Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-07
INSTANCES OF CRUELTY
TESTIMONY OF FORMER INSANE
ASYLUM ATTENDANT.

The Olcott committee today continued its
inquiry into conditions at st. Elizabeths In
sane Asylum and into the charges against
the administration OF that institution pre-
ferred by the Medico-Legal Society OF the
District. No sensations were sprung by the
witnesses heard today.
John Harrison. from 1874 to April. 1908,
an assistant engineer at the asylum, and
now employed at the Soldiers Home, testi-
fed that he had never seen patients i'm
properly treated. and that he had only seen
Foreman Maenche drunk on one occasion.
and that twelve or thirteen months ago, out
side OF the asylum grounds.
Mrs. Margaret Lochte, who was an In
mate Of the asylum from June to septem-
per. 1910. testified that she had been sent to
the asylum without a hearing and had been
treated pretty badly while there. She told
the committee that, although perfectly will
Ing to eat. she had been fsd through her
nose by use OF tube. On another occasion
-FOUR women attendants had attacked her
and subjected her to the 'wringing-out'
process.
Did you have to go to the hospital as a
representative Smeiser.
NO, answered Mrs. Lochte.
Dr.. Robert Reyburn.
DR.. Robert Reyburn. president OF the
charges against the administration Of the
institution, was next called. DR.. Reyburn
saio tnat he had visited tho asylum on a
number of occasions, and had been instru-
mental In securing the release Of several
persons. one young man who had been
an inmate OF the institution came to him
LII. Raeburn said. and made serious
charges against the administration Of the
institution during the time he was fncar-
eerated there Chairman Oleott said the
mi o.
testimony and DIR. Raeburn then remarked
that the former patients throat and ear
and nose indicated that he had been bru-
testimony and DR.. Reyburn then remarked
TO state that according to the patients
story the latters ear had been battered out
or shape with a broomstick, that his nose
had been enlarged by use of the feeding
tube and that his throat had been injured
by the "wr1ngfng-out" process
DR.. Reyburn finally admitted that st.
Elizabeth's Asylum stood high among in
situations Of a similar character and that
he did not consider the physicians at the
asylum were responsible for the evils COM
planned OF. He thought most Of these evils
were due to a lack of adequate supervision
He did not think DR.. White nor any other
physician at the institution tolerated the
abuses complained of.
DR.. ]. Ramsay hewitt the District coro-
ner, was the next witness called but his
testimony was required CONCERNING one spe-
cif1o instance Of alleged Ill treatment, and
as he had not yet prepared his report on
the matter he was excused until the We'd
nesday session.
What Mr.. Piles Had Seen.
Thornton o. Piles of 800 18th street south
east, for two and one-haf years an at
tendant at the institution, was next called
He testified that he had seen patients Ill
treated In various ways, by the use of
straitjackets, by tying them to trees IN
the grounds. by choking and by working
them too hard. Moreover, he insisted that
the 1000 furnished to patients at the IN
stltution was not palatable and in many
cases was absolutely unfit as diet for
some OF the tnfirm incarcerated there Mr.
Piles was questioned at length by the COM
mittee. 1t developed during his testimony
an attendant IN the insane asylum at Nor
ristown, Pa He. with fifty other atten-
dants OF the institution. had some two
years ago filed complaints against the
the asylum.
He testified today the charges had been
ignored and that shortly after making
them he had been asked to resign, and
wren ne refused to do this was peremp-
torily discharged. On visit to the asy-
Ium shortly afterward he had been, he
asserted, arrested by order Of DR., White
and taken to the Anacostia police station,
made against him. He was released on
$2o collateral, and IN the morning the
case was nolle pressed. Piles also assert
ed that DR.. White had endeavored to
have him committed for insanity, but that
the examining physicians would not sup
port the charge.
The witness offered to tell to the COM
rfttee on Wednesday the name of an en-
ploye OF the institution who had kept q
diary which included numerous state
ments of cruel and inhuman treatment of
patients. There was at first some dispo-
sition to compel the witness to tell the
name OF this employ today, but 1t was
finally agreed that he should give this
Information on Wednesday. Mr. Piles said
that previously employees who had made
complaints against the institution got
themselves into trouble, but he was as
sured by the committee that such would
not be the case in the present instance
The witness then remarked that If 1t ever
became known at the asylum that en-
ployes who testified against the present
administration would be protected that
the committee would have to get a bigger
room to hold It's meetings in, there would
De SO many volunteer witnesses.
Not Enough Attendants.
The witness said that much of the cruel
treatment in connection with the use Of
straightjackets and the like would be obvi-
ated through an Increase IN the number Of
attendants. At present. he said, there were
not enough men to care for the patients
properly and with safety to the patients and
to the attendants.
Sophronia Howard, for three years an en-
ploye OF the asylum laundry. testified to
several instances of cruelty toward pa
TENTS. Henry Satterfeld, an employee Of
the laundry. had been guilty of kicking
beating. choking and knocking down pa
tents on different occasions according to
Mrs. Towards testimony. She had seen
Foreman Maenche of the laundry drunk on
at least one occasion on duty.
At the conclusion of Mrs. Towards testi-
u1Ony the committee adjourned until q