Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-01-11
SAYS BOARD WILL
BRAND OR. DILL AS
AN INCOMPETENT
FreehOlder Declares Committee
Is to Demand Severe Action
in Asylum Expose.

1t was stated on excellent authority
today that the hospital committee of
the Board of Freeholders, which has
been investigating the affairs at the
County Insane Asylum following the
finding of charred skeleton in the
rafters of the abarao South Orange
avenue building, will make report to
the frceholders at their regular meet
ing on Thursday that gross misman-
has been shown, and that DR.. Daniel
M. DILL the superintendent, has been
proved incompetent
This Information was furnished today
to the EVENING STAR by a freehol-
der, who asked that his name be with
held. 1t was an open secret at the
Court House, however. that the report
would not be of the "whitewash'' vari-
ETY., but that all the freeholders were
agreed that condition, had been shown
at the asylum which demanded severe
action.
The freeholder said that When the
members of the committee got together
in executive session yesterday after
noon, after listening to the story of Mrs
Francisco Hinkel that the skeleton was
that of Mrs. Catherine Lindner, a pa
tient who had died following beating
by attendants, they at once had full
and free discussion
,,,otiop xtyn ,1,a,la thar the cfI1i-
mittee report that there had been gross
mismanagement at the asylum. ana
that DIR. Dill be declared incompetent"
said this freelIolder. ''and the report
went through with bells on
"Does that mean that DIR. Dill will
be relieved as superintendent" was
asked.
"You can draw your own concln-
sions,r' was the reply.
This freeholder then went ON to say
that, even the friends of DR. Dill adj
mitted that something had to be done.
Aside from the finding of the skeleton,
he said, there were the poorly kept
records at the place. the evidences of
orgies and concealed fires at the ~insti-
tuition and a general lack of discipline
which was almost criminal
The general management of the
asylum will be the subject of a grand
jury investigation which viii begin to-
day. Among those who have been
asked to tell what they know of the
asylum are Mrs >Itinkel, DR.. John o.
Castor, whose testimony that attend
ants were drunk on the night of the
last commencement exercises created q
stir, and Leonard III. Conant, the
expert, who went over the much mixed
records at the asylum. Mrs. Hinlle
was at the court house early today.
Mrs. Hinldes story made profound
impression yesterday ON every free
holder present at the hospital COM
mittee session She was questioned
by Prosecutor Mott. County Counsel
Mum and all the freeholders. and her
story was not shaken in any particular
Chandler Riker, counsel for DIR. Dill.
went at her savagely. but she did not
vary In the least from her original story,
which was exclusively printed in the
STAR
Miss Grace Brush. who was in charge
OF ward 10 at the time Mrs Hinlel says
that Catherine Lindner met her death.
was called before the committee when
Mrs. Hinkel had told her story. When
she entered the room Mrs. Hinkel
greeted her with How, do you do. Miss
Long" but Miss Long didn't answer
her Miss Brush made vigorous gen.
eral denial of the story Of Mrs. Hinkel
She said that while she was In ward 10
there never was any disorder and not
patient had Disappeared She said the
nurses under her were Hkind and gem
tle." She declared that on one occasion
Mrs. Hinkers daughter Anna had been
struck over the head by another patient.
Mrs. Shuttle. now dead, because Anna
Hinkel had torn up q mattress. She
never had heard of any death at the
asylum being suppressed.
Then you never saw any violent or
blood thirsty encounters?" said County
Counsel Mum.
II never old" Miss Brush replied
She was then excused and the COM
mittee went into executive session to
consider report. which will be sub
mitted at meeting, of tho freeholders on
Thursday.