Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1909-12-09
Insane WOmaB'S Story
Hay Help Solve the
Asylum Mystery.
SAYS DEAD PATIENT WAS
MRS. CATHERINE LITTNER
Former Superintendent Hinckley
Blamed, but Dr.. Dill Not
Abs0Iyed.

Investigation by The freeholders ana
prosecutors detectives into the aban-
doned South Orange avenue asylum
skeleton mystery has resulted IN those
officials satisfying themselves that the
charred skeleton was that Of an unre-
corded patient, whose name they believe
10 be Catherine Littner
The Littner woman's history il
unknown 70 tie authorities. and t1e
blame Is placed on Dr. Livingston &
Hinelley, the former superintendent.
who, It IS charged, failed to properly
transcribe she record Of the patients
who We're transferred from the old
Camden street asylum TO the now ai1ar-
doned South Orange avenue institutions
Former Superintendent DR.. Hinclzley
told a STAR reporter this afternoon
that he had no recollection OF ever hav
+ ing the Littner woman in his charee
at the hospital. He would not say
however, that a patient by that name
was not one OF the many unfortunates
under his charge. Referring to the Leis
woman. whom DR.. Hinckley is aceuseI
OF having taken from the hospital -
/ his home at the time ne was depose4
as superintendent and Tf. Dill appoint
ed, he said:
"Yes. that's true, Catherine Eeis is
/ waiting on my table now, and she Ia
heen for the past thirty years When
left the hospital l took her with me
and will keep her in my home till she
dies. She certainly has q. better horn
with me than she would have at the
asylum
The hospital committee which is aid
1 fh1g Prosecutor Mott in his iffvessga
ton viii simply report progress on tlse
skeleton mystery at the meeting OF tha
Board OF F'reeholders this afternoon.
They viii not even go so far as to max
public the name of the Littner
patient, but the Newark EVENING
STAR discovered today not only tle
name of the woman but all the circuip-
stances attendant thereto. Final re-
port Of the hospital committee with its
Il pertinent recommendation viii not be
made to the freeholders until tnar
body's next meeting. which viii be q
month hence.
Notwithstanding the fact that upon
its face the fault lli the hospital rec-
ords relative to the skeleton case in
particular dates back TO DR. Hincklexs
superintendency. it is pointed out that
DIR. Daniel II. Dill is not absoved from
censnre on the ground that he during
his last nine years as head of the In
stitution. did not rectify DR.. Hinclleys
error
~ With that I'm mind. effort will
he made at the Freehoiders' meet
ing this afternoon to bring about
the suspension Of DIR. Dill pending
the inquiry.
Freeholder Richard Z. Malta, of the
Fifteenth ward, says he has prepared
a resolution calling for DR.. DiI's sus-
pension. F'reeholder Christian Ahner.
OF the Fourteenth ward, declares that
he, teo, has prepared such a resolution.
Mr.. Ahner viii probably offer the reso.
iution and AIR. Malta viii second It
Al the last meeting Of the Freehoiders
sierre Black prepared similar resO-
lution out WAS urged not to offer it.
! II is understood THAI a majority of thss
freeholders viii vote against the sus-
pension OF Dr. Dill, they saying tnat .
case warranting ii should first be
proven
Prosecutors Detective William TeeG
is still working on the murder theory,
out be IS said 10 have made little, Il
I amy hesdwag.
the positive Identity OF the skeleton
is the first step. Assistance. if any
reliance can be placed upon the state
I nients of an insane person was given
} TO The investigators by Miss Anna
tIinkei. formerly an inmate in fhu
South Orange avenue institution, vino
s5t
ris Plains, State institution Miss
Iinkel It is said. not only told the
authorities the name OF the missing
woman, but also told thrilling story
Of having seen che OF the female nurses
at the hospital abusing and beating tbs
Littner woman. If half OF what the
insane woman has told the authoritiee
is to be relied upon it is little wonde',
that the prosecutor has been hinting
at crime, but it is argued that but
little faith can be placed upon the
statements OF insane persons.
Miss Hinkal was removed 10 the
Morris Plains institution mors than
six years ago. She is unable te tell
the authorities exactly when She saw
the Littner woman being roughly
treated
The investigators have discovered
that there We're forty patients removed
from the old Camden street institution
to the South Orange avenue instifu
ton, about which no record of their
cases was taken. Dr Hinckley il IS
charged. in transferring the patients
simply took record Of the names, and
not anything of aa historical nature
about the patients. The little book IN
which he transcribed the names Of the
patients is in possession OF the Free
holders. but in no instance is there q
record of the cases giving the data con-
corning the date OF admission. names
of relatives. etc. which is SO vital 70