The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-27
Larger Crowd Thongs Court House to Hear Testimony
 of ths Witnesses
.DR SEARCY NOT PRESENT
 DURING INVESTIGATION
Many Acte of Cruelty By Nurses of h. sane Hospital, and Those Examined
 Generally Agreed That Searcy
 and Assistants Were Dutiful.


 Tuscaloosa, August 6.--(Speeial 1.-The hospital Investigating committee, after holding it's first meetings behind closed doors, today sat in the county court house and publicly examined perhaps the largest number of witnesses that have come before them in any one day. All of the commission was present this morn ing. except Mir Gunter. He came in, however. after the dinner recess and is now sitting with them.
 A large crowd of interested specta- tors thronged the court room all day long eager to hear what had to be said by the various witnesses about the con ditions existing at the hospital. This great institution has been the pride of the city for long time. and Tuscaloosa people generally are very 10th to be- lieve the derogatory reports that have gone out in regard to matters out there. Among those present as listeners were several of the doctors now connected with the institution, and several others who have formerly been connected with 1t in an official capacity. pr. searcy himself was not present at the esamina- ton today however, Dr. George Searcy, his son. a practising physician in the city was present during most of the pro- ceedings. Also Doctors Faulk, Somerville, and Leach, who were at one time coll nett .wifh the institution ere ,eeeent
 Many Special Stories.
 Nearly every witness examined had some special act of cruelty about which he was personally informed or witnessed, though a majority of those tesifying stated that the general character of the treatment was not very cruel. There was not apparent any particular hostility to the institution in the attitude of the wit nesses, and in practically all of the cases. the statements was made that Dr. Searcy and the corps of physicians in charge were diligent in their attention to duties and listened to any complaints that made by either nurse or patient. Whenever any testimony was given fin concerning any gross cruelty, the fact was brought out that the nurses guilty were promptly discharged | was stated. however, by a number of ex-nurses that it was not customary for nurses to make reports of acts of cruelty; this seemed to have been especially the case in the Women's wards, as 1t breeded up- popularity for nurses 10 be continually complaining of others. In the testimony also, there was complaint. pretty general ly of the fare. though most of the wit nesses stated that nurses received only the sames fare as patients: at least they were supposed to have exactly the same thing. Most witnesses when questioned about the matter stated that the compen- sation received was not enough and that better and more humaine men and wom- en would be available If better wages were paid.
 Lindsey the First Witness.
 The first witness called was J. A. Lindsey of this county. Witness stated that he was in one of the wards for about six months that he saw Harve Sar- tain, Lesly Carter and Will Franklin beat Up a patient named Turner once: that this was done for a small breach of dicipline: that nurses struck the pa tient only with their fists; that most of the time witness had charge of those patients working outside that some Of the bosses were kind to them and per mitted them to rest when tired: others would not; that they had to work hard CT than an ordinary farm hand, never heard of any injury from overwork. how ever, he said that the case told of was
 
 lack of food was the worst condition out there this was very poor: that the class that looked after the barns and the cattle had to work on Sundays the same as other days; that their work, however, was perhaps the easiest out there; that when they were through with their work they were permitted to amuse themselves outside on the grounds. Wit nesse stated that he heard of complaints; baf Ia al heard a natiPut Hinds was killed out there he stated his work was on one of the violent halls, and that he had stated all of the cruelty that he knew of; that the assault on Turner was the only one he ever saw. On cross examination he said that the three men who assaulted Turner were promptly discharged the next day, and that the rule was when anyone was guilty of cruelty he was discharged. He stated also that some of the patients were certainly rough themselves and some rough treatment was necessary
 Albert Hinton Called.
 Albert Hinton was next called, and testified that nurses treated patients very well: that he had heard of some cruelty, but not much that the food was scarce that nurses got some better than patients; that state patients got grits, bread and molasses, but that pay pa tients got better, perhaps steak, beef, etc, that he received s15 per month when lnere and finally got up to $22.50; said he had heard of cruelty, but not much; that most of this was in the violent wards, g. 13 and IA; that he had heard a rumor of some killing there. On cross examination he stated that nurses were discharged when creulty was known; that doctors and supervisors did about the best they could, but that he thought they could have received better food.
 A. J. Bridges was next called and stated that he had known of Nurse McKinney's choking Patient Ben Griel badly on ac- count of latters refusing to work; that Griel refused to pull up vines in the field and the nurse choked him into submis-