Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-16
WITNESS AGAINST
NIGHT WACHMAN
AT PATTON DEAD
GAVE STARTLING TESTIMONY;
DIES UNEXPECTEDLY
INVESTIGATION INTO PATIENTS
DEMISE ORDERED
District Attorney Asks That Autopsy
Be Performed by coroner's Office.
Medical Superintendent Re-
turns to Asylum
tBy a stat correspondent)

NAN BERNARDINO, June 15.-s
George Ackler, the Patton pa
~ tient who testified Monday that
he saw Hans S. Berg, the night
watchman, pick up Henry Grassmee
and hurl him against the wall of the
dormitory, died this morning at
o'clock Monday afternoon Ackier
was in his usual good health and ae-
cording to the doctors at Patton, IN
his right mind, and in such condi-
tion that he was about the grounds
in wheeled chair. because, as the re-
suit of a stroke of apoplexy six years
ago, he had lost partial use Of his
when questioned Monday afternoon
Aclxler told of seeing Berg, the man
charged with manslaughter in con-
nection with the death of Grassmee,
pick up Grassmee and throw him
against the walls of ward. He fur
ther testified and his testimony was
admitted by the doctors at Patton as
being reliable, that Berg on several
occasions had been guilty of brut IL
| ity
cell, acting on the information of Ack-
| Ter, discovered that Berg on three pre-
vious occasions had been charged with
brutality to ward patients at Patton
| and his testimony was borne out by
| witnesses.
Tells Story Calmly
| When seen Monday afternoon Mr..
Acl1ler was in good health and told
calmly of the incidents he saw the
night of June s. when 1t is alleged
Grassmee received the injuries which
resulted in his death. Mr.. Ackler was
| about the grounds outside the asylum
when called by Assistant Attorney
Goodcell and told in clear and nom
confused manner of what transpireo.
| After giving his testimony Mr.. Ackier
was wheeled back to the grounds ad-
| jacent to the Patton asylum and this
| morning his death was reported.
| In view of the testimony given by
Ackler and his mysterious death, two
physicians have been appointed by the
district attorneys office of San Ber-
nardino to make a thorough investiga-
ton into Acklers death. Ackler's tes-
| timony was taken in a stenographic
account by the district attorneys Of
| flee and was regarded as important
in finding the true cause of Grassmee's
death.
| Acting Medical Supervisor Gustave
/ Wilson, who, at the inquest over the
/ body of Grassree, stated that he had
interviewed every patient who might
have knowledge of Grassmee's death,
admitted Monday that ne had not
questioned Ackler in regard to the
case, although every other patient had
been colsely examined.
Say Death Due to ApopIexy
The death of Ackler is given as the
result of a cancerous growth which
punctured the intestines, and also as
caused by excitement following the
examination by Assistant District At
torney Goodcell.
Ackler had suffered a stroke of apo
plexy six years ago and the report
of the Patton physicians is that an
other paralytic stroke, suffered Mon
day night at 7 o'clock, resulted in
death at o'clock Monday morning.
The report of the death of Ackler,
who was looked on as the most valu-
able witness, was at once sent to Dis
trict Attorney W. X. Byrne and Coro-
ner C. ID. Van VIE. District Attorney
Byrne Immediately ordered Il special
investigation and delegated DIR. Rowell
to perform an autopsy. Coroner Van
Vie and Assistant District Attorney
Goodcell were present at the autopsy.
The report of DR.. Rowell is awaited
with interest, for although no sus-
picion is attached to any of the Pat
ton authorities, it is regarded as
strange that the principal witness in
the case against Berg should die so
Patient Disappears
Another mysterious case developed
today at Patton in the sudden disap-
pearance of Al Seeley, a Los Angeles
man who was confined at Patton. Ac-
cording to information forwarded to the
office of Sheriff Hammel, Seeley was
seen to Jump from a window of the in
sttution this afternoon, enter q buggy
which was standing near one of the
entrances, and drive rapidly toward
San Bernardino. At San Bernardino, 1t
is said, Seeley sold the horse and car
riage for $5 and purchased a ticket for
Los Angeles.
When Sheriff Hammel of Los Angeles
was notified of Seeley's escape he APP
pointed deputies to investigate and to
capture the patient should be appear IN
Los Angeles. Seeley's relatives live In
Los Angeles, and at a late hour tonight
it was reported that they had seen
nothing of him.
The disappearance of Seeley is not re-
sarded as important in the investiga-
tion at Patton, and it is supposed that
the insane patient took advantage of
the number of teams that were at the
institution to visit his folks in Los An
geles.
Hans S. Berg, the man charged with
manslaughterkin connection with the
death of Henry Grassmee, was ar
raigned before Police Justice Thomas
this morning and pleaded not guilty.
He was held to answer before the SUI
perior court, and in derault or $1,000 bail
was committed to Jail. His examina-
tion was set for Monday afternoon.
Medical superintendent Back
Medical Superintendent e. Scott Blair
arrived from Atlantic City this after
noon, but refused to make any COM
ment on the pending investigation of
conditions at Patton until he had per-
sonally looked into affairs.
Superintendent Blair did state. how
ever, that he would conduct and assist
in a rigorous investigation and that IL
Acting Medical Superintendent Wilson
had signed falsely death certificate in
the Grassmee case he would urge that
criminal action be taken.
The investigation of the board of
managers of Patton will begin Satur-
day afternoon, and the recent compllca-
tions In the affair, the most important
of which is the death of ,Aclkler. will no
tCOntinucd Page TweA