Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-07-18
SEVEN INSANE IN
ASYLUM GET AWAY
Overlook Superintendent, in
Report, Denies Delivery Was
Due to Carelessness.

The startling announcement that
seven patients had escaped from the
Overlook Hospital for the Insane
was made by DR.. Guy Payne, medical
| superintendent of the institution, to
the hospital committee of the Board
of Freeholders at meeting yester-
day afternoon. No blame was placed
on the authorities for a condition of
affairs which permitted so large a
number to escape, the cause being at
tributed to the freedom accorded the
patients.
1t is an easy matter for them to
slip away at certain places on the
grounds when allowed out, the super
intendent said, even though they were
accompanied by a number of guards,
and escapes were bound to occur at
times.
While the number of recent escapes
is unusual, they were to be expected
at this time of year more than any
other, owing to restlessness due to
the warm weather. OF the seven
who have escaped this month three
have been returned and the other four
brought back within a short time.
None of those allowed out with the
attendants are what is termed violent,
and, according to the superintendent,
the only harm that comes of their
escape would be in what might
happen to them in their irresponsible
condition.
Attendant Didn't Care.
In connection with this statement
Dr. Payne remarked that one of the
attendants from whom a patient had
gotten away had been reported as
declaring he didn't care If the man
had escaped and hoped they all would
go. 1t developed that Warden Bailey
had questioned the attendant about
the words he had been quoted as
using when the patient escaped and
that the man declared his remark
was, II should worry" The commit
tee referred this circumstance of the
matter under consideration to Chair |
man Ryman, who notified the attend
ant to be ready to explain the incident |
to him tomorrow morning.
The question of whether to purchase
a moving picture apparatus for use In
the amusement hall was referred to
the chairman with power. The cost
was estimated at $500.
Engages First Woman Doctor.
DR. Payne reported that Miss |
Helene G. Lechman, of Yonkers, had
been engaged for the medical staff |
and would report for duty on July 81, |
as the first woman physician of the |
hospital, at a salary of 500 a month. |
The young woman is a graduate OF |
Cornell University and served one |
year in the Erie County Hospital at |
Buffalo, the superintendent of which |
recommended her highly. No male
inferno has as yet been secured to |
succeed Dr. Francesca, who recently |
accepted a place on the staff of the |
Skillman Epileptic Home.
There was some discussion regard |
ing the ACCESSIBILITY of marking War |
den Bailey's new automobile to desig- |
nate it as the property of the institu-
ton and the question was finally left |
for consideration at board meeting, |
when the subject will be threshed out |
in relation to all of the cars owned |
by the county.
The matter of purchasing new |
ambulance for Soho Isolation Hos
pital and converting the ambulance
which was recently partially wrecked
in a collision with a truck into an |
omnibus for carrying employees to
the trolley line was referred to the
chairman to take up with the emer-
gency committee. Mr.. Ryman stated |
the entire cost of the proposition |
would be about $4,000.