Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-15
AAmTAlEcC TEaIC
WIIVLOO ILLLO
OF GRASSMEE'S
TRAGICAL DEATH
SAYS HE SAW BERG HURL VIC
TIM AGAINST WALL
MANsLAUeHTER CHARGE PLACED
AGAINST cARETAKER
Statement of Doctor Who Performed
Post Mortem Contradictory to Ac-
count of Injuries Given by
coroner's Physician
fContlnned trom Pare onel

OVIOHCi ThJS'N'~H
Continued from Page Onel
evidenced by the remark of president
of the board, e. P. Clark of Riverside
Athorough investigation is all that
will satisfy the public" said DR.. Clark
Urges Immediate Action
DR.. f. M. Parker member of the
| board from Los Angeles, argued
against any delay in the investigation,
as the public would look upon delay
| in an unfavorable light, and he was
strongly in favor of taking the mat
ter up Immediately. 1t was finally de-
cided to finish the awarding of the
bids and then make arrangements for
an investigation that would be
thorough and wide in It's scope.
DIR. f. w. Hatch, secretary of the
board and special representative OF
Governor Gillett, sent a message to the
meeting stating that if his presence
was desired at the investigation he
would go to San Beraardino at once.
The board of managers instructed
Assistant District Attorney Goodcell to
take up the criminal investigation and
they would be pleased to hear his re-
port, although realizing that any ac-
tion taken by the district attorney S
office would be separate from that OF
the board of managers.
District Attorney w. E. Byrne was
expected to make the investigation per-
sonally, but he was called to Los An
geles as a witness in q case and dele
gated Assistant Goodcell to act in his
behalf and to make a stenographic
record of all proceedings.
Charged with Manslauehter
=
dered patient, today swore to COM
plaint charging Berg with man.
slaughter, and he will be arraigned to-
morrow and admitted to bail. District
Attorney Byrne states that at the pre-
| liminary hearing a full investigation OF
| the charges against Acting Superinten-
dent Wilson for signing the death GER
tificate with the causes which he gave
will be held at the time that Berg
comes before the magistrate for his
preliminary hearing, and that the tes-
timony of those who examined the body
at Los Angeles will be taken, in addi-
tion to that of the physicians at Patton
who attended the post mortem.
That DR.. Wilson feels keenly his po-
sition in the accident" was plain to be
seen Yesterday, and at each opportunity
he took occasion to defend his action.
What object would have in falsify-
ing Grassmee's death certificate?" said
Or. Wilson. "If Berg is guilty L hope
he will be dealt with severely, and as
for my position it is my opinion against
that of DR.. Campbell"
That five night watchmen have
charge of $50 insane patients was an
other sensational revelation, and that
the quarters at Patton are in such an
overcrowded and confused condition as
to render proper safety to harmless pa
tients impossible was admitted.
Eleven Beds in One Room
In the ward in which Henry Grass
NEE was confined there are eleven beds,
and the room is about is feet wide by ~
feet in length. The iron cots on Whlch
the patients are confined are placed in
rows, the foot of one bed coming in
contact with the head of the one below,
and tfMre are three rows of beds, not
over a yard of space being between the
rows 1t is easily possible for one pa
tient to reach out and touch another.
The patients in the ward with Grass
NEE. before his death, with two excep-
tions, are hopelessly insane and 1t was
impossible for the assistant district
attorney to get information from
them. The two patients not hope
lessly insane are George Tyler and
Edward Boyd, but they could give no
coherent account of what happened in
the ward on the night of June 3, when
Grassmee was injured.
Outside Of the dormitory in which
Grassmee was confined are laid two
rows of mattresses on which patients
sleep, any one of whom has access to
the ward. DIR. Wilson admitted that
some of the patients who sleep in the
hallway had homicidal tendencies, but
that the congested condition of the
asylum made such conditions unavoid-
able.
Robert Scholer was the patient who
told of hearing George Ackler tell of
the accident. Ackler readily remem-
bered the time that Grassmee was hurt
and also gave other information not
favorable to Berg. He spoke deliber-
ately and without confusion.
Tells Story of Attack
"I was awakened soon after mid
night by a tussle at the lower end of
the hail." he said ''I saw Grassmee
get up several times and each time
was put back to bed, Grassmee offered
no resistance, returning to bed when
told to 90 so. Finally 1 heard a noise
and by leaning over my bed l saw Berg
seize Grassmee and throw him against
the wall Grassmee did not speak but
lay like one in a stupor. Soon after
ward the general nightwatchman, At
kinson, came on his rounds, and in
QulreQ OF BSIB now NITdSSlIee T6t6lN0u
the marks on his body l could not
hear what Grassmee replied, but after
Atkinson left I saw Berg put the sheets
about Grassmee and strap him to his
bed
Berg is a strong man, and 1 know
that once before he struck Herman
Desque and has been brutal to many
of the patients.
81 have no object or prejudice in the
matter, but something ought to have
been done about Berg before this hap
pened."
Attorney Goodcell then went to the
bed occupied by Ackler, and easily
found that a person occupying it could
look directly upon the bed occupied
by Grassmee. DIR. Wilson admitted
that he had not questioned Ackler be-
fore and stated that it was the first
information he had of how the in
juries were inflicted. He admitted that
Ackler was a person whose statement
could be relied upon.
Herman Desque was next examined.
Desque is not suffering from insanity
but is an alcoholic patient, and in his
right mind when not drinking, and at
present is on parole at Patton.
Patient Feared Beating
Desque testified reluctantly. as If he
feared to state what he thought, and
finally admitted that the reason he
had not told of Berg's brutality before
was that he feared further beating.