A Little History In and Around Buffalo, NY

As published in the Daily Colonist:  Lunatic Burns Herself BUFFALO, Sept 27 - Mrs. Lydia Snyder, 26 years old, an inmate of the Buffalo State Hospital for the insane, died this afternoon from self-inflicted burns. Early today, while Miss Cooley, a nurse, was making out a report by the light of a lamp, Mrs. Snyder crept up and grabbing the lamp, poured the oil over her clothing and set fire to it. Miss Cooley and Miss Cott, another nurse, were badly burned about the face and hands in trying to smother the flames.

As published in Buffalo Courier-Express: State Hospital Patient's Body Found in Creek The body of a 64-year-old patient at Buffalo State Hospital was recovered shortly after 9 o'clock yesterday morning from Scajaquada Creek at the foot of Rees St. Medical Examiner John P. Hylant issued a certificate of accidental death by drowning.  The victim, Vincent Niemczyk, a patient at the hospital since 1934, was discovered missing about 9 p.m, Friday, Detectives Joseph T McCarthy and Frederick J Platek of the homicide squad reported. He was allowed freedom of the institution's grounds, they said. Using a pike pole, Patrolman Joseph F Thompson and Joseph Schihl of the Austin Station recovered the body after Peter Zmyslo of 118 Peter St. sighted it from a railroad bridge spanning the creek. Dr. Hylant said Niemczyk evidently fell into the water from the bridge sometime Friday night. There were no marks on the body, he said. 

As published in Courier Express (Buffalo, NY): Two Patients Force Heavy Window Bars  Erie, Niagara Counties Combed by Police for Men Found Missing During Routine Check  by JERRY EVARTS Two Buffalo State Hospital patients, one described as "very dangerous," were objects of an area police search after they escaped about 10:30 o'clock last night by prying apart bars on a window. The break was discovered by a nurse on a routine bed check. Missing are Mariano Lubesti, 51, who lived with his wife, Louisa, on South Transit Rd., Lockport, and Seymour Gagydowski, 29, who resided with his mother, Rose, at 1003 Erie St., Lancaster. Hospital authorities called Sheriff Arthur D. Britt of Erie County; Sheriff Henry E. Becker of Niagara County and Richard H. Mack, assistant detective chief, and provided  descriptions of the escapees. Mack ordered a radio broadcast to city and suburban cars in an effort to pick up the men. Police did not know if the men were armed. 

As published in the Buffalo Courier-Express: Negligence Charged $100,000 SOUGHT IN HOSPITAL DEATH A $100,000 negligence suit against New York State involving a woman who claims her son was beaten to death while a mental patient at Buffalo State Hospital was heard in the Buffalo District Court of Claims Monday. Judge Ronald E Coleman reserved decision in the case, after attorneys for Mrs. Magdalena Frischholz, 81, of 45 Weber Ave., presented testimony charging that Howard Heusinger, her son by an earlier marriage, was murdered by another inmate Aug 28, 1964. The claim against the state alleges negligence on the part of hospital authorities for allowing Heusinger to be placed near the other patient, and "permitting" him to be "assauted, beaten and murderer." Patient Escaped Hospital authorities reported Monday that the patient with Heusinger at the time of his death, escaped from the hospital Nov. 11, 1966. They said his records showed no cases of assaul

As published in the New York Times: BAILEY CLUE ENDS IN DEATH Buffalo Woman, Who Confessed Murder, a Poison Victim.  Special to The New York Times FREEPORT, L.I., - Aug. 24 -  According to a verified report received here today, Mr.s Helen Hanley, sometimes known as Mrs. Mary Cohen, who said in Buffalo three weeks ago that she killed Mrs. Louise Bailey in the office of Dr. Edwin Carman here on June 30, died this morning in the Buffalo State Hospital. Death was due to bichloride of mercury poisoning. The woman took the poison about the time she made her confession of murder, but said nothing of it, and cause of her illness was not discovered until some time after she had been sent to the Sate Hospital for the Insane at Niagara Falls. She was Stella Hodge, who three years ago confessed to the murder of a citizen of Warren, Penn. John M Andrews was tried twice for that crime, and was acquitted. Newton said that the woman's story was not credited generally, but it proved valuab