Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1909-12-15
Unprecedented Condition
Of Affairs Barred
by Expert.
TWO INMATES REPORTED
DEAD ARE ALIVE, HE SAYS
Twenty-Five Are Unaccounted
for on Books, and DR.. Dill
Has No Explanation.

lido lSU LApldiidtiUu.
Startling revelations of mismanage-
inent OF the Essex County Hospital for
the Insane, which were heard by the
freeholders' investigation committee
which has been probing the affairs of
the institution to establish the identity
of the skeleton found in the abandoned
South Orange avenue building Novem-
Der Is, were being widely discussed to-
day.
When Richard y. Hutchinson, an ex-
pert appointed to examine the records
OF the institution reported that twenty
two inmates We're unaccounted for;
that his census showed twenty inmates
at the asylum of which there was no
record on the books that at least two
patients who had been reported dead
We're found alive in the institution;
that the name of woman long since
dead was found in the census taken
last month, and that patients were
found at the institution of whom DR..
Daniel NJ. Dill the superintendent, said
he knew nothing, several of the free
holders. unable longer to contain their
feelings of indignation, left the build
ing IN Overbrook where the investiga-
tion was in progress
DIR. DiII Doesn't Know
Through it all DIR. Dill acted like
man in daze. All that he would say.
after each damaging statement, was;
sT' don't know how it happened. J
h.See no inforlnation on the subject
The admission ON the part Of Dr. Dill piil
tbat today there are patients IN Inc
asylum of whose commitment ne
knows nothing is regarded ny most
alarming. This gives rise to the pos
sibiIify that behind the grim wallis OF
the asylum there are men and women
who are sane. From what dcvei-
oped mt the hearing IL would APP
pear TINT there is nothing to prevent
unscrupulous persons, with the aid of
unscrupuIous physicians, to commit to
the asylum persons who arc sape.
In every well-regulated asylum the
superintendent makes minute notes of
eac- case and persons entering the
asylum are placed in observation wards
and a lengthy history of ecch case is
written.
Following the amazing report of the
expert Freeholder Anthem said that he
knew of one case which he had inves-
tisated of patient who had died and
was buried the following day without
any effort being made to notify rela-
uyes.
Tne revelations came as climax to
the censure which has been heaped on
the head of DIR, Dill The November
grand jury, in presentment on the
skeleton case, said that DIR. Dill was
9utterly incompetent Following this
DR.. Dill made the statement: Il have
10 intention of resigning." Chief us
tice Gummere. in his charge, to the De-
cember grand jury, said that 'if It is
proved that the woman whose s'--'eton
was found met a violent death those
responsible for the death might be IN
dicted for murder"
Mistake, Attendant Admits.
Chief Justice Gummere had scarcely
delivered his charge on the skeleton
case when the freeholders' investigating
committee got together at Overprooh'
Chairman Haskell called the attention
of the freeholders to the presentment
of the November grand jury, in which
DR.. Dill had been declared incom-
peteut. County Counsel Num- said that
he never had heard of case where a
person had been missing for number
Of years without any report having
been made of the disappearance In
answer to a question by Supervisor
Baldwin. DR.. Dill said that only since
a law was passed several years ago
did the county physician issue death
certificate for a person who died in the
asvlum. It was at this point that Elk
merit Hutchinson made bis sensational
statement or the ill-kept records of the
institution.
II found in my census that woman
who had died on July 29 was on the
census as being alive" said Hutcnlh-
son. He also said that he found tina.
there were two Annie Kellys One was
admitted February 1904, who died July
49, and another who was admitted
wear ago. When DIR. Dill, in a dazed
sort of way, said he had no explana-
ton to offer, Jules Lindermann, an at
tache of the hospital, said that the two
Annie Kellys were in the same Wara
and that the nurse had made a mistake
in the cards Of the patients and sent
the wrong one to the office. The Annie
Kelly who was supposed to be dead
was out on pass. There was another
Annie Kelly employed in the institu-
tion. That explanation nearly took the
breath away from several of the mem
bers of the committee.
Physciian Recorded as Patient.
Expert Hutchinson then said that he
found that the name of "a committing
physician was found recorded as q
patient DR.. Dill was averse to grant
ing a request of Director Ougheltree
that young woman be permitted to
visit the asylum to see if her mother.
d patient. is still alive. DR.. Dill was
sorcod to grant this request.
When DR.. Dill was asked for an ex-