The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-24
A PARTISAN BOARDS RECORD
Proof of the Infamies in the. Present
Managementof the Insane Hospital.
The Civil-Service Investigating Committees
Vigorous Review of the Weak Defense
of the Abuses in the Institution.


which investigated the condition Of that institu-
tion, and made, week ago, some very damaging
disclosures regarding the condition Of affairs
there, yesterday addressed to DR.. Harrison, the
president of the board Of trustees. the following
Dr. Thomas H. Harrison. President Of the Board Of
Trustees of the Benevolent Institutions Of Indiana:
Strive have Just seen your communication
published in this mornings Sentinel 1t IS nlied
with statements which are incorrect and untrue
It il not true that Mr.. Foulke stated that the
examination made by the committee was not to
be published. 1t is absurd to suppose that such
an examina tion would be made for the private
qualification of the committee. DR.. Fletcher
knew that it would be published.
1t Is not true that the committee sought a
time and opportunity to make the examination
when the board and superintendent were
absent from the State. The committee
earnestly desired the presence OF the superln-
tendent and as many of the board as possible,
md acquired valuable information from con-
Versaton at which Mr.. Burrell one of the mem
bers of the board. was present. Mr.. Burrell,
however, on behalf of the board, stated to the
committee that we might see all papers and doc
uments which we had right to inspect, but
that they did not care to make any statement
It is not true that our purpose was to investi-
gate this management for no other reason than
because it was Democratic Previous admins
trations had already been investigated by legis-
lativs committees, and 1t was not easy to see
vestcating administrations which had long
ceased to exist.
It is not true that we demanded the CORE
Dpondence Of the asylum in an imperative man.
her, or that any insults were offered by US to any
person connected with the asylum.
It is not true that the committee were dis
courteous or defiant. but the committee con-
Eeived that they, as we'll as all other taxpayers
of the State, had right to investigate the man
aeement Of the Insane Hospital, and to see tbs
records and public documents connected there
with. An order passed by the board, and ap-
pearing upon its minutes declares that such
$ecords shall be open to the inspection OF any
one interested.
The committee understand that copies of our
report were obtained, before its general publica-
Zion, by both Republicans and Democrats We
have learned that one such report was examined
by Yourself, as we'll as by DIR. Fletcher, and 1t Is
as absurd to consider the report Republican
campaign document because some Republicans
have seen 1t before publication as it would be to
consider it Democratic campaign document
because you and Dr. Fletcher saw it before its
publication.
It is not true that the committee on resolu-
tions at the Republican State convention lncor-
porated plank in the platform predicated upon
this report. A declaration in favor of OWL
service reform, as we'll rs denuuciation OF the
partisan management Of our benevolent institu-
tions, appeared il previous Republican plat
forms.
It Is not true that the committee knew that
N1r, Ivan was 60LlCI0u 10 his ~
which had been refused by former board
Taking into consideration the methods reSorted
60 In the passage of the Brown BILL and your own
dependency upon Mr.. Sullivan, we believed that
the former board were better qualified and had
better facilities at the time the contract was orig
inally disaIlowed. for passing upon this claim
than the present board had eighteen months aft
or it's disallowance.
1t Is not true that the board were bound to
pay Mr. Sullivan for oleomargarine the same
price which they had contracted to pay him for
The butter which be had agreed to furnish, even
Il the oleomargarine was accepted without COM
plant. Your notions of law are as erroneous as
your statements of fact.
It is not true that Mr. Hall is zone of the most
efficient men in the hospital. and has but one
motive for his actions which is to do the best for
the institution" DR.. Tarleton's protest. filed
among the minutes OF the board, Is abundantly
verified by the inability of MIR. Hall to Rnd docu-
ments, contracts and correspondence requested
BY the committee The committee had personal
and ocular evidence of this. Mr.. Hall has three
men to assist him. and not one. viz. One assist
ant book keeper and two assistant store keepers
whereas under a previous administration, this
work which now requires four persons was done
by two.
It is not true that our charge is naliciously
false when we say that diseased meat was used
upon the tables. 1t is not true that the super
Antendent will testify under oath to the falsity
Of such charge We challenge the production of
ouch an affidavit Why does DR.. Fletcher not
mention this matter in the written statement
appended to your own and published in the SEN
tinsl3
1t Is not true that any member of this com
nittse was sent to investigate the hospital by
any Republican managers.
It is not true that every member of the COM
Tnittee 10 Republican. Mr. Louis Rowland is
not Republican. He voted for the last Demo
cratic candidate for President. Mr.. Lucius
Swift and Mr.. A. A. McKain, who assisted the
committee in their investigation, are not Repub-
fhn nj
xnittee, at which this report was unanimously
adopted and ordered printed, only two of the
four members present and voting were Repub-
llcans.
1t is not true that the report was kept for
seven weeks after its preparation. It would have
been published before Senator Harrison's speech
except for the fact thatis was kept week in order
that the committee might hear from Mr.. Gapen
his explanation of the rebate received by him,
and which the records failed to show was prop
ntty accounted for-an explanation which, up
TO the present time, neither Mr. Gapen For
yourself have been able to furnish.
We call your further attention to the fact that
the sources of the information contained in our
report were, with one or two trifiing exceptions,
exclusively Democratic.
It may be true that preceding administrations
were extravag9nt but OF this we know nothing
Their responsibility is past However, from the
figures which You present showing the compar
ative cost of maintenance per capita, under Re-
publican and Democratic management respect
lively, it appears that in 1878, the last year Of
Republcaa management, the cost per capita was
less than during the six succeeding years of
Democratic management and that only during
the last year of Democratic MANAGEMENT was
the cost less, and then only few cents. than
under the last year of Republican management
The cost of subsistence is much less to-day than
It was ten years ago. whilst the number of pa
tients under your charge is greater, and there
fore the cost Of maintaining them should be
propSrtionately smaller.
You say that your books and papers are ready
for inspection. Yet you admit that you refused
to let Us see the correspondence of the asylum.
Did not DR.. Fletcher, under your direction, send
from st Paul telegram directing that the min
uEes of the board should not be shown to us9
Do you notknow that we were refused access to
these minutes by no less than three persons at
the asylum. and that they were only shown to
MS after the Attorney general had given an opin-