The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-07-09

into a mems ward and women's ward. In the latter there have never been more than three patients at once. Miss Crystal Is in charge ana Mrs; Shread the cook. Mrs. Dacey died there in June She was visited for taken her little daughter to bring up. Miss Crystal said that while one of the women patients had died without any one at her side, she had been there To minutes before to administer hypo- dernic.
 The patient had been moaning for days, and a few minutes after the visit of the nurse to her bedside she ceased to moan, and then she knew she was dead As to the neglect of the pa tients, Miss Ladd admitted that she had learned most of this from patients in the institution.
 One of these was Bertha Slie, a ne- gress, who was brought from the Bridgeport hospital to testify. She said the bed linen on Mrs. Dacey's bed had not been changed for two weeks When pressed for further details. she said the linen was changed by Miss Ladd. When asked about Miss Crys- taPs absence from the institution. she said things had been arranged before her departure so that everything al- ways went the same as if she were there. Bertha didn't think the clean ing was thoroughly done.
 Sister Dorothy testified briefly of her visits to the institution. but what she had to say was of little bearing on the charges. and 1t was very ap- parent that the Sister did not relish the idea of taking the witness stand in what had developed into a sort of farce.
 The commissioners groped about blindly for a long time trying to find something tangible on which to lay their hands, until finally the question of shortening of the rations came up. Miss Crystal declared she always gave the patients what she thought reason able and good for them, but admitted she had trouble in getting everything cooked that she ordered.
 Superintendent Cowles was asked to explain how such a condition could ex- ist. He told the commissioners that until the present board room charge, there had been conflict of authority in the tuberculosis pavilion This arose from the engaging of the staff by the commissioners of former boards, and the employees feeling sure of their places were independent and did not work in harmony. MT. Cowles said now that Judge Kane had recently vis- ited the institution and told the stan they must look to MT. Cowles for or ders, he felt confident he could handle the situation. On one occasion. it was testified. Mrs. Shread had told Cowles to go to'blazes when he ordered her to carry out a minor detail of her work
 It was with the utmost difficulty that the commissioners forced the two wo- men to face each other. without Miss Crystals beginning long rambling att tacks upon Miss Ladd. She was in- structed that she was to have the privilege of questioning Miss Ladd up- on anything that concerned the charges. but repeatedly she wandered away from the matter in hand as her feelings got the better of her judg- ment. Miss Ladd kept herself under perfect restraint and answered all questions with cHl self complacency while Miss Crystal was very often at the boiling point
 Superintendent Cowles had a few questions to ask Miss Ladd, among them whether she had said she would not belftt1e herself to ask his permis- sion to visit the institution. She ad- mitted she had told Miss Crystal, when the propriety of her visits to the place was discussed, that if MT. Cowles had anything to say to her. he should look her up and say it. She was not go- ing to look for him, she said
 Before the discussion of the charges against Miss Crystal, the commission CTS eXOnerated Dr. Krause from blame for refusing the ambulance in a circus day call where in his Judgment the ambulance was not needed. The con- missionerS unanimously expressed themselves as believing he used the best judgment under the circum- stances