The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-07-17
PATIENT SAYS
he WAS ABUSED
GEORGE p. FLATH, NORTH DA-
KoTA MAN, DECLARES HE RE-
cEIvED "FIENDIsH" TREAT
MENT AT ROCHESTER ASYLUM
FOR INSANE.

st. Paul Dispatch: George p. Flath
some time ago discharged as cured
from the state hospital for the insane
at Rochester and since removed to
GIasston, N. d, in a letter to The
Dispatch, INDUCES in sewers criticism
of the methods employed by nurses
and attendants in caring for patients
there.
He says that, for having criticized
the manner in which attendants had
treated another patient, he had been
put in a straight Jacket and "fiendish-
ly abused When discharged he went
to Grand Forks where he consulted
the county attorney. He says both
he and the county attorney wrote to
Governor Eberaart about the treat
ment accorded him and that neither
has received a reply.
The Governors Statement.
Governor Eberhart said:
Personally l eve received any let
ter of complaint or otherwise from
George p. F1ath, and I do not remem-
Der the accusations mentioned in the
letter as having been received at the
| office. Letters from insane patients
and discharged patients are received at
my office in great numbers, and | do
not have an opportunity to read them
all. They are generally referred to
L JllC OdI VI SOAllAOA Vi CsNAA 5NIN
board of visitors. A letter from F1ath
could have been received in the office
and / know nothing about it"
p. M. RingdaI of the board of control
was in st. Cloud Tuesday. 1t was said
by members Of the board he had had
correspondence with F1ath since his
discharge, and had investigated some
charges and found no foundation to
them.
Mr.. Flath's letter, which concludes
with the statement that ne is willing
to make affidavit to the charges he
has made, is as follows:
1.-THE first night / was at the hospi-
tai I heard the night guards pounding
and choking some of the patients. /
criticized them for it. I said to them
1t was no way to treat anyone and II
that was the way they treated patients
that they had better leave the institu-
ton.
Called on Patients TO Fight Guards.
with that, the guards came at me.
| saw ! was in for 1t n asked
patients to help me throw the brutes
out. But no one came to assist me. /
defended myself and struck a guard,
knocking him to the floor. Another
guard seized from behind and strangled
me till / was unconscious. I was sent
to my room till morning.
Next morning these guards took me
from my room to another part of the
building known as the infirmary, a
dirty, filthy ward. They put a straight
jacket on me made of blue denim laced
down the back and with long sleeves.
(This helIish jacket is a most torturous
affair and would drive q ant ma in
sane the way it is used.)
After lacing the jacket about me,
my arms were drawn across my chest
and dashed to my body and the ends of
the sleeves were tied in such a man
ner as to leave a huge knot In the CEN
ter of the back upon the spine.
II was forced to get into bed and a
rope, made from a single sheet was
| placed across my chest and armpits,
| drawn as tight as strong men can draw
it and securely tied to each side at the
end of the bed. Then another rope
was made and was fastened to my
ankle and the loose ends drawn
through the ring at the foot of the bed
and, while two of the guards pulled
upon the rope by bracing their feet
against the bed, a third guard jumped
upon my bare knees and legs with his
rough boots.
Pounded, Kicked and Abused.
Then these brutes, they are not
men, but fiends, had their revenge. /
was bounced upon by these nurses,
pounded, kicked, choked, eyes black
ened, nose blooded, punched in the
stomach and then, after suffering In
this position with that cursed knot
| digging into my spine. the window was
| closed and, with no blind or curtains
to keep out the scorching u was left
to die from thirst. / begged for wa
| ter, but could not get a drop to drink.
Knocked Over End of the Bed.
Later / was knocked over the end
of the bed by the nurse for giving him