October 11, 1893 - In The Dark
As published in the Buffalo News:
How Insane Patient Felton Received the Injuries of Which He Died.
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WHAT DR. ANDREWS SAYS.
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Felton Attacked the Attendant, David Killan, and the Light Went Out---The Struggle in the Hallway---How Felton Died the Next Day.
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The name of the State Hospital attendant who was in charge of patient George Felton during the latter's last day of life is David Killeen and his duties are mainly performed after dark, as he is what is known as a night nurse.
Supt. Andrews, the head physician of the hospital, says Felton was a dangerous lunatic and came to the institution duly certificated as possessed of homicidal mania. "He was 48 years of age and a muscular man," the doctor, telling of the case to a reporter.
"Since he has been in our asylum, he had had a number of fits of violence and had been kept in the ward where the violent cases are confined.
"On Monday morning about 5 o'clock the attracted Attendant Killeen's attention by loud cries of fire and demands to be released. He found him tearing the clothing from the bed. Killeen unlocked the door and had barely entered the room when Feltin set upon him, demanding to be let out and trying to get his keys away from him. The attendant was carrying a lantern, but it was knocked out of his hand and extinguished.
"Then the attendant and Felton had a struggle on the floor. Killeen tells me the patient had him down twice. Presently they broke away and Felton got out of the room into the hall. He started along the hall into the hall. He started along the hall until he came upon another of the patients who was sleeping in a bed on the floor. We are so crowded at present that some of the patients are obliged to sleep there. This patient is a Pole. When Felton ran on the him he jumped up and attacked Felton. Then these two had a struggle. The attendant tried to separate them and had quite a serious time of it. But finally the Pole went back to bed and the attendant placed Felton in a chair in the hallway. The patient struggled and squirmed about and fell over with the chair upon the floor. The attendant got him into the chair again. He sat facing the wall and overturned the chair again. Soon after this the patient cooled down and, saying he would be good and quiet, went back to his room. He seemed to be all right when be got up an hour or so later and came to breakfast. He went out on the lawn with the other patients and seemed to be alright. But after a while he began to complain of a pain in his abdomen. He was taken to his room and given some medicine. He bore no external signs of injury except an abrasion on his chin, and it was thought his illness was due to exhaustion from his fit and the struggle. His death occurred very suddenly and unexpectedly at 4 o'clock. I sent for Coroner Tucker at once and stated the facts to him just as I have given them to you.
"Whether Felton sustained his injuries in his encounter with Killeen, or with the Pole, or from falling from the chair, I am unable to say. The fact that the lantern was extinguished makes it uncertain in which of the two struggles he was hurt. So far as I am able to judge I do not see that blame can be attached to anyone. Felton, as I said before, was a homicidal patient, and he was in a state of utter frenzy when he attacked the attendant. I heartily regret that such a thing should happen here. Some people might think we do not care about such things, but I assure you it is one of the most serious things a superintendent of an institution like this experienced and deplores. Mr. Killeen is an experienced attendant, a graduated trained nurse, and is kind in manner. He has been here about a year and a half and has proved himself a good and considerate attendant. This is the first trouble he has ever been in."
"Did Killeen strike the patient during the struggle?" was asked.
"No. He says he did not. They merely struggled on the floor." (Than how'd his teeth fall out?)
"Did he kneel on Felton?"
"We have no account of his doing so," replied Dr. Andrews, "The patient had the attendant down twice."
"Was Killeen hurt very badly?"
"No; only stiffened a bit."
"Was the other patient who struggled with Felton hurt?"
"He had a few slight abrasions, that's all."
Coroner Tucker has empanelled a jury and will begin an inquest Friday morning.
How Insane Patient Felton Received the Injuries of Which He Died.
-------
WHAT DR. ANDREWS SAYS.
-------
Felton Attacked the Attendant, David Killan, and the Light Went Out---The Struggle in the Hallway---How Felton Died the Next Day.
-----
The name of the State Hospital attendant who was in charge of patient George Felton during the latter's last day of life is David Killeen and his duties are mainly performed after dark, as he is what is known as a night nurse.
Supt. Andrews, the head physician of the hospital, says Felton was a dangerous lunatic and came to the institution duly certificated as possessed of homicidal mania. "He was 48 years of age and a muscular man," the doctor, telling of the case to a reporter.
"Since he has been in our asylum, he had had a number of fits of violence and had been kept in the ward where the violent cases are confined.
"On Monday morning about 5 o'clock the attracted Attendant Killeen's attention by loud cries of fire and demands to be released. He found him tearing the clothing from the bed. Killeen unlocked the door and had barely entered the room when Feltin set upon him, demanding to be let out and trying to get his keys away from him. The attendant was carrying a lantern, but it was knocked out of his hand and extinguished.
"Then the attendant and Felton had a struggle on the floor. Killeen tells me the patient had him down twice. Presently they broke away and Felton got out of the room into the hall. He started along the hall into the hall. He started along the hall until he came upon another of the patients who was sleeping in a bed on the floor. We are so crowded at present that some of the patients are obliged to sleep there. This patient is a Pole. When Felton ran on the him he jumped up and attacked Felton. Then these two had a struggle. The attendant tried to separate them and had quite a serious time of it. But finally the Pole went back to bed and the attendant placed Felton in a chair in the hallway. The patient struggled and squirmed about and fell over with the chair upon the floor. The attendant got him into the chair again. He sat facing the wall and overturned the chair again. Soon after this the patient cooled down and, saying he would be good and quiet, went back to his room. He seemed to be all right when be got up an hour or so later and came to breakfast. He went out on the lawn with the other patients and seemed to be alright. But after a while he began to complain of a pain in his abdomen. He was taken to his room and given some medicine. He bore no external signs of injury except an abrasion on his chin, and it was thought his illness was due to exhaustion from his fit and the struggle. His death occurred very suddenly and unexpectedly at 4 o'clock. I sent for Coroner Tucker at once and stated the facts to him just as I have given them to you.
"Whether Felton sustained his injuries in his encounter with Killeen, or with the Pole, or from falling from the chair, I am unable to say. The fact that the lantern was extinguished makes it uncertain in which of the two struggles he was hurt. So far as I am able to judge I do not see that blame can be attached to anyone. Felton, as I said before, was a homicidal patient, and he was in a state of utter frenzy when he attacked the attendant. I heartily regret that such a thing should happen here. Some people might think we do not care about such things, but I assure you it is one of the most serious things a superintendent of an institution like this experienced and deplores. Mr. Killeen is an experienced attendant, a graduated trained nurse, and is kind in manner. He has been here about a year and a half and has proved himself a good and considerate attendant. This is the first trouble he has ever been in."
"Did Killeen strike the patient during the struggle?" was asked.
"No. He says he did not. They merely struggled on the floor." (Than how'd his teeth fall out?)
"Did he kneel on Felton?"
"We have no account of his doing so," replied Dr. Andrews, "The patient had the attendant down twice."
"Was Killeen hurt very badly?"
"No; only stiffened a bit."
"Was the other patient who struggled with Felton hurt?"
"He had a few slight abrasions, that's all."
Coroner Tucker has empanelled a jury and will begin an inquest Friday morning.
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