The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-05
HEAD NURSES AS WITNESSES Alleged Cruelties Are
 Denied. REPUDIATES MISS cRUMP Supervisor McDuff is complimented by Commission. The Communications Hopes to Conclude its investigation Thi. Morning
 pr. searcy to Go on
 stand.
RY WILL T. sHEEHAN.

Tuscaloosa. Sept. 4.-tSpecial Cor respondence. 1.-The feature of todays hearing before the investigation conn mission of the Bryce Insane Hospital, was the evidence of Supervisor McDun of the Mems Department. and Miss Mary Buck of the Women's Depart- ment.
 Both of these nurses denied the cruel- ties to patients in the hospital, as has been brought out by ex-patients and ex-nurses before the Commission. and they repudiated Miss Crump. who tes- tified during the session held at Bir- nltngham.
 They say that such cruelties as have been sworn to could not have occurred without their knowledge, and as to the food served in the hospital. they were perfectly satisfied with 1t, saying that 1t was wholesome and good enough for both patients and nurses.
 NEcpu9 on stand.
 Supervisor L. B. McDun occupied the stand for two hours at the morning session. Mir. McDuff has not been sub jected to charges made by patients. of cruelty and mistfeatment. He has en- tire charge of the Mems Department. He hires and discharges nurses, and they work under his supervision.
 The witnesses have spoke uniformly of the kindness of the Superior, and the hospital authorities have borne witness to his eficiency.
 Chairman King took occasion to say. I've want you to understand that the commission appreciates your work and your service. Mir. McDuff. We know you have been efficient and faithful in your services to this institution" Mir. McDuff is young man with a pleasant face, and with a strong and powerful figure. He IS 2s years of age He testified that he received, as supe- rlor of the Mems Department. q salary of 14e a month. It is looked upon as very probable that the commission will recommend that the state increase several salaries and among them an Increase Sof the salary of the Super yfsor
 Mf McDuh m detafi explained the management of the hospital with it's corps of forty-fiye nurses. He pointed out that 1t would have been impossi- ble for patients to have been sccntinu- ously beaten as some of the witnesses had testified. The system of super vision would not have permitted 1t. The doctors in their rounds. of the continuous inspection trips of the Su- pervisor. would have revealed the mis- treatment of the patients.
 Denies Cruelties.
 Each separate instance of cruelty on the mems side was called up and Mir. McDuff told what he knew of 1t. As a general thing MT. McDuff took issue with the statements made by the pa tients and ex-patients. He gave evil dence as to the death of John Hines and Richard Johnson. As soon as any thing happened to any patient he was immediately notified When Hines was hurt in a fight with Nurse Curry the Supervisor was sent for. He had the doctors summoned and immediate treat ment was given the injured man. Hines, he said. was only hurt in one place.
 He was present when Hugh Horton was brought to the hospital. He su- perintended the removal of Horton to the cross hall, for he was very violent when he arrived. Horton, he said. was not kicked or in any way mis- treated. He had been in the hospital for six months before he made any complaint of any mistreatment on the night of his arrival
 Horton was a very troublesome pa tient, said the witnes in answer to 0 question from Judge Chiffon. He went about constantly stirring up trouble among the patients. He was himself always making complaints and he spent his time Inducing other pa tients to make complaints. He would argue with the patients. even with the most insane of them, trying to per- suade them that he was sane."
 Of Winters and Holman, the two ex- nurses who figured so much in the tes- timony. he said they were generally kind and considerate. Winters, he said. was so well thought of that sew eral of the patients in ward refused to leave and go to more desirable ward because they wanted to stay with Winters. He regretted that he had been compelled to discharge Winters because he came in drinking one night,
 HOImaR'a Discharge.
 Holman, he said. was discharged be- cause he had carried a patient named Mooney too roughly up the stairs. The patient had a bruise on his hip and Holman could not satisfactorily ex- plain 1t.
 MT. McDuff said that a number of .nurses had been discharged because 1t was believed that they had been too so long that witness could not re- call all the names. Judge Chiffon in- timated that the list would perhaps be produced to show how far the hospital authorities went towards protecting the patients.
 Mir. McDuff said that country boys made the best nurses. The boy who
  wls accustomed to more freedom and more diversion than they could get under the hospital discipline The country boy. not being accustomed to such freedom or diversion was more content to meet the obligations of the discipline.
 MT McDuh explained that 1t would have been impossible for patients to have been put in the cross halls with out his knowing 1t. In the first place. he was notified when patients were put In the cross halls. Then he made his regular trips of inspection and each time looked into the cross hall.
 Tho witness was closely questioned by Senator Reese as to the precautions that were taken in case of fire. Sem ator Reese and one or two other mem bsrs of tho commission regarded tha fire protection as an important mat ter, and they cloAely examined the wat ness
 ROSeIle On stand
 A general and specific denial of tho alleged cruelties was made by B. Rozelle. the Assistant Supervisor. Hc