The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-21


 who were not paying for their treat ment as he was. complained much of too little food.
 Mighty near every day. he said, T used to same some of my food to carry to man by the name of Parrish. who claimed he never got enough to eat, but as for myself never had cause to complain on this score. Parrish, how ever. used to eat what brought him as if he had been very hungry"
 To question propounded by Chair man King, the witness stated that the general atmosphere of the hospital seemed to him to be kind and good and that so far as concerned himself he was treated we'll. Often, however, he stated, the nurses refused to send letters he had addressed to his wife, but could give no cause for this condi- ton.
 Seen Much Cruelty.
 With his soul full of Latin quota tions and snatches of original poetry. J. T. Rice. of Prattville, was the next witness to be summoned. Mr. Rice stated that for forty-two years he had served as instructor; that he was at present manager of saw mill, and that he was sent to the hospital over year ago to receive treatment be- cause of suffering from sciatic rheu- matism, and to, break himself of the morphine habit which he had con- tracted in giving relief to his suffer- ing.
 T have seen too much cruelty at the hospital he said, "t omention it. 1n- mates at the place are regularly beaten and banged by the nurses, until the treatment administered by them is more inhuman than human"
 The witness stated he had seen a nurse beat and bang an old gentle man from Autauga county unmerciful- ly. Upon telling Dr., Searcy of the cruelty, he said, the nurse was prompt ly discharged. However, Mir. Rice was insistent that tho general atmosphere of the asylum was a cruel one and unjust While lauding Dr. Searcy and Supervisor McDuff, the witness said that as a rule "the inmates are beaten like dogs, and this is the truth, the whole truth, so help me God"
 MT. Rice detailed several experiences he was cogntzant of during his stay. At one time, he said, a negro was beaten in ditch; at another time, he said, an inmate was threatened by a keeper. but luckily turned the tables on his opposer and administered the beating to tho nurse-where 1t right fully belonged
 At this point MT. Rice stated that he had written a few verses on the asylum, which was done because of himself being denied a pleasure he re- quested. Poet non sit sed nota est" he said in response to a question which some one hurled at him, not willing to admit that Inspiration came to him at all hours of the day.
 Poem on Hospital.
 MT. Rice repeated his poem to the members of the commission, which is as follows:
 T am now in hell To stay spell,
 But I'm going back to Dixie.
 I'll come no more, That's one thing sure, No matter how they fix me "The devils dead just have read,
 And gone to his home in heaven; If this is right,
 It's just in Sight
 Of things I seen on eleven
 The nursese there
 Their powers declare. And beat and bang the inmates;
 Of how they rare
 And tear the hair
 Of these poor weak intestatea
 'Then comes MeDun
 Just full of stunt
 And his great big belly shows 1t;
 But he's alright,
 Both day and night
 And everybody knows it. |I But when he's done fs~esziF he doctors come, --- And God is a fool beside them They know a mind
 Of every kind.
 And how to treat and guide them.
 HOW this can be
 I ne'er can SC
 If all Gods works are perfect;
 It goes to show
 How little we know,
 And leave our minds in darkness" And leaves our minds in darkness" The witness stated that No. II was his room and that by the devil he meant a nurse who had died while he was at the hospital. The doctors, he said, pretended to know more than God.
 Had Little to Eat.
 Mir. Rice said he never had as little to eat in all his life He stated that he was always hungry. Hominy and mo- lasses at night, he said, and little tea; about the same in the morning, save for a little meat.
 Following upon Mir. Rice, whose tes- timony was interesting from start to finish, came J. L. Scott, lumber deal- CT of Prattvflle. This witness stated that he was sent to the hospital to ef- feet a cure for drunkenness, and that he remained at the hospital exactly thirty-one days, from the 7th of Sep tember, last, to the Sth Of October. While in Ward g one day, he said, he saw a patient struck over the head with a broom handle wielded by nurse, but other than this and a few minor thrashings, he stated, he saw no particular manifestation of cruelty. J. H. Weets of Ozark, an inmate of the asylum during the yearN1S97, so far as he could remember, appeared be- fore the commissiq6Aa and stated that he was of the opinion That several deaths were due to cruel treatment at the hands of the asylum nurses.
 The witness stated that sickness about this time compelled his attend ance at the hospital, and stated, far ther, that his mind had not altogether been cured since the sickness. He had been out on a furlough for about ten years, which had been granted to his wife Upon inquiry, 1t was found that the witness suffered with delusions MT. weets was of the opinion that man by the name of Smith, from Mont gomery had been carried from the hos pital a corpse. principally, he thought, because of cruel treatment. When he first saw Smith, the witness said, he appeared in the best of health, but about four or five days later he was taken from the hospital dead.
 MT. Weets stated he had seen several .aIa4o-a haatau hxy fba uYrEaa h0fb he