The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-04
Sullivan's Little Loan Negotiated with Su-
psrintendent Galbraith through the
Ready Services Of Trustee Harrison.
An Afiant States How the Law Was Vic.
lated in Paying Attorneys Fees.
Alleged Abuse Of Privileges in Checking
Against the Fund Supplies the Available
Source for Demands of That Kind.

Foci'oi U inciuenVs, eiven below under the name
and oath Of David w. Kyle. hold to each other,
it will serve the purpose of history Just as we'll
to begin WITH Philip NJ. GApen. That intensely
PARTISAN Democrat. aside from his hatred OF
Isaac P. Gray, is, while being one of the trustees
OF the Insane Hospital, the pereonal friend.
business confdant and manager of John e. Sui
livan- While Sullivan is presumably attending
to the county clerks Office, in which he was
placed two years ago By the Democratic party
under the control Of Sim Coy. now in the psni-
Tertiary. Gapen is looking after his poultry and
provision business. When the trustees. OF the
Insane Hospital meet every month to
open and pass upon bids for sup
plies for that institute, Gapen is always
there, not merely as one o: tbs members
Of the board, but also as its treasurer.
1t never escapes the attention Of the
trustees that Sullivan always has q bid
or bids to be acted on at these meetings
and screws must be loose somewhere in the
notorious combination IL he fails to get q con
tract to supply the Institution with the articles
which he has for sale. Following tie system
described by Dir. Kyle. gives the interesting
particulars as below. Gspen, as trustee, votes
to give John Z. Sullivan contracts. which he at
tends to himself as the contractors business
manager. Again. Gapen, as trustee. helps audit
the accounts Of bis employer, and as treasurer
of the hospital board draws the money from
the State Treasury, pays all the bills by check.
and IS business manager Of Sullivan takes
charge Of the one drawn 10 SuIlivan's favor.
Sullivan, officially, il the product of Coyism.
Indeed. 1t is hard to tell whether he was the
creator OF Coy's success or Coy made Sullivan
what ho ie Rut IL Ia n maftar 0f recor1 that
both were charged OF being 10 a conspiracy
with Others to forge tslly-sheets. Coy was
tried. convicted and is now serving his term Ia
the penitsntiary. Sullivan was tried, bot not
convicted. as the jury disagreed. but the indict-
ment Is still good against him, unless il has been
nollied, as Was the Indictment against Albert L.
Beck, the law partner of Congressman Bynum.
who was caught 10 the same net Of evidence.
Sullivan. however, had another important part
Go play 10 connection with this business AS he
furnished $4,000 to secure his own election and
that of others on the Democratic ticket with
him in the election two years. he was the chief
individual aud resource for funds used in the
defense of the tally-sheet conspirators Coy, in
1856, spent a good deal Of Sulllvanis money and
relied upon him, TO . large extent, for funds IA
the trials that followed the little bossis meth
ods. This fact makes the date Of the Sullivan
loan, mentioned by Mr.. Kyle, OF peculiar inter
est, end supplements DIR. Harrisonis statement
to the effect that ''tne boys are IDLY pressed"
1t 10 hardly necessary to tell who DIR. Harti-
son Is, bur be 10 no less q close friend of SUlii-
van than Gspen; but between the latter aad the
Doctor the relations are strained. Neither cares
speak his thoughts about the other. DR.. Gal
braith, In this state of affairs, fnds his
distinction and responsibilities as superintendent
OF the hospital anything but a bed OF roses. He
was put 10 of1ce on the accommodates o. tie
third trustee, Burrell- DIR. Harrison waited fos
him, but Gapen declined TO give him Lis direct
support Yet in the peculiar changes that Often
take place 10 the minds OF men. Gspen has be
como almost as stanch a supporter of Gslbralth
90 Harrison. The latter has one ear Of the
superintendent while Gapen holds the other,
and under these Influences Kyle lost It's
place. But alongside both Harrison and Gapen
were the influences OF some of the attendants
and doctors at the hospital who did not like
Kyle and DR.. Galbraith was forced to drop him.
