The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1910-04-23
files CHARGES
AGAINST GIBSON

j. G. Driscoll, former supervisor OF
the Nevada insane asylum, who was re-
moved from Office by maturity vote
of the asylum moard recently and was
succeeded by E. L. Bingham, q form
er newspaper man Of Reno, has fled a
long complaint against DR.. Gibson, su-
perintendent of the asylum, says the
Gazette. This complaint has been
fild with the board Of commissioners
for the care of the INDECENT insane and
the fling of the same is no surprise as
lit has long been known that Driscoll|
contemplated such an act.
In this complaint Driscoil charges DR..
Gibson with mismanagement, misap-
preparation OF certain funds, with
graft, with neglect and inhuman treat
ment of patients. The report Of the
former supervisor has as yet not been
investigated by the asylum board but
probably will be in short time.
Some Graft Charges.
Under the head of graft and incom-
potency Driscoll, among other things.
charges that DR.. Gibson sold horse TO
the asylum for 5000, which was not
worth more than $3.50; that he bought
tobacco for the asylum and used it for
himself; that he provided himself and
sons with rubDer boots out Of the asy-
ium stock; that he made his son a pres
ent of a safety razor which he charged
to the state; that he forced patients to
work on contract and thus saved the
conractors $4,000. He also charges that
DR.. Gibson paid his sons for wood Sc
cured from the river by patient
Y, a 1o6 TaVs
Charges Of Misappropriation.
Under the head of misrepresentation
of funds, Drisco1 charges that br. Glib
son used the funds Of the farm con.
tingent fund and the patients deposit
fund for his own personal use to the
extent of $500 for several months. He
charges incompetency ON the part Of
Dr. Gibson by stating that Dr. Gibson
refused as state official to receive
payment for the care of patients when
their relatives were ready and willing
to pay for their care.
Says Patients Were Neglected.
| Under the head of neglect of m
tients he charges that DR.. Gibson never
attended to the patients properly for
mental trouble and follows with this
statement:
1t is true that there have been dis
charges but he CDR. Gibson) cannot
ltruthfully say that the recovery Of any
patient is the result of any treatment,
because as I have stated before no pa
tient ever had any treatment.
"The institution, instead of being a
hospital for medical diseases, is merely
a place of confinement for those who
are so unfortunate as to become in
mates
Charges Cruelty of Inmates.
He then goes on and charges that DR..
Gibson held men who had recovered
their minds, in close confinement sim
ply to crafty a personal revenge
against them. He tells of one, Ginness,
who had escaped and been captured at
Winnemucca, stating that DR. Gibson
had leg irons riveted to this patient
and that he was handcuffed at night.
Driscoll claims that he advised that
this man be turned over to the sheriff
but that DIR. Gibson, while admitting
the man to be sane, declared that he
would hold him just to show people
that he could keep him if he want
ed to
Driscoll, under this same head, de-
clares that because a man named Jas.
Moran tried to escape after escaping
once and being captured once, DR.. Glib
son had him chained and at night had
one arm chained to the bed and one
leg to the floor. Driscoll claims that
DR.. Gibson knew this man was sane
but that he just kept him for revenge
and that when he did discharge him he
did so in very peculiar manner, claim
ing that Gibson sent Moran to Reno
with an attendant and had him disap-
pear so that no newspaper men could
interview him.