Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-01-15
CHARGES PROVED
To Be UNTRUE
State Board of Control lnvesti-
gates County Asylum

ed attack upon Florentina Reiser, an
inmate of the Wood County Asylum,
by an attendant has come to eli
max and a close. The following re-
port signed by Ralph E. Smith, presi-
dent Of the State Board of Control,
absolves the officials and the attend
in the cause of the accident to Mrs.
Reiser. 1t goes further and shows
the charges made to be untrue. Fol
lowing is a copy of the report:
OFFICIAL STATE BOARD OF CON-
troll of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis
consin.
Report of Investigation Of the alleg-
ed i'll treatment of Florentina Refs
er, an inmate of the Wood County
Asylum.
Complaint in the above entitled
matter was filed with the State
Board of Control of Wisconsin on
the 10Th day of December, A. D.,
1913 The complaint was signed by
the husband, John Reiser, and was
prepared by Hon NJ J. Hoffman,
formerly county judge of Lincoln
county, residing at Merrill, Wiscon-
sin.
The complaint alleges among other
things that an employee of the
Marshfield county. asylum made an
assault upon Florentina Reiser, an
inmate; that Florentina Reiser was
pushed to the floor and that her
right limb was broken above the
knee; that she has not received
proper surgical care since the said
accident.
There is a general allegation that
the employees of said institution are
coarse and brutal in their language
towards Florentina Reiser and re-
quested an Investigation of the
charges.
Investigation was made on the
3rd day of January, 1914. Florentlna
Reiser was adjudged insane on the
third day of April, 1912, and commit
ted to the Northern Hospital for
the Insane; on the 18th day OF No
yember. 1912, she was transferred TO
the Wood County Asylum. On the
tn day of May, 1913, Florentina Reis
er and Margaret Kennedy, an IN
mate. became engaged in dispute
as to the ownership of certain
waist At the time OF this dispute
Margaret Kennedy was sitting on the
ion of a clothes chest in the clothes
room. Florentina Reiser was stand
inc on the floor. After a few words
Of no particular significance Floren-
tina Reiser seized Margaret Kennedy
by the skirts. Margaret Kennedy
was either pulled from her position
or lost her balance and fell. In lall-
ing She came in contact withtlofen-
tina. Reiser with sufficient momentum
to throw her to the floor. Whether
Margaret Kennedy fell upon F1ofeh-
tina Reiser's limb is not certain
neither of the patients being aple 10
state positively. At any rate, ner
RIGHT limb was broken above the knee
There was no alteration, no assault
nor any violence used by Margaret
<annedv toward the patient, Flofen-
tina Reiser. This is stated by potn
pa+iants An attendant was nearby.
Florentina Reiser was taken TO nei
room and DR.. K. w. Doegge, county
| nbvsician was summoned. Since that
dow FIorentina Reiser has recelVeo
first class medical attention.
Mrs Reiser denies that at any
time has any patient or employee ol
tba Wood County Asylum been gullty
of anv assault upon her nor has she
at any time been mistreated. ohe
Onealxs in the highest terms OF the
attendants who have supervisor ol
the ward and cannot find words TO
axnress her appreciation of the treat
mont given her by Superintendent
and Mrs. ellison.
II is unfortunate that her physlcal
condition is such that the bones NAV :
NOT united. DR.. Doegge states tha'
tbn failure of the bones to unite Is
a,a 70 he, old age and present physl-
al condition.
We find that the charges OF as
sault and cruel and inhuman 0tea'-
mont are without any foundation
whatever.
II is TO be regretted that puDllcltS
sbould be given to complaints OF thls
nature until some investigation mas
been had. 1t does an injustice TO
Superintendent and Mrs. Gibson ano
TO the entire management. 1t ere
ates an uneasiness in the minds OF
persons who have relatives in not
only the Wood County Asylum pu1
other institutions of the state.
1t is to be hoped in the future
that persons alleging improper treat
ment of inmates in any institution
will at least make some little inyestl'
cation to determine the truth OF
faTsity of the accusation.
State Board of Control ol
Wisconsin,
/ By Ralph E. Smith,
: President.