New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-25
SENSATION AT INQUIRY.
TNMATE FATALLY BE E4TEN
Brutal Assault an Jersey Insane Asy-
Iunl flushed Up.
IBy Telegraph to The Tribune !

Trenton. y. j.. July 24.-John II. Backes co,In-
sci lof the House investigation committee. brought
out to-day one of the biggest sensations ayer
produced through the medium of an investi
CATION Of a state institution in the history IF
the state With DR. John w Ward. medical
director of the State Insane Asvlum on rho
stand, Mr. Backes revealed that on February
g. 1906, Enoch Silvers of Trenton a patient
had been brutally beaten by two of the attend
ants, Frank T. Singleham and w. F. skinner.
and that he had died from the effects on Sun
day February p. 1t was with great reluctance
that DR.. Ward admitted It was practically a
murder, that the case had never been brought
10 the attention Of the authorities, that it had
been hushed up with the consent of Mrs Silvers.
the wife Of the victim. and the assistance OF
Garret D. ". Vroom. president of the board OF
managers, and other members of the board.
Singleham and Skinper were discharged from
the asylum, but were allowed 10 go free.
Backes is after them tonight. The evidence
came out at the close Of an interesting day OF
testimony regarding the institution Dr. Ward
WAS the stand all day. He had no eXpana-
ton when asked why he had done nothing 70
stop the spread of typhoid fever until nearly a
month after the first case had appeared The
first case broke out on April s.
Why did you not report TO the board at
once?" asked Mr.. Backes.
I did, at the next meeting on May g. was the
reply.
Backes turned TO the minutes of the board Of
that date and found that the record showed Dr..
Ward had reported that he had tests made Of
the water and that nothing was found there.
The witness said the minutes We're wrong. Sec
rera-y Scanned of the board was then called.
He said he wrote the minutes and that they were
correct
There were eight cases in June and from
July up date there had been sixty-six cases
and dozen deaths DR.. Ward said il now
sn epidemic. He insisted that il was a broken
sewer that had caused the contamination of the
spring. When Backes wanted 10 know how the
sewer could have caused the trouble. when the
break did not occur until after dozen cases Of
typhoid had occurred. the witness had no an
swer. He was as ignorant about the milk sup
ply as about the water.
DR.. Ward said the board Of managers as
whole was in entire control. He never attended
the meetings except 70 read his monthly report
and answer any questions. It al this point
that The story % the assault came out. Backes
asked the witness about the food patients re-
oeived and showed mat = was he same thing
day by day and month by month.
Then Backes asked about The general treat
nent Of the insane Suddenly the inquisitor
asked: How about Silvers's case?" Or. Ward
could not remember at first. Little by little the
s:ory was drawn from the physician. Snvers
had come to The hospital a sick man. He was
insane and rather troublesome. Singleham and
Skinner became angry and startedsto beat him,
something the doctor did not believe in. Skin
ner held the man and Singleham beat him, II
came out The doctor failed TO remember the
details hut Backes supplied the data from other
sources including the minutes. Silvers had been
there about week when the beating occurred
Slvers died on Sunday DR.. Ward when going
q his rounds in the morning, found he was
5virg He told DR.. Funkhouser. the physician
in charge 70 have Mrs. Silvers Informed at once.
He then completed his work and on his way
hack 20 the Office asked DR.. Funkhouser II ne
had seen Mrs Silvers. He said he had not ana
never gave any reason. Then Dr. Ward went 10
sac the president Of the board. MI Nroom de-
rlored The matter but never did anything mat
be knew II.
The medical director declined TO give par
,,,ulars. but said that Mrs. Silvers conseh'eo
that the case should be kept out Of the papers
Didn't you know. doctor, that you We're an
accessory after the crime?" asked Backes.
Dr.. Ward said he never heard Of such a thlns.
4 that point the committee adjourned TOT lhe
5sv with DIT Ward still on the stand 1t
js rerorte5 tonight that the investigation com
rnittee is planning some arrests.
Ju6ee Vroon is one Of the members OF tle
Court OF Errors and Appeals and candlda!e
fo- ror-ination as Governor on the Democratic
ticket. - .o,aI
Il is said Rackes has two more cases Oh "a 90
assault II the asylum that he INTENDS 70 eAPioiO
al the hearing tO-rnorroW-