The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-17
KILLED IN FRENZY.
Frightful Murder at Topeka
State Asylum.
SICK Patient Is Dragged From
His Bed
HAULED ABOUT ROOM
Then Strangled to Death With
Improvtsed Rope.
Victim J. T. Bartley, a Helpless
Paralytic.
C0roner's Jury Ex0nerates the
Authorities at Inquest.
HAULED ABOUT ROOM

j. L. BARLEY, a patient at the state
hospital was murdered about s O'Clock
saturday evening, by Edward Waltie,
another patient in the same ward. Al
though the coroner's jury has exoner-
ated the management of the institu-
tlon. there seems to have been some
negligence on the part of the attend
ant OF the ward.
bartley. an old man who was partial
iy paralyzed. and unable to leave his
oed; was lying on his cot in the ward
keep Off the flies. weltje. a patient
VINO mas given much trouble, was
taken out. according to the testimony
OF the attendants, for the evening ex-
erclse In the grounds. He was per-
mitted to return to the ward alone. and
1T was then, with no Interference thar
ne killed BARLEY. Taking the mos
quito bar from the face of the sick
man, Waltje twisted it into a rope.
which he placed around Bartley's neck
ana dragged him from his bed. Then
he dragged the helpless man all over
the ward. and finally into the toilet
room, where he twisted the rope until
BARLEY was dead. Some time later,
the attendant returned with his
charges. and found the old man dead
Waite made no excuse for his act. He
is violently insane, and has run away
several times while out for exercise
Another story. which differs from the
attendants tale. is in circulation. 1t
is claimed that, because of Walt1e's
habit of running away, he was left
alone with the sick man when the pa
tients were taken out for exercise.
j. I. BARLEY, the man who was
killed. was sent to the asylum from
Leavenworth county about a year ago.
Edward Waite, the murderer was re-
ceived from Washington county last
January.
An inquest was called this morning
at the state hospital, and after hearing
the evidence. the jury found the follow
ing verdict:
1--WE find that j. r. BARLEY came to
his death by--being strangleA with a
rope made from d mosquito bar. said
rope being In the hands of Edward
Waite. an inmate Of the, hospital, who
/ is insane and unaccountabla for his
acts.
I'VE further find that the death of
the said BARLEY was an unavoidable
accident, and we exonerate the man
agement of the state hospital from any
blame.''
DIR. Bitldle's Statement.
DIR. T. c. Biddle. superintendent of
the state hospital for the insane, made
a statement to the State Journal to-
day. in which he said:
THE facts in this case, so far as 1
can learn from a strict investigation,
and hearing the evidence given by the
employees at the inquest this morning.
are as follows: Both the man who was
killed and the man who killed him.
have been confined to their beds In
that ward. BARLEY was really i'll, and
suffering from paralysis. The other
man, who spent most of his time in
bed and refused to talk. We consider a
chronic hypochondriac. The fact that
he killed his fellow patient shows that
his physical health was good. although
he has refused to leave his bed except
at brief intervals. for a long time.
when one Of the attendants of that
ward took the other patients out for
exercise Saturday evening. an attend
ant named Bartsell was left in charge
of the two patients in the ward. He
says he looked in at their rooms, and
finding them in bed as usual, went to
the toilet. and was gone about ten min
utes While he was absent. he says, he
heard a slight noise, but nothing in
dicative of any violence, bc@ upon re-
turning to his patients found one of
them dead by strangulation. The
other man refuses to say anything.
his fellow patient ..f
"waltje has not been considered dam
gerous, but rather in the light OF an
speak a word. The story that he has
ont foundation. as he has been out but
a few times.
II furnished all the evidence we
this morning"