. Witness had seen
Foreman Maenche OF the laundry drunk
while on duty at least twice lie had
smelled liquor on Maenches breath a1
other times. - :
Samuel E. Lacey, coIored. OF 1872 10tn
street northwest. notary public. was
sworn. He had visited st. Elizabeths n
number OF times In 1903 and 1904 TO visit
friend. Samuel Tyler. Once he found Tyler
with two black eyes. a cut lip and BAN
daged wrist. He had not personally seen
patients cruelty treated. Tyler wouldn't
tell him how he was hurt.
Robert r Douglass. colored. OF 1888 l4th
street northwest. an employe OF the asses
sors office had visited the hospital during
the past three years, also TO see Samuel
TYLER. He had seen the latter with his
ewes blackened. One time Tylers eyes were
bloodshot, and the latter said that an ate
tendant named Brown. who Is now a mem-
ber of the local police force, had beaten
him. Brown, Tyler told Douglass, beat him
CTyler) every time he got chance. Tyler
had been in the asylum nearly two months
before being formally judged insane
Alexander Ross.
Alexander Ross of 1000 7th street south-
west. visited the asylum weekly last year
to visit Joseph Kinsey, an inmate. An irl-
mate named Dodge had been beaten by an
attendant In his CRoss) presence. He did
not know the attendants name. Dodge.
who had been q 6renan IN tnlS city, lhlef
died In the institution. Ross testified. After
the beating of Dodge the attendant who
had done the Job showed Ross bandaged
arm. saying that the patient had done that
the day before. and that he Ohe attendantl
didn't propose to stand 1t any longer.
Later Ross said on q visit to Kinsey he
found the latter with black eye and two
broken ribs. Kinsey was too crazy to tell
how he was injured. Later Kinsey had
been cured by blow on the head from
another patient.
Yesterday Afternoons Testimony.
At the session of the Oleott special COM
mittee yesterday afternoon only three wit.
nesses were called to testify concerning
conditions in st. Elzabeth's Asylum. two Of
whom had expected to speak from hear.
say. These latter were excused.
George L. Snider. employed in the life-
saving service of the Treasury Depart.
ment, said his daughter had been an IN.
mate OF the asylum, suffering from epi-
lepsy, but that the treatment was sucn
that he withdrew her, and Is now caring
for her at his own home. Witness SAID
that when he placed his daughter at 81.
Eiizabeth's he understood that no charge
would. be made but that later they told
him he would have TO pay $50 a month Dor
her expenses. and this had something TO
do with her withdrawal
Snider asserted that he had sent clothing
to his daughter w. ch she never received.
10,