Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-03-01
HAIR PULLED TO
PUNISH PATIENTS
More Interesting Stories of In.
side Life at the Retreat
in BrattlebOrO.

Montpelier. February 27.-The tes-
timony of the six witnesses, who to-
day testified before the legislative
committee, which is conducting the
Investigation of the Brattleboro Re-
treat, lacked the sensationalism and
the narrowing details which have fea-
tured the previous committee hearings.
and was on the whole much more fav-
orable to the retreat than any pre-
viously given. However, the evidence
supplied by three members of the
Jones family, Mr.. and Mrs. E. c. Jones
of Sheffield, attendants at the retreat
In 1912. and that Of Joseph c. Jones,
an attorney of Rutland, who was a
patient at the retreat in 1911, tended
to show that conditions there were
not what they should be- Mr.. and
Mrs. Edward D. Quinlan, former at
PENDANTS at the retreat, who are now
at the Soldiers Home in Bennington,
gave evidence which was in every way
favorable to the retreat, and James
Tully Of West Haven, a former police
officer Of Fair Haven, who had taken
patients there several times testified
that so far as he knew they were al
ways we'll treated. The committee ad-
journed the hearing at four o'clock
because of the failure Of some wit
nesses to appear. who had been sum-
moned for to-day's hearing.
MICE AND BEDBUGs.
The first witness. Mrs Lena c. Jones Of
Sheffield, who was an attendant at the re-
treat in 1872 said that patients who were
supposed to have private nurses were
given the same care as State patients.
Mice. bedbugs and cockroaches, were
common companions of the patients IN
the back wards. The patients and attend
ants ate the same food which never in
cluded fresh meat The witness thought
there were an insufficient number of at
PENDANTS to care for the patients. said
that no nurses were on duty at night and
that an aged woman. of slight, decrepit
frame was in charge of nine wards after
dark.
A common form of punishment was the
pulling of a patients hair. which the wit
ness stated vas also in vogue at the State
asylum at Waterbury. where she had
worked for a year. She told Of one at
fendant getting a woman on the floor
and bending her across bed rail until
thought her back would be broken" She
never saw DR.. Lawton, superintendent of
he institution. visit any wards, but word
was passed around when the trustees
were coming and everything was brush
ed up.
for forty-four years a trustee of the re-
treat, here interposed the remark that
The trustees never informed the au-
thorities at the institution when they
would visit there.
wRENCHED MIR. JONES' NECK.
Joseph c. Jones OF Rutland. attorney
for Mrs. Hattie A. Guilford, z previous
witness, who was instrumental in Sc
tr.tva tIA f,Nr IA
was voluntary patient at the retreat in
1911. He secured liquor. became intoxicated
and was dragged by the neck from the
hall in which he was confined, to the main
institution. although he was willing to
30 peaceably. His neck was so wrenched
hat 1t panied him for several days. The
witness said that a night Waterman
named Hills was at times drunken than
anyone else.
Mr.. Jones also told of a woman inmate
from Rutland county being put on duty
hs a keeper in the wards at night. When
he attorney informed DR.. Lawton of the
aw governing the commitment and in
tarceration Of an insane person, the wonl-
hn was released the next morning. Mr.
Zones said that the rooms on the mems
side were kept clean and that he had
never witnessed any abusive treatment
pf patients except in his own case.
NIGHT wATCHMAN DRANK
The next Jones E. c., Of Sheffield
proved a most garrulous witness and
did not complete his testimony unit
afternoon. Mr.. Jones was the assist
ant supervisor. under Captain Haigh
who, contrary to the evidence given by
Charles Batchelder of Bethel, was de.
kcribed as a most efficient and compe,
tent man. Hills the night Waterman
said the witness. often had the smell
BIZ liquor on his breath when ne came
bn duty, and also showed in other way.
hat he was intoxicated. Because thu
hight watch on the woman's side wa,
small, old woman, Hills had to han
hle any violent patients in those wards
II night. Otherwise he was not sup
posed to enter the womens ward bu
had keys enabling him to do so.
THE BILL OF FARE
There were not sufficient attendant
care for the patients. said Mr.. Jones
ie also said that the food was poorl.
cooked and served in an unappetizini
manner in discolored tin dishes. Their
was plenty of good bread, but littl
neat, except picked meat. principal.
,orn beef The potatoes were some
lines unwashed before being cook ed
according to this witness the insti
utions menu was: Breakfast, bread
cereal, soup, sometimes bad eggs
Dinner. bread. potatoes. meat (somc
imes); a poor quality of tea or cot
ZEE and a limited supply of milk 70
patients who did not drink the othe
beverages. Supper was mostly bread
With tea or coffee. The front ward