The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-26
PSYCHOLOGISTS MAYOR TALKS He Defends Hospital
 Management. RELATES HIS EXPERIENCE Commission Has a Difficult Task
 Before Them. The Greatest Problem To Be settled By Them, Is How Can Lunatic's
 Evidence be Justly
 Weighedf
$ HIS EXPERIENCE
BY WILL T. SIBERIAN.

ponuence.)-tow Is the testimony of lunatic to be weighed?
 At this stage of the investigation into the charges against the management Of the Bryce Hospital for the Insane, tflia Is the vital question. For the wit nesses who have been examined have testified within the walls where they are restrained for the protection of society. because of their mental deficiency. Now how near can these witnesses come tc telling the truth. the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
 The Commission has that question to answer, and 1t is not an easy question. It is,Gafter all, question of Judgment. and the Commission proposes to apply it's best judgment to the task of separ- ating the wheat and the ehaf
 In room in the central structure of the immense hospital building, the Commission has been sitting for three days, and before it has come the in- mates who have signifed their wish to give evidence. Some terrible things had been told the Commission in Birm- ingham and Montgomery. There were stories or patients beaten to death by tnfuriated nurses--stories of violenca and brutality. They were told by pa- tents and nurses who had been dis charged.
 Some of the terrible things have ai- ready been disproved. And as yet not single witness has been put upon tina stand by the hospital management. Those who have testIfed. have testEfed at their own request, or as a result of 2 private talk with some member of the Commission.
 The Commission. in it's Tuacaioosa work. Is delving for specific informa- ton upon the death of Richard John son. an unfortunate who died in the hospital and whose death was charged Dy ex-patients Co violent nurses. The Commission Is looking for any testimony which will throw light on this dark charge. The Commission would seek specific information on the charge that nurses. while away from the doctors, attack and mistreat patients.
 More Evidence Wanted.
 Such testimony has been given. The Commission wants further light upon the charge. It Is quite common for the violent patients to attack the nurses. The search now is to find out if the nurses retaliate and if they are brutal in their retaliation.
 Then, too, the Commission is looking for knowledge on commlssary condi-  1t has been served l We been most un- tavorably described.
 1t Is a wide and heavy task, of which the Commission is now in the midst. Nearly every community in the State has some man or woman who onee re- tired in the walls Of the hospital for their mental health. Many of these ex-patients wish to testify. Twenty five of them will appear tomorrow morning at the court house to give ev- idence before the Commission.
 Then there are other inmates of the hospital. who are hoping for chance to give evidence, The hospital man. agement has signified its wish to have witnesses in it's behalf summoned and examined. The hospital authorities have been astonished at some of tho statements made by witnesses. IL is declared that some of the statements made have been so absurd as to be im- possible and the authorities are amazed that any credenee Is given them. The management will summon witnesses to show the impossibility of some of the allegations.
 The City of Tuscaloosa. to a man. ls standing by the hospital authorities. The prominent citizens here will say that the published charges are impos- sible. They will say that tho hospital doors are open to visitors and that the Tuscaloosa people are so close by and so closely connected with the hospital. that conditions which have been described could not possibly exist with out publicity in Tuscaloosa.
 Confidence in Searcy.
 They have. as everybody else seems to have, implicit confidence in Dr. Sear- cy.
 Mayor Faulk. of Tuscaloosa. Is Q practlcing physician and some years ago he was attached to the hospital stan of physicians.
 "The charges of violence, brutality and mistreatment made by patients. are every day occurrences at the hospital.t said pr. Fauik Every physician. who has been connected with the hospital has been subjected to these charges, scores of them were made against me. I've had patients to demand an audience with Dr. Searcy and charge that en- tered their cell at night. ehoked then- and knocked them down. AS mat ter of fact. I may not have been at the hospital that night. But all doctors and all nurses there have been subject to these charges from the delusions of the patients"
 The Commissi~ .l Is delvinE deep into conditions at the hospital. so that it's findings. whatever they are, will carry weight and authority For the hos pital is a State institution. The sen- sational charges made and published
 
 Alabama For from many, many Ala bama homes loved ones have gone to the hospital for care and treatent-
 Tn many Alabama homes the greatest concern Is felt for the welfare of some unfortunate. who Is loved none the less because of his misfortune. The Com mission proposes to reassure those back at home that he. who wanders In ment- al darkness, is not being mistreated or abused at the hospital.
 The Commission will do this by either finding that the charges are not true, or if they are true. that the abuses shall be stopped.
 Representative King went home to spend Sunday at Birmingham Repre- sentative Gunter spent the day at his home in Montgomery.
 The other members of the commis- sion were entertained by Judge T. '. Mayfield this afternoon with a twenty
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