The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-11-22

the record of the Schmidt ease to indi-
cute that at any time the patient suf-
Tered from suicidal mania. Perhaps the
tnust plausible and correct solution as 10
the cause Of death is given by DIR. Dill,
the superintendent, to a STAR re-
porter.
Having fully investigated all the
circumstances connected with the find
ing of the skeleton and being familiar
with the topography of the South Or
ange avenue building and being pretty
well posted on the doings of the
patients generally said DR.. Dill, re-
f~lectively, Il am of the opinion that the
patient had the runaway or hiding
mania, and that she crawled into the
obscure aperture of the attic, which is
pitch dark, got lost N the darkness,
and that she struck a match or two in
an effort to grope her way out again.
when she set fire to her clothing and
died from the burns. The fact that
two burned matches were found near
the skeleton adds confirmation to my
belief. The charred bones prove con-
cluslvely that the patient was burned"
"How do you account for the fact
that the rafters aid not catch fire n
the asylum officials did not discover
the blazer"
simply because the blaze was not
strong enough replied the superin-
tendent, "and the fact that the
patients hair was not totally burned
adds to the correctness Of my state
ment. The distance from the attic door
to where the skeleton was found is
more than one hundred feet. and only
..da,- nv GtsInr fpl1 mo that Spa rPplN
a week passed but what he wen up
into that very attic to hunt for male
patients who had wandered way from
the custody of their keepers"
DR.. Dill explained that the big fire
at the South Orange avenue institu-
ton was about twenty-five years ago.
long before the wing in which the
skeleton had been found was built:
that the only other fire of record at
the institution was eighteen years ago,
but that that blaze vas confined &c
the laundry, which was in another sec
ton of the building from that in which
the Skeleton was found. DIR. Dill was
u member of the hospital committee
of the Board of Freeholders at that
time. and has Yer since been in close
touch with hospital affairs. He scouts
the idea that the patient might nave
caught fire in the laundry blaze and
ran to the attic, where she died. prin~
cipally on the ground that at Inat
time and from then until the transfer
of patients to the Overlook institu.
ton. four months ago, the ward in
the attic OF which the skeleton was
found has been used exclusively for
male patients. DR.. Dill closes the skele-
ten affair with the remark that the
case is one of those unfortunate and
unavoidable happenings to which no
blame or ccnsure can be cast against
his predecessor. and adds. very frankly
tco, that he would have been as
anxious to solve the mystery if the
circumstance showed a more recent
date.
DR.. Dill wanted it understood that
he had nothing to hide from the pub
lie relative to his administrator OF the
hospital. and when requested he freely
permitted STAR reporters to examine
the records.
The skeleton is still at Holes morgue
and If the relatives are not located
within a few days it will be buried In
potter's field. In the absence of any
suspicion of c~riminality being involved
Prosecutor Mott will probably not call
the attention of the grand jury to the
case.