The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-31

tunately, no system had ever been de- vised in which the nurses would be so constantly under surveillance that they could not mistreat a patient.
 Asked as to the food. pr. Wyman said he thought 1t was sufficient and well served. He was of the opinion that the food now served was better, than 1t was when he was at the hos pital.
 Suggest Higher salaries. %
 Asked as to his views on sugge improvements. pr. Wyman said t should be paid more money th < ney are now receiving. He was - the opinion that such policy would be beneficial in retaining young physi- clans who showed an aptitude for asylum work. He took occasion to compliment Dr. Partiow as a compe- tent, efficient man. who was rendering valuable service at the hospital.
 Two ladies, ex-patients of the hospi- tai, but now living in Birmingham, ap-. peared before the Commission at it's hearing today. Both were nervous. One of the ladies had written repeated letters to members of the Commission, sending some by registered letters and some by special delivery, demanding the opportunity of being heard by the Commission. She left a long written
  she had a portfolio of correspondence with her to which she frequently re- ferred.
 The second lady had very little to complain of, in relating her experience at the hospital. She complained prin- cipaily about the food. She refused to go to the dining room, she said, "be- cause the other patients told me they ate human bodies in the dining room.
 The Commission adjourned its hear ing at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon. IL will meet again in Tuscaloosa Monday when patients summoned at the re- quest of the hospital management Will be examined.
 Jenkins On stand.
 The commission for its Friday hear ing changed its quarters from the Mayors office to the City council Chamber First on the stand was A. M. Jenkins, a guard at the Pratt mines. MT. Jenkins was a plumber at the hospital four years ago, but ne was discharged by the authorities because he complained so much of the food.
 MT. Jenkins explained his objections to the food, saying that 1t was insuf- ncIent and of poor quality. He oe- tailed several incidents which, he said, he witnessed while at the hospital. The first of these incidents occurred while the witness was fixing the gas jet in the room where the patients were shaved. He said the patients were constantly rising in their seats and com nlainInr that the razors were dull. The nurse would shove them back and go on with the shaving.
 The witness said he borrowed the razor and tried 1t on his own face. He found 1t very dull. he said. and he told the nurse.
 .srhis razor is not fit to shave 2 pig with"
 He said the nurse responded that it was 1t to shave the animals that were at the hospital
 The witness described a patient be- ing held in an icy bath on Q cold morn ing and this he thought was cruel. He said that the patients who worked in the dairy were compelled to go out : IA their work hefnfe day. no matter how cold or vet ik was. This he thought was unjust He thought. too. that the men who went into the field were often worked too hard
 He compiained, too. that a white pa flent was made to so out as an as- sistant to the hired negro teamsters. The negroes. he said. some time cursed the white patients who were helping them. On one occasion, he satds while ha was in the pump house he heard a negro driver named Huffman cursing the white man who was helping him. The witness said he took his hammer and went to the negro saying:
 If you curse that man any moro I'll hrain you with this hammer"
 The witness was carried over the in- terview between him and Captain Kill gore, superintendent of the farm. The witness said he was told that he was discharged because he complained so much of the food and that his dis charge was directed by Dr. searcy.
 Never Knew HartOn.
 The witness said he had not been summoned as a witness but that he had come voluntarily to tell what he knew, He said he never knew and had never seen Hugh Harton.
 A Birmingham lady, who is an ex- patient asked the Commission to have her name kept out of the papers as she did not wish to be published to the world as having been an inmate of the hospital The Commission granted the request so far as 1t could. The news paper men were told that an executive session would be held If the reporters would not agree to suppress the name of the witness.
 The lady had gone to the hospital from Mobile. She declared that ~the doctor hypnotized her when she was carried to the hospital. She knew it. She knew. too. that she was kept under the Influence of opiates for month af- ter she was put in the hospital She was carried toe Ward 9-the violent ward. She was then put in the cross hall, where she was kept for month. She declared that the nurses knelt up- on her arms and mistreated her one time. when she was being moved out of the cross, hall.
 She said that while she was in the cross hall she persuaded one of the doctors to come to the door of the cross hall, on the subterfuge that she wanted to speak to him. She had carefully saved the cup of water that had been given her, early in the morning. She hid this cup beneath her dress and when the doctor apeared she threw the water in his face.
 Chairman King tried to get the wit ness to admit that she knew the act was wrong, but the witness never would make that admission. AM
 Knocked Woman Down.
 She declared she had seen the head nurse knock down woman patient, who started to disrobe in the hall of Ward 9. She had seen, she said, pa tients abused by being pulled roughly from the chairs and being struck by punches of keys and by having their hair pulled. This was done while the patients were being prepared for in apection.
 A second lady witness of Birming- ham was protected from publicity. She said the nurses had been rough with her She complained most of the con