Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-03-30
FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED
Death in Connecticut Insane Asy
lum of Benjamin Pashby.
Snid 10 Have Been Roughly Handel
and Dragged by KeEro--Six Men
Required to Handle Him
strapped TO Truck.

hospital for the insane at Middletown
last Sunday but his parents in this city
had received no word Of his death until
they were informed by a Free Press
man Wednesday afternoon. The news
came to the Free Press from Troy, ~ Y.
that Mr.. Pashby was dead as the result
OF Injuries received in a canal fight and
diligent Inquiries that evening failed to
bring any OF the particulars. or even
the ploc" Of his death. With the arrival
OF The Hartford Conn, papers some light
was shed OH the affair. In some way his
name was given as Pashlcy and his home
address li6 st. Paul street. which error
may account FOR tho fact that his parents
had heard nothing Of the affair until
Informed ny a Free Press man. A Middle
town despatch to the Hartford Courant
said:
THE MIDDLETOWN STORY.
There arc conflicting stories in the
sudden death OF James Pashlcy Of Bridge
mort which occurred at tho Connecticut
Hospital for the Insane last sunday.
Bridgeport authorities maintain that the
mar WIS apparently urlnjured when he
was brought here while the authorities
. tNc state hospital say that the mans
ucth eyes were bla ckencd
Coroner stephen 3. Davis has con-
Quoted an inquest and while it is not
vet completed. he is satisfied that the
injuries the man had were sustained
before he was admitted to the asylum
Tic death OF Pashley was not made
p"h,Ir until to-day, and not then until
tie coroner vas seen by newspap per
-l,~
coroner Psshley. who was a barge
captain. was brought here on Friday OF
last week. i'm charge Of an officer from
Bridgeport Tho man was a rsving
maniac and caused his attendant a great
deal of trouble. After being admitted to
tho hospital the doctors made the GUS
tomary examination and found Pashley's
body covered with heavy bruises, ap-
parcntly having been made by a club.
Both eyes were hlackened. and there
were other cuts and bruises on the head.
Pashley was given treatment but grew
more and moro violently insane, until his
death. which occurred suddenh Sunday
al l2:3o p. m.
The hospital authorities notified the
coroner. who. with Dr. John e Love
land. acting medical examiner, went to
the asylum and there conducted an
autopsy. 1, was then learned that the
immediate cause of death was a rup-
ture Of the heart. The liver was also
quite badly ruptured but this injury
was probably several days old, in the
opinion of the doctor.
coroner Davis has written the mans
father in Vermont, and lie has also
written the Bridgeport authorities for
further information. Pashey's body is
still al tho morgue at the asylum, pend
ing further orders on the part OF the
coroner. When word was sent from
bridgeport to the effect that Pashley
was apparently uninjured when he left
there last Friday. this Information was
communicated to DR. Fisher of the hos
pital who said that there was absolutely
no question but that the man had the
injuries named before he came to the
| asylum.
THE BRIDGEPORT STORY.
A Bridgeport. Conn, special to the
Courant said:
Jim Pashey was the captain of a
coal barge Rig. powerful and used to
! controlling rough mon by brute force,
he was one of the huslIiest of the motley
on tho hnrbor front. He was a leader
among his set because he crushed anyone
who disputed his authority
/ lie did not meet his match through
fair play Among tho sailors on his barge
was a big negro who had suffered sew
eral heatircs At Paehley's hands. He
lad sworn to get revenge, and two weeks
!ugc he dragged Pashleys whiskey,
! hrutaIlv assaulted HIM, and robbed him
| an ha
9TH was arrested on the water front while
! surrounded ny 81 crowd and prOclaiminG
! hinlseie the Messinh. Ne said his home
was IN the clouds, and ho had the power
to XIII Everybody. including the devil, OF
anyone allied with him,
Big ana powerful as ever. still he did
not resist arrest. ana was taken TO the
police station without trouble. Here
however. he resisted when an attcmp;
was made TO put him in a padded cell
and several men had 70 push him in. The
next day he was much worse, and his
| y ellis could hc heard block away. II
was decided to take him TO the almshouse
at Iakcviow. Whom bis coll door was
opened. he was found naked and raving
and it tool, six men to put straps on hin
80 that he could be handled The police
say that no blows we're struck. Pashley
however, knocked down several police
men before ne was ovcrpowcrcd.
fic vas ut Lakeview one week anC
| Suvorin tendrn, Cowles says that he wa
kept locked In padded cell during thu
time. He grew worse mentally and woul'
take off his clothes three or Gov, times
day and hide under the bod
Saturday n number OF attendants start
ed with him for Middletown, with Alex
| snde, MorriSsey, the investigator for TN
! charity department, IN charge. MucI
trouble was experienced in moving hin
hut Superintendent Cowles SAYS he wa
rot struck. Because OF his violence h
had To he taken In the baggage car, an
ne was securelv strapped.
At New Haven change % ear
vas necessary. and there wa a herc
struggle at the railroad station Sashle
Lad to be strapped on TO a tru"E in orde
that he could he taken from one train I
.hc other, MI Morrissey says that niue
force was used as was necessary, but tn
ran was no, struck by any Of the attend
ants. II is evident. however. on sccour
of his violence that he must have SUI
ferod many bruises from the time OF n
? arrest TO the time he was taken to MID
dletown. The injuries about his heal
J and liver he may have suffered when I
was attacked by the negro on the co
barge, or he may have inflicted them G
, himself as he strained on the straps thu
confined him.
PARENTS AT A LOSS.
Mr. and Mrs. Pashby had not heal