Year: 1875

siokening details cf the beating. kicking
and choking of one, Chas. Moore. pa
tient from Lewis county, because he re-
fused to go out to work; the particulars
of which were given me by an eye wit
ness of the scene, and the attendant
himself confessed to ne the truth Of the
statement. which the bruised body Of
the patient fully confirmed.


Or might have given them the his
tory of the condition of one Pete voisard
of Snohomish County. when I found
him bruised and beaten on the 9Th day
Of September last, and a. was inform
ed by eye witnesses, who were not pa
tients, as well as several patients also,
that this poor wretch received his in
juries at the hands and feet of Houston,
the first Warden.


Or I might have mentioned the case
of James Atchison of Walla Wella Coun-
ty who was admitted Sept. 9Th 1874 and
the Sheriff of Walla Walla County in
formed me since that this patient got
his eyes blacked before he (the Sheriff
left the Asylum, and I was informed by
the patients that he was initiated by the
usual choking at the hands of Miller
and Houston. But space here forbids
the mention of numerous other similar
cases. The committee say that although
in one or more cases. more force was
used than was necessary to effect the
object sought, NO harm resulted there-
FROM" Query: What was the "object
sought?" And who is able to say that
no injury resulted therefrom?


In their zeal to show how anxious
they were that Mr.. Harmon should ap-
pear perfectly immaculate-and perhaps
to get dig" at me also-the commit
tee say Of my letter to DR.. Weed, that it
"conveys the idea that the 'poor old
man. Louis Be.givan, who died in the
Asylum, had died from tho effects of i'll
usage and bad treatment eceived there. :"
1 deny that that letter conveys any such
idea. 1 stated in my letter to DR.. Weed
just the condition of the patient, as Mr..
Harmon and the attendants told me his
condition was when he arrived, thirteen
ours before they informed me of his
condition or arrival at the Asylum. But
had known of certain matter pertain
ing to the treatment of Bergiven tduring
the thirteen hours he lay in the Asylum
before l was informed that he was there
at ally that has since come to my knowl-
edge. should have conveyed my
ideas" to DR.. Weed in that letter in
such language that the committee would
have had no difficulty in understanding
Just what had intended to say. The
night watchman and attendants inform
ed me that this old man (of whom the
committee say they had evidence before
thom which proved that he twas in a
dying condition when he was received
at the Asylum") was taken from his
room in the main building about the
middle of the night and subjected to the
soothing influence Of straight jacket,
taken to the old Jail aud there thrust
into close cell with nothing but the
bare cold floor for bed, and but one,
or perhaps pair, of blankets to shield
him from the cold, on that bitter night
of November 18th. When first saw
him the next morning he was lashed to
a post in the ward by means of leather
strap and an ordinary paddock; his lett
hand was manacled to his side, the right
arm was bare to the shoulder and swol>
len to three times its normal size. Mr..
Harmon and all the attendants testified
before the Goroner's jury that the old
man had manifested no disposition to
be violent, and appeared to be willing
to have everything done with him tt
we desired; still. one of his arms. the
well one, was mancled to his side until
the day before he died. Mr.. Miller,
ono of the attendants, testified also that
"the deceased. Bergivan, never showed
any signs of being violent during his
time here; his only complaints seemed
to be of great pain in his arm and feet.
We had no trouble to persuade him to
do anything We wanted him to do. -
Harmon also testified that he saw the
man and took hold of his arm about
one bonr after he arrived; "the arm
was badly swollen and great deal Ct
fever in it; he appeared to be in a good
deal of pain FROM the arm" Mr.. Good
hue testified before the Coroner's jury,
that he "saw the deceased Immediately
after he was admitted; that he looked
to be weary and unwell, and asked per-
mission to lay down as soon as he came
in. He went and lay down in the cor
ner of the hall. He lay there short
time, and while l was passiog he raised
himself partly up and was looking at
his arm, which from his appearance
seemed to be paining him terribly. 1
wondered at the man being brought to
the Asylum in such a condition"


hsve betn informed that the officer who
brought him to the Asylum called the attention
Of Mr.. Harmon to the condition of the man 3
arm at the time. and suggested that the man
should have medical attention rs soon as pos.
sible. was at my room. not over two hun
dred yards from the Asylum building, when the
man was brought there. saw the team hitch.
ed near by MI. Harmon's residence that brought
him, but did not know then that it had brought
new patient. Whether such treatment as came
under my observation, and as stated by the at
tendant and night watchman was received by
this patient. is just the right thing for "dy.
ing" man, leave for the public to decide.


The Committee say that they visited the diff
ferent departments of the Asylum and found
all in IN orderly and cleanly condition. 1t