Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-21
THE ST. ELIZABETH
INVESTIGATION
Employees of the Asylum Give
Testimony.
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE
But Little Criticism of the Institu-
ton
FROM TODAY'S WITNESSES
DR.. Fitch Says Something About DR..
Hagner's Case and One Nurse
Alleged Favoritism.
But Little Criticism of the Institu-
ton
NJ TODAY'S WITNESSES
FROM


| The Olcott special committee today con-
| tinued its inquiry into conditions at the
| Government Hospital for the Insane Dur
ing the session a handbf published by
Lewis Marshall n religious fanatic who
was once an inmate of St Elizabeth's and
who testified before the committee. was
passed around The bill contains a bitter
attack on the Olcott committee The police
| are looking for Marshall.
v. C. Rollins.
V. c. Rollins, a member OF the local fire
department, was the first witness sworn.
He had been an attendant in white ash
ward of the asylum in 1904
Rollins testified that he had not seen pa
tients abused. He had never been guilty
Of iiltreating the inmates and would not
have tolerated it in other attendants.
The food was not so very good 81 far az
preparation was concerned. but h sup
posed this was due to the great number
| of persons supplied at each meal
1T didn't taste like home cooking" said
| the witness.
Perhaps that Is hardly to be expected"
! suggested Representative Smyser.
Il guess that's right, replied the wit
ness
DR.. A. C. Fitch.
DR. A. c. Fitch. since October I5 1894 a
physician at the asylum. told the COMMITTEES
that he had secured his position through a
competitive examination. Until April OF
this year he had been an assistant to the ply
sician in charge of the Howard Hall depart
ment. where the colored males and the
criminal insane cared for. Either the
physician In charge himself made n COM
plete round of the various wards every day.
a q a t4r int
| walls.
| Dr. Fitch had never discovered any evil
dences of cruelty to patients on the part OF
attendants. He had Investigated many cases
| in which cruel treatment had been charged
| by patients. He did not know of one single
instance of itreatment He thought,
| moreover. that if there any department.
In the hospital in which rough handling
might be justified it was Howard Hall
DR.. Fitch said that since he had been at
the asylum an attendant. ]. Fl. Taylor by
name. had been discharged for shipping a
patient. The Superintendent, DR. White had
the man arrested for criminal assault but
the jury did not convict. DIR. Fitch thought
1t would be very difficult to induce local
jury to convict an attendant for hitting pa
tent. The question of self-defense entered
largely into trial of such case.
THAT is strange" remarked Representa-
tive Smyser, that you do not occasionally
get jury made up of some OF these folks
who have been convinced of the dreadful
conditions at the asylum
muck rake" " suggested DR. Fitch, with
smile.
Admitted Occasional Cases.
In reply to questions by Representative
Hay, DR.. Fitch admitted that there might
be occasional cases of cruelty to patients
of which the authorities knew nothing. He
did not consider that the authorities should
be held responsible for these.
DR. Fitch impeached the testimony or
Witness Spencer Herbert. who testified that
he had seen colored man ''wruns OUT on
a certain day IN 1903. DIR. Fitch said that
there were no colored patients in the build
ing mentioned by Herbert on the date indi-
Gated.
The witness said he had heard the humors
of ''wringing out" "toweling and the
other forms of abuses being practiced at
the asylum. 1t might be practiced but the
authorities could never find out any spe-
cific instances.
The Food Problem.
The food at the asylum was pretty good.
Sometimes 1t didn't look particularly in
viting, but he thought this was accounted
for by the great amount of food cooked and
served at each meal He had never seen
spoiled meat on the table. The ordinary
patients got eggs sometimes" he said.
He didn't know whether or not there was d
regular egg day" None of the $50 pa
tients In Howard Hall got any of the 300
gallons of milk used daily at the institution.
DIR. Fitch said he was now acting as
night medical officer and from pm 10
a M looked after all the patients in the
grounds-about 200. The calls averaged
from twenty to twenty-five a night. DIR.
Fitch explained to the committee the
method by which he managed to keep in
touch with the various wards IN the
numerous buildings of the institution. Two
more attendants in the Howard Han de-
partment would help some, As rule now.
ever there was sufficient help. There had
L. To- fv1ey iEyhr
of help for Howard Hail. DR.. White had
esta blished the rule that attendants IN this
troublesome department must be OF a GER
tain height and certain weight NO httie
men were wanted there.
But Terry McGovern was a little fell
low" interjected Representative Smyser
Yes replied DIR. Fitch graveiy. 'put we
don't allow this method of treatment over
there"
Eight-Rour System Impracticable.
Dr. Fitch thought the eght-hour system
was impracticable so far its application
to the asylum concerned He ad-
vanced the arguments against the eight
hour system that have been previously pre-
sented to the committee
Dr. Fitch hardly knew how the food prob
lem might be solved more satisfactorily.
The chilling of the food might be pre-
vented by the of special cars or by
having separate kitchens for the various
buildings. The latter method, however.
would involve an immense amount OF ex-
pense.
Dr. Fitch admitted that there had bean
some persons admitted to Howard Halt
who were not insane. He could recall at
least three cases. The men had been re-
turned to the military prisons from which
they came.
Prior to Dr. Whites regime all patients
with criminal charges against them were
not kept in one part of the institution. But
In April 1896. DR.. White had issued an
order to accomplish this end, and all c.im-
fnal patients were now segregated.
DR.. Hagner's Case.
Representative Hay asked about DIR. Eag-t
ner,s case. DR.. Fitch couldn't throw much
light on the matter.
Representative smyser said he wanted to