THOMAS HALY, INCURABLE HOUSE ATTENDANT.
Haly was born of old country parents, and so was Isabella, the magdalen woman, who helped him bind me, as seen in the engraving.
The morning they bound me, as seen in the picture, I was standing by a window in the short hall, when Haly came to me and says, in a harsh voice, "go to the dummy and stand till it is ready." I immediately obeyed, and as I stopped at the place he drew his foot and kicked me severely. I turned around, showing no violence, did not speak to him, don't think I had for days; but he drew his fist and says "don't face me;" I then turned to the dummy and soon raised the breakfast from the kitchen to the third floor. This transaction was the beginning of the second one which took place soon after breakfast with me, as seen in the engraving.
I believe these transactions were plotted and agreed upon by the two wicked attendants.
The first time my friends came I told them Haly and Isabella were killing me, but I suppose they thought me to be crazy, though I never heard any one call me crazy until Magistrate Boynton, of Pittstown, addressed me as follows: "You crazy old hypocrite, when are you going back to the asylum?" I hope Boynton will become a gentleman. Man, know thyself.
Again, as I was telling another man how Haly pounded me with the strap and buckle leaving wounds up to that time, he replied, "may be you needed it." I hope he will be saved by and by through faith in Christ yet to be obtained.
I saw Haly in a fight with Patrick Fitzgerald; had an iron weight in his hand, and the blood streaming from the patient's brow. Patrick was received as a lunatic; thrust into the dead-house cell soon after I was taken out in 1860. I believe a lunatic should be treated as a mischievous little innocent child.
I never begged but once. I begged while in that strangling condition for my dear life, and, whilst life remains, I will beg and pray for those I left behind me in lunatic asylums, numbering seven hundred unfortunate ones.