The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-01-16
COMMITTEE IS
GIVEN CHARGES
OF BRUTALITY
Alleged Beatings at Insane
Hospital at jamestown
Given to Legislature
ATTORNEYS APPEAR
Committee to Consider
Whether or Not it Will
Hear More Witnesses.

A legislative rehashing Of the
charges Of cruelty, brutality, MUIR
derous treatment Of the patients in
the North Dakota hospital for the
insane at Jamestown, as preferred
by Ed Steib. one time attendant at
the institution, and investigated by
the board of administration in April
Of 1928, is due as the result Of the
appearance late Thursday afternoon
before the joint state House and
Senate affairs committee of Usher
l.. Burdick, Fargo, as attorney for
Steib and the latter, himself.
All Of the charges made by Steib
in reference to brutal treatment of
patients. the fatal beating of one
Louis Wentz, SO, Grand Forks coun-
ty, are reiterated, with the addition
Of a ar-deathbed" confession of
one Frances H. Kayser, jamestown,
attendant, who refuted his original
testimony before the board of admin
istration.
kayser's story brings further light
to the alleged murder of l. r. Pc
terson, Fargo contractor. in the in
stitution, who patient, one John
son, charged was struck, knocked
against bathtub and his skull bro
ken. Kayser, who recovered from his
supposed fatal illness, later attempt
ed to withdraw his sworn statement,
Attorney Burdick said.
Charges Listed
Specifically, Attorney Burdick list
ed Steib's charges as:
/. Patients not properly cared
for;
2. The food served is poor;
3. Sleeping quarters are insuffi-
cient for comfort in cold weather;
4. Corporal punishment is meted
out ut will by attendants;
S. Need of thorough probe and
rectification of conditions.
II am merely appearing as the hir-
ed attorney of Mr.. Steib,' Mr.. Bur-
dick told the members of the sem
ate and house state affairs commit
tees and the hundred or so sensation
seeking spectators who crowded in
to the northwest corner of the house
chamber to listen. "There were two
courses open; one, to parade the in
formation to the people through the
press, the other to wait until the
legislature met and present the in
formation.
"This is hardly political. DR.. A.
w. Guest, superintendent of the
state insane asylum was appointed
by Gov. Frazier and was retained by
Gov. Nestos. The only criticism 1
have to offer of the board of admin
istration-Robert Muir, Miss Minnie
J. Nelson, H. P. Goddard, r. B.
Murphy and JOS. A. Kitchen, who
conducted an investigation, is that
they did not follow up certain leads
which were furnished, and which
we have followed up. My Client
merely wishes to have the conditions,
he alleges, brought to the attention
tion may be taken.
First Aired In 1923
The charges that Louis Wentz was
killed, or rather beaten so badly
and i'll treated so seriously that he
died, were originally aired by the
Fargo Courier News, then league
organ in April 1928.
Ed l.. Steib, Russian German i'm
migrant who had been hired as an
attendant, following "three months
and ten days employment" made a
sworn statement concerning condi-
tions at the state hospital. He told
of having interfered when two
guards were kicking a PROSTATE pa
tient down staircase and of having
been knocked unconscious by one Sis
sini, an attendant for such interfer-
ence and remonstrance.
He charged that the supervisor of
attendants told him to keep his
mouth shut and "learn how to hand
lie these PATIENTS; that he went to
the superintendent and complained
and received brusque treatment.
When the board of administration
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