The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-10-15
THE PROBEPS
AT HOSPITAL
Find It the Best Equipped and
Best Managed Hospital
III the Country.
LEGISLATIVE NEGLECT CHARGED


The Hahn Investigation Committee
was at the Morris Plains Hospital on
Wednesday. The committee spent.
nearly the entire day in going over the
institution.
President John G. Eisele of the board
of managers, the Rev. DR.. James M.
Buckley, DIR. Britton D. Evans, the.
medical director, and Moses X. Everett,
the warden, showed the various de-
partments to the visitors. The asser-
ton of the board that in situation, man
agement and general equipment the
asylum was one of the best Of the kind
in the country seemed to be4sustained.
The committee were conducted through
all the dormitories and saw the quiet
and violent patients and examined the
ward where the sick patients are kept
DR.. Evans, who led the party at that
point, requested the visitors to take off
their glasses and be prepared for attack.
Only few ventured into the corridor.
and they did not stay very long. Those
outside were treated to a harangue by
one Of the inmates. The committee
also saw the ingenious devices some of
the vicious patients had prepared with
which to injure or kill the attendants
if they got an opportunity. DR.. Evans,
the medical director, had prepared a
| long statement giving the managers
side of the death of ex-Mayor Beattie,
of Hackettstown. The doctor gave a.
minute account of Beatties conduct
while in the institution. He averred
the patient was deranged as the result
Of alcohol, and was very violent fire.
quently, from the day he was admitted,
and if he received any injuries they
were brought about by his own efforts
in destroying furniture and in attempt
| ing to injure the physicians and attend
ants. According to the doctors state
ment, no one in the institution was in
the least responsible for the mans
death.
A number of physicians in the asy-
lum and elsewhere had treated him be-
fore he came, and approve what DIR.
Evans said, and their opinions were an
nexed to the statement.
The committee and the board had
| luncheon together and did little
speechmaking. President Eisele and
DR.. Buckley spoke for the institution.
They wanted the fullest investigation.
They said the Governor and Legisla-
ture, who are largely responsible for
the institution, never visited it, nor
did any of the committee. Mr.. Bacl1us
and Mr.. Hahn spoke for the committee,
and said they believed the Legislature
was largely to blame. They hoped the
result of the visit would be satisfactory.
After an investigation of the dairy and
the remainder of the grounds. the TAX
ing of testimony was resumed at 5
o'clock that afternoon.
DR.. Evans said that he made regu-
lar monthly report to the board. 1t
was always in writing, but he some
times added oral reports. The COM
mittee then examined the books, found
them in good condition, and then ad-
journed until Friday morning, at Tren-
ton.
The investigation was taken up at
Trenton or Monday. Further testi-
mony was taken in regard to the
Beatty case but nothing new de-
veloped.
Dr. Evans was asked about the
Thaw trial and the criticism that had
been made Of his leaving the hospital
to act as an expert. DR.. Evans said
there was no cause for any charge
against him. He said that he was
away only two nights during the trial.
He attended to his Morris Plains duties
from four to eight hours a day. The
hospital had not suffered in the least
by his outside work. He had the full
consent of his board of managers be-
fore he went into the trial.
Tie sale of liquor near the hospital
by grocerS had been stopped. There
was no solitary confinement at the
hospital.
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