The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-01-19
Rxonerated by coroner,s Jury.

death of Henry D. Rue, which was caused
by injuries received at the State Insane
Asylum, finished its labors on Thursday
and exonerated the attendant, George E
Ballentine, from all suspicion of doing
anything wrong in the matter.
Mr.. Rue was resident of this county
and was taken to the asylum suffering
from dementia brought ON by religious
excitement. He was reported to have
been injured and an examination proved
that he had been violent and that in the
attempt to get him under restraint he re-
ceiyed injuries which resulted in his death.
The attendant who had charge of Mr.. Rue
was George E. Ballentine, resident OF
Pennsylvania He left the asylum soon
after the injuries to Mr.. Rue were dis
covered, but came back last week and ap-
peared before the coroner's jury.
Samuel c.. Garrison, an inmate of the
asylum. had given testimony to the effect
that Ballentine had struck and kicked Mr..
Rue. This story was denied by Ballentine.
He returned to Trenton voluntarily and
the authorities were surprised to see him.
He offered no objections to going on the
witness stand and telling his story.
He said that he started work at the in
stitution on election day and was placed
in charge of Rue on December II, the day
before the latter was injured. He de-
clared that he had trouble with the patient
from the moment he entered the room I'M
til the time he left. He said that the
patient would frequently get out of bed
and lie on the floor and he was compelled
to place him back in the bed. He said that
about 1890 o'clock in the morning Rue
got out of bed and began to thrash about
on the floor. Ballentine took hold of.him
and attempted to lift him into the bed, but
in doing SO Rue gave lurch and Ballen-
tine lost his balance. He fell partly oyer
the patient and was forced to step twice
upon Rue, once on the stomach and once
on the side.
The witness said that he did not know
that Rue was injured, and later in the
day when the patient began to get trouble
some he asked some of the other attend
ants to watch him until Supervisor
Wynn could be asked for assistance. Sew
oral doctors came into the room and after
telling Ballentine to retire, made an ex
animation of Rue. Ballentine said that
after the examination they summoned him
and told him that two of Rue's ribs were
broken. 1t was later when sent for by
DR.. Cotton that Ballentine swore to the
statement of the affair made just before
,e left the hospital for his home in Penn
,ylvania.
Ballentine illustrated to the jury how
he patient fell, using the foreman of the
Jury to demonstrate. He said that while |
IN the floor the patient kicked him in the
Itomach and made several attempts to
each him with his foot.
In reply to questions the witness said
hat he did not either hit or kick Rue in |
my manner whatever. Prosecutor Cross |
ey took the witness in hand, but Ballen-
inc stuck to his story and did not make
my contradictory statements.
The first witness called was Professor
Henry Veghte. the librarian of the insti-
ution. He was inclined to be hostile
and the first question asked by
he prosecutor he said was irrelevant. He
laid there was not a thing which be
could tell that would enlighten the jury
except as to the competency of the testi
nony given by Stephen G. Garrison, the
innate, who said he had seen the assault
Of Rue on Ballentine.
Frederick Swanburger, an attendant,
was called, and told of being in the office
Of Supervisor Wynn when Ballentine
made his appeal for help with the patient
Rue. Swanburger was sent with Ballen-
tine to assist in controlling Rue The
witness told of the condition of Rue at
the time and said that he stayed with him
until the patient died.
The verdict of the jury was as follows:
I'VE, the jurors, find that Henry D.
Rue came to his death by hemorrhage of
the liver superinduced by the accidental
breaking of his ribs by being stepped on
by George E. Ballentine while in the per-
Torrance of his duties as an attendant on
said Rue on December IS, 1908, at the
State Hospital for the Insane at Trenton.
The verdict of the jury will not be TAX
IN as conclusive exonerstion of Ballentine,
but the matter will be presented to the
Mercer county grand jury in order that
here may be thorough investigation of