The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1906-06-08
thought there was no doubt but that
the brutality would continue.
DR.. NICHOLSON TEsTlFlEs.
Remarkable Lack Of Evidence for
Statements Made In Letters.

| placed on the stand. He said that he
may have been wrong in complaining
of the rooms, and that while he was
dissatisfied then he is satisfied now.
He was dissatisfied at that time more
on account of the motive that he
thought was behind his relegation to
the third floor than with the rooms
| themselves.
Questioned as to the riot of misrule,
Or. Nicholson said that he couldn't
recall facts, that there were minor
things. He said there was some drink
ing on the place but afterwards admit
ted that he only knew of one man,
Frank Bell, brother of Mrs. Alden, and
he knew that he had been drinking
although he wouldn't say that he had
been drunk. Didn't know that liquor
had been brought on the premises.
In regard to DR.. Alden using profane
language, he said he remembered only
one instance and that was in the pres
ence of Mrs. Nicholson and himself.
DR.. Alden does not swear as & general
thing and does not swear at patients
| uOl SulploScS.
Refused to Quote Language.
DR.. Nicholson was asked in regard
to the language used by Mrs. Alden,
which, according to his letter, "would
bring the blush of shame to the inno-
cent cheek" When this question was
put to him the doctor hestated, said
he did not wo,, to bring Mrs. Alden
l
into 1t, he Sta|r'ng against her
and did not "te - to give II,
although DR.. Alu> "tOry, "trong-
ly insisted that he te.. S)o," S.
Alden said. DR.. Nicholson 'etr or
ney advised him to tell, and Tn, ,ate
board insisted that he had already
brought Mrs. Alden into it in his let.
ter to the governor and therefore 1t
would only be fair to tell, but he re.
fused to quote the language. He said
he had heard that Mrs. Alden called
him a liar. This information came
through three persons and he was not
! prepared to swear to it.
On the point that DR.. Alden had re-
fused to allow the use of carriages to
attendants who wanted to go to church
DR.. Nicholson said that the hospital
only had three teams, that they worked
hard during the week, some are old
and some had the dstemper at the
time complained of. He didn't know
positively whether DR. Alden ever re
fused to let a team go to church or not
he had heard that he would not.
The doctor was asked what he meant
when he said that things had arrived
at such a pass that publicity would be
serious, he said that he meant that
his wife had had one or two little tiffs
with Mrs. Alden and that Mrs Mich
olson thought she was attacked with
out provocation
Riot of Misrue.
Secretary Galusha asked what about
the riot of misrule that prevailed al
the time one of the letters was writ
ten. DR.. Nicholson said he meant thai
there was a laXty in the observance
of rules. He later admitted that there
were no rules at that time except vern
al rules. At that time, he said, every
thing was in such a chaotic condition
|
the institution had but recently beer
opened, that it would have been hare
for any rules to be enforced. There
was no lack of discipline in the institu
ton itself.
Death of ShockIey.
In his testimony in regard to the
Shockley DEATH DR.. Nicholson in his
letter to the governor claimed that
Shockley died from injuries received
in fight and also that he was poked
in the sides with a broom stick until
he bled profusely. On the stand DR.
Nicholson admitted that he didn'
know anything about the patient being
except what he heard from attendants
who had been discharged and that he
never heard anything of it until sev
eral months after. He says there was
a fight and the record shows thai
Shockley died from injuries received
in this fight. The fight occurred or
December II and Shockley died or
December 26. He stated that it was
through no fault of the attendant thai
the fight occurred. 1t was simply &
crazy row. Shockley before he dice
said he blamed nobody except the pa
tient he fought with.
} DR.. Nicholson said that during the
fight he and DR.. Alden were called ovel
and found the attendants holding
Shockley on the floor. He was a mar
six feet tall, weighed $50 pounds anC
was very powerful. Another patien
} named Weiser was leaning over anC
striking Shockley in the face. DR.. Al
J den took hold of Weiser and led hin
! away. Shockley was restrained b!
putting leather muffs and wristlets OF
his hands and arms, the same as are
used in all institutions of this kline
for the purpose of restraining unrul!
= patients, and he was then put to bed
J At this time his face was puffed VI
and he had a cut on his head. TIL,
! | a