Hide Article Text (OCR)
FOR A3USE OF PATIENTSMcGOWAVS INVESTIGATION BEGINLa CroNHe County A«ylum Superintendent CharKecl With Brutal and Inhuniun Conduct.Special to The Journal.West Salem, Wis., Jan. 25.—The investigation of the charges made against Superintendent C. S. McGowan of the La Crosse county insane asylum opened here to-day and is being conducted by a special [ committee appointed by the county board.The charges are made by Frank F. j Smith, a former trustee of the asylum, and Martin Lyden, formerly an employe at the asylum, but discharged for incompe- * tency. The charges are of a serious nature and assert that McGowan struck patients in the lace with his fist, locked up patients for ihirty-six hours without food i or water, fed patients on sour bread and j rotten meat, abused the help and others. Witnesses have been subpoenaed from all parts of the county and state, numbering about fifty in all.Martin Lyden occupied the stand the greater part of the day. He testified that McGowan struck one patient named Chase, aged 70 years and very feeble, on the head with a bunch of keys, cutting a gash from which the blood flowed. Walter Brown, a patient who recently died at the asylum, often had handcuffs put on aud one time they cut his arm to the bone. One patient named Appel was knocked tothe floor by McGowan and then kicked in the side. He asked for discharge papers. The food was very bad. Sour bread and meat unfit to eat was fed to the patients.The investigation is attended by people from all parts of the county and has caused much excitement here and elsewhere. The taking of testimony will probably continue several days.
Newspaper Details
Minneapolis journal
Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
Fri, Jan 25, 1901
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
La C.
WI, USA 11 Nov 2022
Other Publications Near Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis Uusi Kotimaa
Minneapolis Echo de l Ouest
Minneapolis Minnesota Stats Tidning
Minneapolis journal
Minneapolis Free Flag
