The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-04-17
STATE BOARDS
PROBE is NOT
OVER, HOWEVER
CONTINUED from Page II

18R0 ~
Courier-Ncws containing the out,
line of charges was written for him
by John Andrews, editor of the
| aforesaid paper His charge that
patients were abused by attendants
was substantiated in one case, that
occurring on December 81. 1922,
when patient was roughly handled
by three attendants. The testimony
showed that the rule Of the institu-
ton against striking or using ply
steal violence on patients, except
when clearly in self-defense, was i'm
mcdiately invoked and on the recon-
mendation of Mr.. Tom Morton, su-
pervisor of male attendants, all
three attendants were Immediately
discharged by Superintendent A. w.
Guest. This highly important fact
was not stated in the letter of
charges written for Steib by Editor
John Andrews of the Courier-News,
and the unjust inference was drawn
that nothing was being done by the
authorities to prevent attendants
from abusing patients The written
rules Of the institution are quite
specific and all the evidence sub
mitted points to the conclusion that
the management is prompt to en-
force the rule governing the use of
physical violence Positive testi-
mony from patients who have recov-
cred from their mental malady and
are about to be discharged was
heard to the effect that they had
had seen no acts Of cruelty against
patients. The Board is satisfied that
Stcib's general accusations of abuse
of patients by attendants were not
substantated by the evidence sub
mttcd.
'In the case of Louis Wentz, of
Grand Forks, the testimony showed
that this man was confined to his
bed for Il long time previous to his
death in Il very weakened condition
resulting from pulmonary tubcrcu
losis. The undertaken, Mr.. Smith,
who prepared the body for shipment,
testified that he noticed bruises on
the head and the attendants tcsti-
fled that this resulted from his fall
ing out Of bed when in a delirious
condition. Further investigation of
this case will be made
'The inference given in Mr.. Steib's
interview to the Courier News of
April 14th that doctors came to
wards only on the death Of patients
the Board feels is unjust and di-
rectly contradicts. Mr.. Steib's, own
testimony given before the Board at
the hearing stated that a doctor
called daily at the wards to look
TENTS
"The charge made by Stcib that
patients are no: property fed, nor
furnished with sufficient tobacco, at
the institution was not corrobOrated
by any Of the witnesses examined.
outside in sub-Zero weather to work
without sufficient clothing also was
not substantiated by other test
mony. One of the specific written
rules of the institution states that
patients must be properly clothed
before being taken outside. Mr.
Steib admitted that the institution
had a sufficient supply of clothing on
hand. 1t would seem to the Board,
therefore, that if Mr.. Steib took pa
tients outside with insufficient cloth
ing at least q share of the respon-
sibility for such neglect rests upon
himself.
EX-Service Men
During the investigation and the
visit of the members of the Board
at the institution, j. A. Kitchen, ex-
officio member of the State Board of
Administration, gave special attep-
ton to the care and conditions sur
rounding the eX-service patients at
the State Hospital. There are TWEEN