Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-03-01
HORRIBLE TALE
OF |NHUMAN|Ty
Shocking Story Told of How
Mrs. Foster r. Clement Was
Used at Retreat.
BEATEN BY ATTENDANTS.
Discovered One nay II Dark noom
without Clothing and Body En-
crustcd With Dirt.

crustcd With Dirt.
Montpelier. Feb 26.--what is conceded
to be the most damaging evidence yet
given against the Brattleboro Retreat was
offered this afternoon to the legislative
committee conducting the investigation
of that institution. by Miss Marguerite
Huyette and Foster II. Clement Of Bur.
lington and Charles Batcheider. an xttoY.
ney Of Bethel. This is the FIRST of the
committees hearings to be held in tho
city hall and was attended by a large
crowd Of spectators who recoiled. amused
and Disguised. from tho story told by Miss
s;uyette ard Mr.. Clement ot the revolving
conditions under which Mrs. Clement wac
kept as a patient at the retreat.
While the evidence given by Mr.. Baacn-
elder lacked the loathsomeness 81 that
OF the other witnesses, II had q tendency
to show. X true. tina. the attendants at
the institution are unit to have charge
OF insane patients and that moral ooudi-
tions among the attendants are bad Mr.
Batchelder also made un;attoring COM
ments regarding the fare served to State
patients although he himself was volun-
tary private patient at tho retreat
Judge James NJ. Tyler Of Brattloboro,
chairman Of the board Of trustees Of tho
retreat. and DR.. X. w. Taylor Of its med.
tcal staff attended the hearing. Tho wit
nesses who have been summoned for to-
morrow's hearing are Mr.. and Mrs. T.. C..
Jones Of Shefield, former attendants at tho
retreat. William Quinlan Of West Ru..
land. James FULLY Of West Haven, Ed
ward Quinlan and Frank e. Howe Of
Bennington. DR.. John w. Cram Of Cole
rain. MASS. Charles Ray Of Brattleboro
and John B. Hogan Of Fair Haven.
MRS CLEMENTS CASE.
Mrs. Foster R. Clement. wife Of Mr..
Clement. was taken to the Brattleboro
Retreat as private patient on Sep
TENDER II. 1915. October 8. Miss Guy
cite. for many years the housekeeper
at the Clement home. went to Brattle-
boro to see Mrs. Clement but arrived
at the institution after visiting hours
and had to wait until the following day
to see her. On October 4, Miss Guy
cite found Mrs. Clement in a very small
room. furnished only with small,
cheap cot bed, cheaper stand and a
wooden chair There were mice in
the room and a cloud of flies added to
the companionship. Mrs. Clement. her.
self, had a badly bruised and swollen
face and was bruised about the limbs
She stated that she had been knocked
down. kicked and pounded by the night
attendants. Miss Guyette complained
to DR.. S. E. Lawton, superintendent of
the institution. but his only reply was
that IL they could prove the assault
the attendant would be discharged.
On November Miss Guyette again
visited the retreat and in the absence OF
y.oy M M
member Of the medical staff admitted her
directly to Mrs. Clements ward. She
stood in front Of the door Of the room
, in which Mrs. Clement was confined and
heard her crying like a frightened child
An attendant informed her that she
| could not sec Mrs. Clement as tho latter
| was not dressed, but Miss Guyette in
sisted and the attendant preceded her into
the room carrying a bath robe. Mrs
Clement lay absolutely nude In small
dark room. without furnishing Of any
Sort Her hands and portions Of heI
body were encrusted with dirt and one OF
her fingers had been damned in the door
by an attendant and was painfully
1 swollen. Her voice was hoarse and un'
| natural as though she had been calling
for hours and she begged for a bath
which Miss Guyette saw that she OBJ
tanned. The next morning Miss Guyettt
saw her in the same room. but she had
been partially dressed. Her breakfast con
sisted Of two pieces Of dried liver. ,
chunk Of cold butter and a cup Of som'
liquid substance. tho nature Of which
could not be ascertained. Mrs. Clemen
was removed from tho institution OF
November IA.
RETREAT WELL PAID.
| I&t>
by emotion while testtfying that at time
entire frame quivered with indignation
He was willing to concede tia: Mrs
Clement was a quarrelsome and trouble
some patient. He paid sums ranging from
go to SIS a week for Mrs. Clements car
there and also paid s132 for hospital sup
plies which. the retreat authorities said
Mrs. Element destroyed. He stated tina
some 500 or 800 worth Of personal be
longings OF Mrs. Clement were marke
destroyed. but he thought they had beef
stolen. He made 1t plain to the comrnittc
that he told DR.. Lawton rot to spar
expense in caring for Mrs. Clement an
said thut DR.. Lawton told him he woul
care Cor her as no would for his owl
wife.
CONFIRMS MISS GUYETTE
On October 6th Mr.. Clement visited tn
retreat because Of the report OF MIS-
Guyette. He confirmed the story Of hi
housekcepcr concerning the small room
smaller than the platform on which h
sat. which was an eight by eight. flthy
and with the more than meagrc furnish
lings. He also told Of the bruises o
Mrs. Clements body.
yet. TO my shame. gentlemen" sat
he. II interviewed DR.. Lawtor. and he
loved him when he told mo that condi
tons would be remcdied."
Mr. Clement again visited the institu
ticn or October 18th with Mrs. Clement
father and sister. They had yer,
pleasant visit with Mrs. Clement VIII
had bruises on her face. hands and arms
which. however. we're caused by her at
tempted escape from her room This wa
Mr.. Clements last visit to the institution
When he received Miss Guyette's repor
on November 9th ne made arrangement
for the immediate removal of Mrs
element to Waterbury. where she IL no,
confined,
TESTIMONY UNSHAKEN.
l.. w. Gibson. attorney for tho retreat
failed to shake the testimony OF eithe
witness in his cross-examination. He at
II. AlA u