The evening world., 1911-03-10
HITS At THAW
AND HIS MOTHER
IN PR|SONR REPORT
Supt. Collins Backs UP Mat
teawan Doctor in Answer
Ing Charges of Cruelty.
MATTER OF PRIVILEGES.
Declares Prisoner Seeks Favors
Not Granted to Other In
mates of Institution.
MATTER OF PRIVILEGES.

ADBANY. March l0-"TIarry X. Thaw
seems to have had his own way during
the greater part of his life, whether in
confinement or at liberty. Now that he
Is In an institution where he can
neither borrow. beg. steal nor buy priv
neses he complains OF unfair treat
inent."
The foregoing statement was made
to-day by Supt. C. v. Collins OF the
State prison department when aues-
sioned CONCERNING Clarence J. Shearn's
recent letter to Gov. Dix. MS counsel
tor Thaw's mother. Mrs. Mary c.. Thaw,
n which he alleges neglect Of duty,
DISQUALIFICATION and abuse Of power
on the part of supt. Collins and DR..
Albert Warren Ferris, President OF the
State Commission in Lunacy. in connec-
ton with the management Of The Mat
tea'San State Hospital for the Insane.
WI ere Thaw is confined.
Protested to Dix.
Mr.. Shearn in his letter protested TO
Gov. Dix that because Thaw reported
Instances OF alleged assaults on in
mates, DR.. Robert b. Lamb. the
Superintendent of the hospital. had is
Jied orders against Mrs. Thaw visiting
her son as she had been permitted to
do for years past. and had interfered
With Thaw's mail and with his right to
Lnsult counsel.
n reply to these allegations. Supt.
Collins made public a letter received
last October from DR.. Lamb, in which
.ae said:
W seem face to face with a
STRAIGHTFORWARD proposition. II Is this:
Shall Harry X. Thaw and hts mother.
Mary C.. Thaw. formulate rules FOR the
government of this institution and their
own visiting, or snail Harry N. Thaw
and his mother, Mary c. Tiaw, abide
by rules formulated by the institution
Itself and fairly and lmpartially ap-
Piled 10 all It's patients. This, in a
nutshell. u the situation which has TO
bs met
This better was In reply to one from
Collins. directing Or. Lamb to make
explanations relative 20 a letter written
v HaNs btAbA' ~ "'' SANaAh wa
cevIing Thaw's case.
Privileges for Thaw.
1--WE don't get instructors In ethical
i,ulture for SIS a month. the amount the
State pays attendants at Mattea wan"
said Supt. Collins. but we do demand
that the attendants treat patients hui
namely. To grant Thlw's requests
would require the services OF 4 special
attendant.
Tine attendants are no: permitted 10
.arry a weapon OF any kind to defend
themselves, and within the past six
years two employees ave been killed
oy inmates at Matteawan. Or. Lamb
aimself was the victim OF an attempted
assault within two years when he was
struck with a shovel by an inmate.
"a great many OF the Inmates are
mon OF homicidal tendencies. Their
mania il murder, M while those IN
der DR.. Lambs charge are given sys-
tUnatic treatment based on humane
methods. many would exercise their
nurderous designs upon any one who
crosses hen or orders them to do
something they do not want to do.
so far as Thaw never having been
acquitted Is concerned. my memory is
tha there are now twenty-one other
patients in the institution under eX-
actly the same circumstances, some o!
chem among the most dangerous W.
have.
"Thaw has been and will be given only
such privileges as the poorest Inmate
Of the Institution may enjoy should lie
ask them. II the mother or any member
Of the immediate family OF any other in
mate OF the institution is situated so as
20 i've in close proximity to the hospital,
he or she, upon request, would be grant
I'd the same courtes!es that have been eX'
tended to Mrs. Thaw during her ten,
ponary residence at Matteawan."
Patients Not Attacked.
DR.. Lamb in Ids letter to Supt. Collin,
says:
so far as can be learned. Harry *
Thaw has never been touched or strucl
by any employee Of the hospital. II a
any other time any other patient ha'
been struck. kicked or injured by ar
employee of the hospital. the matter ha,
had immediate attention and the en-.
ployee has been forthwith discharged
Concerning the allegation that Andrew
AnOelsOl, a patient Hdu ueeh DfutdII,
treated by Attendant Mcdonald. DR.
Lamb states that mo reliable witness
could be found who would say tina
Mcdonald had punched, struck. kicke,
or otherwise injured Anderson. Tn,
patient in question was stripped by
physician but not a mark, scratch o
bruise OF any sort resulted from thi
alleged brutal assault"
DR.. Lamb says that n reproscatativ
OF Mr.. Shearn's ONCE called on him
few days after tho alleged assault
claiming 10 have evidence that such al
assault had been committed, DR., Lam.
thereupon wrote to Mrs. Thaw that 81
n YOU have evidence TO show that Nc
n Donald is brutal, as YOU and your so,
claim, please produce II at once In orde
I that the matter may be !mmed!atel.
settled.
"Of course none ~ us believe tina
your son Is really afraid OF Attendan
Mcdonald. lie Is practically alone wit
him on numerous occasions during tn
day and makes no Manifestations 0
fear. II IL only In the presence q