Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-01-13
FreeholderS Declare Asy-
lum Head Unfit to
Run Institution.
SWEEPING REFORMS IN
MANAGEMENT SUGGESTED
Charges of Intoxication Against
Attendants and General
Laxity Made.

The hospital committee wrangled for
two hours before the meeting this after
noon of the Board of Freeholders rela-
tive to its long-drawn- report of the
hospital affairs The committee states
as clause No. in their report that the
finding of a skeleton in the loft of the
South Orange avenue asylum remains
mystery and regrets that 1t is unable
to throw any light on the subject.
The committee tells of its various
hearings relative to the asylum affairs
and recommends a reorganization Of
superintendent and management Of
the Overlook institution, and that the
rules and regulations regarding attend
ant and other employees should be en-
forced with steady hand by the super
intendent, and that any such deplorabIe
occurrence should be made impossible
in the future.
DIR. Dill, the superintendent,, arrived
at the board meeting He was smll-
irg, and when asked what he proposed
to do said: I'VE will not cross any
bridges until we will reach them.''
When told of the action of the board
DIR. Dill said his attorney, Chandler w.
Rilser, was at work on the case and it
had not been decided whether he would
eertiorari the proceedings or get writ
of nandamus compelling his reinstate-
ment in the event of his Dismissal
Responsibility for Situation.
The committee concludes that the re-
sponsibility for the situation devolves
upon the superintendent, DIR. Daniel Nj.
Dill. and by unanimous vote directs
that charges be preferred against the
superintendent. The report concludes
with the committee expressing its
opinion that the superintendent has
shown ineompetency and gross negii-
gence of duty.
At the meeting of the board this
afternoon it will be directed that
charges be preferred Immediately. ana
Supervisor Baldwin will sit as judge
and jury to hear them.
1t Is predicted that DR.. Dill will be
dismissed from the institution. DR..
DilPs champion before this committee
meeting was Freeholder Frank T.
Ward, who fought unsuccessfuily
against the recommendation, and sue
ceeded only in changing little the
phraseology of the report at the last
minute.
The change referred to a trip the
F'reeholders recently made TO Central
sIslip, Long Island, in which the orig
inal report stated they were to get
knowledge of the working of that in
stitution." 1t was argued by Mr.. Ward
that this grand jury might construe
that as ignorance on the part of the
freeholders, and they might lay them
selves open to indictment, and, there
fore. succeeded in having that feature
of the report eliminated.
The comm,.tee signed the report as
revised, q copy of which follows
The Report.
"Since making the preliminary report
to the grand jury, the committee on
county hospitals for the insane has con-
tinued it's investigation with results as
herein expressed:
. Il. The case of the skeleton found in
the loft Of the South Orange avenue
asylum. remains an unsolved mystery.
has been able to discover throws any
light upon the presence OF the skeleton
in the loft of the building at South Or
ange avenue.
"2. The committee finds as a result
of the investigation that has been made
and is being made by q corps of ex-
perts under the direction of Mr.. Conant,
that the records of the institution have
lyaa
precision and care that should have
been exercised; that the difficulties in
the way of exploring and aseertaining
the history of any given patient are
serious by reason Of the faulty system
of indexing that has prevailed at the
asylum. This system or plan has como
down from past times and is the same
that has prevailed in the institution
for many years before the advent of
the present government and manages
ment, but is now found to be defective.
'Tt should be remedied and all records
and analytically indexed, ana
the present committee is engaged, at
very considerable expense, in reducing
these records to a system and index
ing the same, so that hereafter the en-
tire records of the institution with re-
spect 10 any particular patient. now
or heretofore an inmate, can be turned
to and shown in very little time
For the purpose of an examination and
audit of these and other county records,
an appropriation of $1,000 was placed in
the tax levy for the present fiscal year.
''S. The committee in connection with
the fire that occurred during the night
between June and June 10. 1909, has
ascertained from the records, and eS-
pecially from the record kept By the
night watehman Robert J. Edwards
that some of the attendants were from
time to time absent during the nigh
without leave, and in some instances
returned to the institution more o.
less intoxicated, and at hours OF ths
night or early morning which Hcr
heycnd their cards or leave Of abscnN