Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-03-01
DISCHARGED EN-.
Il PLOYES SEEK.
INC TROUBLE
Sensational Statement Sent 10
Outside Papers Concerning
Asylum Is Denied.
Complaints Made Before District Attorney
Davis and Governor
Haserman.

Another effort Is being made by
discharged employees Of the territorial
asylum for the insane to stir up feel.
ing against the management This is
something that has happened fre.
Quently In the history Of the institu.
tion. but in every instance prompt
investigation has followed and the
management has always been cleared
from all blame in the matter.
For couple Of months an ex-
nurse, Miss Frances Addleman, has
been industri0usly engaged in circu-
lating reports that nurse, Miss
Sharrard beat an insane patient, Mrs.
Baca, SO severely that she died from
the effects. The charge was first
made before District Attorney Davis,
who referred it to the board Of trus.
tees and asked for an investigation
This investigation the board Of direc-
tors has made and every member as
serts most emphatically that there
are no foundations for the charges o:
the ex-nurse. They say that the nurse
was discharged and Immediately
thereafter, with the assistance of one
or two other disgruntled ones, she be-
gan the circulation of the reports
about the management and especially
about Miss Sharrard The board did
not find Miss Sharrard guilty of any
cruelty In her treatment of patients
and did not recommend her discharge
She is still employed In the institu
ton.
Not only have reports berr circuiat.
% about town. but also they have
been sent to outside papers, in some
cases accompanied by affidavits. Also
within the last day or two complaint
has been made to the governor Gov
ernor Hagerman wrote to Pr asi:en.
Reynolds, the letter bsiag received by
the latter this morning, asking abont
the matter. The answer will be that
the board has made very careful
investigation OF the charges ami find
them foundationless, that the matter
is still in the hands of the district at.
tcrney, and that the members of the
board are willing and anxious to have
every possible light thrown on The
matter. To this end thev ask the
governor to make any investigation IN
the matter he desires and they also
announce their intention OF bring.
ing proceedings against ex Nurse Ad.
dleman, in order that she may have
the fullest opportunity to prove her
assertions, and to show on what
ground she makes them.
Said Mr.. Reynolds, In speaking OF
the matter this morning: Ever since
the institution was founded stories
Of cruel treatment Of patients by dis.
gruntled or dismissed employees, near.
ly always incompetents, have been
common. The board has taken pains
to investigate every complaint and
has ever insusted upon the most care
ful, scientific and humane treatment
Of patients. In every instance where
an attendant has been shown to have
been cruel or incompetent. he or she
has been dismissed And these are
the very ones who have invariably
made the charges against the institu'
tion. ! would, and am positive that
every member Of the board feels the
same way, be eager to take the most
summary measures In my power to
punish any attendant that would dare
mistreat patient. The board would be
equally ready to condemn the man.
agement unsparingly for palliating OF
attempting to cover up any wrong do.
ing on the part Of employees.
THE board has confidence, born OF
years Of experience, in the medical
superintendent and the steward Of
the institution. But that fact has new.
er hindered us from taking indepen.
dent means to investigate the charg.
es made against the institution.
"This casa seemed ike many be.
fore, Jus. an effort to hurt the In.
stitution AMI the management. bu.
our Investigations have been careful
and they sse thorough. The next
step will be 70 bring lfga; procee 7.
ings against the nurse who appears
10 have stirred up the trouble to fc-ce
her to prove her assertions or retract
them
Reference has been ma!e elsewhere
to the sensational article .r the Der
yer Post. wh.ch among other things
says the matter has caused the big.
gest kind of sensation in Las We
ras and In The territory. The abso-
lute falsity II that sts,cmeLf Is fai-
u good evidence Of the character Of