~ he did some weeks later DIR. Howard. late
Of the State Senate. and one who had led in all
partisan echemes to give Harrtsoc, Gapen and
Burrel Democratic indorsement. and white
wash when they were being put through the
General Asaembly's investigation. One OF the
attorneys referred 20 10 Mr. Kyte's relation Of
affairs st the hospitai also bad n peculiar con
nection with Sullivan. The other is DR.. Harm
sons warm friend. Henry N. Span, the 6rst
attorney referred 70 in this connection, ie also
one Of the indicted 10 the Conspiracy trials. lie
has been tried, but over him the jury diss
greed. he is waiting his second trial. Wesner
10 the friend of Harrison.
Now appears Mr.. Kyle. Day before
yesterday he called as the Attor-
pey-eenerals Office and left sn
at1davit covering ten pages OF type-wrltten copy
The Attorney general did not think 1t advisable
{ TO let the matter go to the public until all posi-
BILE precautions had been taken by the Auditor
OF State to put the vouchers mentioned 10 the
afidavit 10 q safe place. Ore of the vouchers
that was connected with the Sullivan 81 600
loan is missing. The rest are now secure. and
the details Of the affidavit are now ready for the
public.
Mr.. Kyts, in leading up to the many material
parts of his sworn statement, says that he grad.
uated from the physiological College in
1888 That he then hsd his home IN
jackson county, but now lives in Muncie
In the spring Of 1885 he became connected with
the Hospital for the lnsane, when DR.. W. B.
Fletcher was superintendent. For three months
he served as an attendant. but then became
time-keeper, and continued as such until DR..
Fletcher left the hospital. When DIR. Galbraith
took charge "a superintendent. Kyle continued
as ,ime-keeper, although be had also been 80.
pointed the Doctors private secretary. He DID
general clerical work, and kent the contingent
aud incidental accounts. The latter wss in 1.-THE
day-book of incidental expenses" The con'in-
gent fund was in the bank. and the account was
kept. between il and the superintend-
emit, in "the ~eay-book OF the
is Get apart from the general maintenance fund
at the beginning of each fiscal year aud placed
to tie credit of the superintendent of the hos
pital. IL was designated TO pay the incidental
expenses from time TO time winch cannot well
wait until the monthly meeting OF the board.
AT the first meeting of the board Of trustees in
each month the superintendent presents a
voucher showing the amount expended on con
tinRent account for the previous month. Pre-
vioue to January. 1883. vouchers presented eseh
month were itemized. showing on what account
expenditures from the fund had been made
This schedule was made under cath. After the
trustees audit the accounts their treasurer GER
titles that they are correct and he presents
them TO the Auditor OF State. who draws his
warrant on the Treasurer OF State. The trus-
tees treasurer thus receiving the money, draws
his Official check 10 favor Of the various
persons whose names are on the schedule.
he also draws q check In favor OF the superin-
tendent for the amount OF contingent expenses
which had been paid by him out OF that fund.
Mr.. Kyte then states that on the 22j OF Deeem-
Der, 1887, Thomas II. Harrison, one OF the trrs'
tees, came TO the hospital and had q converse
ton in regard 10 obtaining a loan from the con
tingent func for John Z. Sullivan, and 10 course
of the conversation said: THE boys are pretty
badly pressed" and as Mr.. Sullivan had alwayS
been a friend to the hospital be brt
we would have 10 let him Fave
the money. After "A little hesitation. Dr. Gal
braith directed Kyle, the afiaut, TO draw n
check for 81. 900 10 favor OF himself or bearer.
payable from the contingent fund. kyt~ drew
the check, Gaibraith signed IL and gave IL 10 DIR.
Harrison. who took il awav from the hospital
Toe check was No. 6, December series, dated
Dec. %, 1858. DR.. Harrison, Kyle further swcars.
said the money would be paid back within 8
few days: at any rate, it would bs paid as early
as the next meeting of the hoard of trustees,
when an account would be allowed Sullivan.