| Show A MOST siithiith STUATLU INVESTIGATION OF CONDITIONS AT CALIFORNIA ASYLUM Sensational Charges Made Against the Medical Director Dr Sponagle Was Removed By Gov Gage San Francisco Aug 23The state board of lunacy commissioners met in I this city today to hear the report of Governor Gage on the result of the investigations in-vestigations of the board into the conditions con-ditions existing at the Agnews asy hum for the insane situated near San Jose in Santa Clara county Govenxor Gages report is doubtless one of the most startling papers of its kind ever presented to a similar board for its consideration It is based principally upon the career of Dr Sponagle mcdi cat director of the asylum previous to his installation as such As a result of the investigation Dr Sponagie and two of his assistants Drs Stocking and Crystal have been summarily removed the assistants not being charged with anything more grave than incom petency The investigation of affairs at Agnews was the direct result of the birth of a child to one of the patients Sensational charges were made at the time and the investigation followed Governor Gage Included in his report the testimony of reputable people tending tend-ing to show Sponagies career was one of gross immorality and crime Gov eirnor Gage asserts that in 1593 while Sponagle was a resident of Fresno in this state he was accused of trying to defraud a Philadelphia insurance corn pany whose medical examiner he was out of 10000 with the assistance of a Mrs Skinner whose husband was dying from consumption Tile consumptives con-sumptives lifewas insured and shortly short-ly after the first payment on the pro I mium was mailed to Philadelphia he died Suspicion aroused the insurance company made an investigation and succeeded in getting a confession from Mrs Skinner showing that a conspiracy conspir-acy existed The matter was dropped on Mrs Skinners promise to turn states evidence if neces3ar The governor says Sponagle was accused of crimleilly assaulting a woman patient The charges while almost conclusive did not result in anything and pon agie left Fresno the night after the charges had been dismissed Governor Gage further asserts that Dr Sponagle was also accused at onetime one-time of having murdered a Mr Thur man to whom he owed money and that several women patients of Dr Sponagle have made charges of a serious ser-ious nature against Sponagie who was attending them professionally The report of the governor is of such a character that is unprintable but it shows Sponagle up in even a worse light than the foregoing The lunacy commissioners adopted the report and ordered the dismissal of Sponagle Stocking and Crystal Dr J H Crane of Santa Ann Cal a physician phy-sician of six years experience In east em insane asylums was appointed to succeed Sponagle as medical director of the asylum |
