Evening star., 1911-05-30
PROBE OF HOSPITAL
Inquiry Regarding Administra-
ton at st. Elizabeth.
BY THE RULES COMMITTEE
Gen. George H. Torney and Scott O.
Bone Answer Questions.
SUPT. WHITE Is HEARD
Consideration Of Resolution Propos-
ing an Investigation Of Insti-
BY THE RULES COMMITTEE
7. WHITE IS HEARD

The Clark resolution proposing an in
vestigation of the Government Hospi-
tai for the Insane and of the admins
tration of DIR. White, the superin-
tendent of the institution. was the sub
ject OF a hearing before the House COM
mittee on rules this morning. Brig.
Gen. George ii. Torney. surgeon gem
eral of the army: DR.. Lloyd Magruder.
Scott c. Bone and Mrs. Henry q.
Sharpe. members of the board OF visi-
tors OF the asylum, were on hand. az
were Representative Clark OF Florida,
author OF the resolution proposing the
inquiry. and Richard p. Evans. who was
attorney for the Medico-Legal Society
when that organisation assailed the
management of the hospital before the
Olcott special committee several years
ago.
Gen. Torney and Mr.. Bone gave the
hospital and DR.. Whites conduct Of its
affairs a clean bill of health. DIR. White
was before the committee for half an
hour and will continue his statement
when the session Is resumed at o'clock
this afternoon.
Result Of Inspections.
Gen. Torney. who said he was familiar
federal. said he had inspected st. Eliza
beth on several occasions. going over all
the numerous buildings. into the various
wards and through the kitchen and din
ing room: howard Hall. where the GRIM
inal insane are confined. and the admin
istration headquarters. He found every
thing clean. well conducted and in first
class condition. Incidentally. he told the
<Aaf lo in rl,o 81
committee on reorganization which had
decided to recommend that Howard Hall
be inclosed by a high wall. which would
permit Of the dangerous class Of patients
confined there being given more liberty
with less liability OF their escape.
81 don't know" said Gen. Torney.
whether or not DR.. White is response
BILE for conditions at the hospital. but
ii is certain that as an institution
it is admiral in every respect. At the
rate 1t is growing. however-about 100
patients a year-it will not be long,
unless improvements and additions are
made, before it will be overcrowded."
Confidence In Efficiency.
Cen Torney expressed the opinion
that the hospital. even IL II grew TO
have 1--WE or six thousand. or even
eight Thousand patients. instead OF the
1850 now confined there, could be con-
Quoted Just as efficiently and with rel
atively less expense.
How about the testimony of super.
intendents OF state insane asylums, who
told the Olcott committee that St
Elizabeth was too big?" asked Rep
resentative Clark.
eyes, read that" rejoined Gen. Tor.
ney, but don't agree with them"
cspk s9 TINS inopreS
Not at ALL" replied the general.
Mr.. Bone was the next witness. He
told the committee he had been a men,
Der Of the board for four or five years
and had visited the institution regular
ly every quarter, with an occasional ex-
ira visit thrown in He advanced tie
suggestion that, while the hospital was
well conducted and splendidly administer
ed. 1t was possible that the criminal in
sane should be cared for elsewhere
There will always be more or less
alarm here in the District of Columbia,
said Mr. Bone. lover the presence Of the
10 insane patients of the criminal class
so near to our doors.
Piled With Questions.
Representative Stanley OF Kentucky
took up this idea advanced by Mr.. Bone
and asked him many questions along the
same line. He suggested IL was particu-
larly inadvisable to house SO many dan
gerous lunatics at the National Capital
where so many of the distinguished men
of the country congregate-
why" he said. "some lunatic might
slay the President. the Chief Justice OF
the Supreme Court or the chairman or
the committee on rules"
II hope they won't get that far" cried
Mr.. Henry of Texas, the rules chairman.
Mr.. Bone explained that the board or
visitors hopes the wall which 1t Is pro-
posed to build around Howard Hail.
where the dangerous patients are con-
fined, would minimize the danger from
this source.
II was never impressed with Howard
Hail." he said, although / must say, con-
sidering the disadvantages, that the pa
tients confined there are splendidiy han
died In my four years OF acquaintance
with DR.. White ] have found out that ne
lis a wonderful administrative officer"
do you object to this proposed invesu-
gationr' inquired Representative Clark.
mot at ail.' Mr.. Bone replied.
DR.. White on the Stand.
Then DIR. White took the stand. and
had proceeded for only a minute or two
when Mr. Stanley asked him to define
paranoia. He did 80. For the next half
hour Mr. Stanley and DR.. White con-
versed about all sorts OF mental freaks.
but the hospital wasn't mentioned.
The committee will resume at o'clock
this afternoon.
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