New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-19
ASYLUM PROBE FARCE
Norman A. Lees Sends Letter 10
Governor Dix.
CRUEL TREATMENT CHARGED
Lawyer Says Report OF invest
CATION Closes Over Things
of Great Importance.
TBy Telegraph to The Tribune.


Dix to-day Norman A. Lees. OF foush-
keepsie charges that the recent invesu-
cation Of conditions at Matteawan by the
Governors commissioners was white
uash." He does not attack the integrity
or good faith OF the men who MADE the
,ryes,iestion-V william &. Osborn, George
Van Kennen and Goodwin Brown ne says
their investigation was doomed 10 I've su-
perncial and 10 result favorably for tue
MANAGEMENT OF the institution because IL
WAS done hurriedly, because they gov io
outside and unprejudiced testimony pe-
cause their experts" we're friends oi '"e
s,perintendent Of the hospital. ana because
ono Investigator was a relative OF an OK
hcial OF the hospital
Mr. Iees saws the report OF the investiga-
tors glossed over or neglected to mention
many things Of great Importance TIC
iterates charges OF brutality toward pa
,ients and the confinement OF sane persons
in the hospital saying he will place ma
ter,al which he has gathered at the dispo-
sal OF the Governor.
This letter declares that Drs carlos NC
Donald and Austin Flint, the experts
are on "afrectionate" terms with DR.. Lamp
the SipprinteDutHl VI
also that Goodwin Brown for years mas
been a close personal friend of the man lie
was sent to investigate. Also. lie Is
relative by marriage OF w. A. Ihoihas'
the steward OF the Matteawan STATE IioS-
pital and its fiscal agent. Since the ac-
counts of the hospital are In the steward
care. and part Of Mr.. Browns investigation
had to do with these accounts. the TACT
that there was such close relationship !"
this case lays this part of the proceedings
open to suspicion"
The letter saws that before the investiga-
ton was started Mr.. Brown gave the nos
pita high praise and clean Dill OF
health" Mr.. Osborns personal examina-
ton Of the hospital. the letter says, was
limited to four hours, mostly taken up In
conversing with Dr. Lamb and DR.. Baker
Mr. Van KEENAN, did not visit II at ALL II
IL said
Mr. Lees declares the patients do not get
proper medical attention. Among other
things his letter says:
one man discharged as sane few months
ago by Supreme Court judge went nearly
blind through want Of proper eyeglasses,
for eighteen months he vainly appealed TO
the attending physician, but without erect
and II was not until county judge heard
of the case and personally sent an ocuiist
10 fit him out that he obtained relief rms
same man was struck and severely injured
by a baseball thrown BY an attendant ana
was refused medical attendance
patient now In the hospital had
rib broken and through lack of medical at
tention he is now badly deforined, IL pro-
iecting from the side of his body. Another
patient still In the hospital. whose eyes are
so weak that tinted glasses were an aoso-
10 10
When n fellow patient presented him win
a pair they were taken away.
T know OF another patient who was SUI
fering with extreme nervousness ana was
absolutely refused medical treatment FOR
months and only obtained IL when ms Wife
threatened TO visit Albany and see proper
attention was given There are scores OF
such cases easily to be learned or.
Drs Macdonald and Flint say: "A recent
mtrderous attack upon the superintendent
by an apparently harmless inmate sho" 1,
that no one in the institution VINO ~
brought in contact with patents Is Tree
from danger to life or limb
This occurred two and a hair years ago
and is an evident attempt 10 bring OUT
evervthing they can favorabiy for their
friend" Robert B. Lamb Professor Pohl-
man. who made the assault, Is not ana
never was known as harmless patent,
vet DR. Lamb, at his own risk, gave MN
the free run Of the tool shed and workshop,
where he could get all the dangerous weap-
ons he wanted To-day there are a mum.
her of dangerous lunatcs having equal
privileges Only few weeks ago one OF
Them murderously assaulted with hatch
Of or trowel an inoffensive inmate. lie is
still allowed TO keep the same weapons
There is a constant menace 10 the IN
offensive patients In the hospital by rea,
son that many a violent one-many one
of homicidal tendencies-is allowed 70 nave
and use tools and implements of danger
Gus character. "
that last summer Sicilian secured re-
voIver Were your commissioners told that
il was an open secret that il was given tn
him by an attendant. since dlscharBed
Were YOUR commissioners told that at the
Same time two patients were discovered
with pass keys which they conld not have
obtained from any but attendants and
which, owing to the lax inetnou rc, III Eos"e'
Mere YOUR commissioners told-did they
try to find out the fact-that male attend
ants visit the female WARDS as mas neeii
nrcved I'm open court i'm two cases recently
end as was proved TO the members or your
commission in Lunacy ana resulted IN the
discharge OF an attendant two or three
am surprised although those that
krov, know this To he true-that your
commission had the candor ana honesty
IN admit that the medical attendance Is
farce ard less scientific than In civil hos
nitaIs | know that the conditions are be-
yond belief Men and women surer III
almost utter neglect while lew iavorites
Your commissioners talk OF an attack on
an attendant and on Ir. Lamb. why 90
the, forget" To tell about the dangerous
Iunatic who killed one Of the cooks at the
hospi.al, Was II to conceal the incom-
petence of Drs Lamb ard Baker in allow
ing such dangerous man to be In the
kitchen and handle knives
Again. why do your commissioners re-
mort that Il H. easy for n patient 10 get 4
writ OF habeas corpus? Technically. sir.
such Is the case. but you know that no
netition for a writ is valid. except I'm a
cory extreme case unless II Is sworn 10.
car,ainlv the officials of the Matteawan
state Hospital will allow patient TO make
annlication but EXCEPT I'm very rare cases.
,bev refuse TO let them swear TO It, al
,horob there are, or were until recently.
90 1ersons I'm the employ OF the hospital
con,neteut 10 administer an oath and attest
a document. -, ,..
Your commissioners report there were
ro evidences OF brutality. Sir, | have IN
n, nossession particulars and dates, WIN
maues Of witnesses OF over hfty cases:
NV Of the witnesses are attendants ana
axlattendants: many OF hem are lunatics.
but IL IL admitted by every authority on
,nsanity that there can be no coherent
roliusion" among insane persons ana there.
tore their evidence, IL each Is examined
senarately IL competent. They would not
,eil Drs. Mac Donald and Flint because on
Tho close relations that existed between
the examiners and officials OF the hospital
vrvYICrY UAYIrV YNCrC CIIIT