Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-11-10
HIS WIFE'S COUSIN
CAUSES NORRIS TEHiN 10 iSk FOR IN
EypOSITION OF THE INFIRNIRl.

ENPOSITION OF THE fNfIRN@Rl,
which Is Mnde-.Ioiin L"ary's >t"r, winch
! Didn't Hold " at.r-A Trip to the Farm
and What Was Seen -C"-ines- and
Cleanliness Economy of
the Institution.
Yesterday afternoon the attention "f TINS
paper WAS called Ia the alleged fact that
things were being carried on in very queer
manner at the iniirfnary. Morris Tehan.
member of council from the First ward. said
that a poor old man had been fired out be
cause he had complained of the bad food
and i'll treatment A reporter at once re
paired To Mr. TEXANS store on Foster street
and found the aforesaid old man sitting 10y
! the stove in the back room or saloon part nf
the store He gave his name a> John
Ieary and said he had been taken I" the
iniirmary four years az" from Me
! Carthy's Station. being unable I" work
. longer ON account of weak eyes and broken
health He said he was forty-tve years
old. His talk was rather inc"heient and
somewhat contradictory in places. hut
| the substance of II was that Just pre-
yious to his removal they had had nothing
Ia eat hut bread and cold water In reply
Ia closer questions he admitted that in the
morning they had bread and hot water
called coffee; that at noon they sometimes
/ had a bit of refuse meat. and once i'll "A
while Sickcning soup. Six weeks az"
Saturday night. he said. he had asked for a
pair of shoes. having nothing Ia cover his
feet but old slippers. Supt. Fleming had
! cut him short. and, after a few words.
had him dragged about and finally
loaded in the wagon and brought
Ia the Statinn-hnuSe charging him
with being drunk. Cheney, tn" station
house keeper. was willing Ia testify that he
was not drunk He had gone before the
board of trustees. but had gotten n" salts
faction. the hoard refusing I" take him
back Mr. Tehan had ais" brought the
matter before the commissioners. but they
had declared it beyond their province.
I.eary also limited darkly at wasting the
county's money. etc.
The reporter on leaving TEXANS plac"
went Ia the auditor office and carefully rN-
amined the intirmary accounts. The proper
bills and vouchers accompanied every
item. The average daily number of
inmates is l29l4 and these are
taken care nf al an average
expense Of 50. 800 per year, $1,000 Of which
comes from the farm. being a very large
Yield for farm of 90 acres. out Of this
also comes the expense of caring for outside
poor. medical services and drugs. burial of
nearly So. S00prr year. These figures show
little chance for waste unless the inmates
are fed on bread and water.
The next man Ia be- interviewed was
Turnkey Cheney, of the station house. who
stated that when Lcary was brought over.
six weeks ago. he was not dead drunk. but
was undoubtedly half seas over
| Leuty n Sons also testify that the in
tirmary purchases goodly quaint
ity Of meat. and as good fresh meat Is can
be- found in the market.
The reporter next drove on over Ia the in
iirmary, where he was permitted Ia inter
view Gnwdy tO whom he had been referred
by Leary. He testified that Leary was un-
qucstionably drunk on the night he was
taken away. The emiSsary was shown
through the whole building by the matron.
+. He found the rooms large and airy and in
apple-pie order. The linen. woodwork and
. n,,rS Epgh oar
petcd and had an air q! humry comfort.
! Those of the women who Were in good
health We're busted at some occupation
and seemed very cheerful and happy. In
menSe closets Of fruit canned al the lntr-
mary We're shown. the conservatory was
well kept, the pretty aviary displayed a
happy horde of feathered musicians, and
everything was neat and clean. even Ia the
nookS and corners of the back yard. Super
intendent Fleming came in from the field
where he was engaged in huSking com. and
talked at length with the reporter He
stated that at breakfast they We're given cof-
fee bread, and either cold or fried meat.
At dinner they had soup occasionally, meat
| At supper tea or coffee. cold meats
occasionally. and bread. A great
deal of fruit and vegetables Were used
because they could be raised 0n the farm.
/ They also killed their own pork. Mr..
I Fleming cordially invites taxpayers Ia
drop in nj meal times. or anytime. and look
at things with their own eyes. The incl
dent of Leary and several others Of the
same kind were told very frankly by the
superintendent in the course Of his talk.
! Before leaving. the reporter Went alone
! into the corn field where he talked with
the men al work. while no one was about Ia
restrict them. They expressed themselves
aS well cnntrnted. and one, giving his name
a. Walter Hitchcock explained just
/ how they were fed. cnrrnburatinr
| the superintendent statement Monk
/ Sykes WAS also among the workers, looking
/ fat and feeling happy.
The cause Of Mr.. TEXANS interest in the
ease was understood when il was learned
/ that Leary is q cousin I" his wife. Ii is
probable that if Mr.. Tehan had investigated
! the whole ease thoroughly and impartially
/ he would rot have suggested that its queer
ness be cxpoSed 10y the press.
Down at the Trough.
! The watering trough at the corner of
/ Limestone and Columbia streets was the
scene of another accident this morning.
which although not serious j. one of many
similar accidents that have happened there.
The trough is low on the ground and lower
than the street. and in driving up Ia il the