The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-03-13
REPORT ON THE ASYLUM.
THE TRUSTEES SEVERELY HANDLED.
The Investigating Committee Makes Re-
port Casting Decided Reflections on the
Hospital Trustees-Gapen Censured
-Committee's Report in Full.

Monday afternoon the senate received the
report of the committee on the investigation of
the insane hospital. motion to print the re-
port and the evidence caused long debate,
in which Messrs. johnson, Hays, Howard,
Burke and Urmston participated. Mr.. Burke
roasted the trustees of the asylum. He said
the institution rotten and should be
pursed of its rascals. Mr.. Urmston, while not
not defending the management, thought the
trustees did not have fair trial. being denied
the privilege OF croSs-eXamining the wit
nesses, but Mr.. Burke replied that il was an
investigation and not a trial and that the COM
mittees report had been based upon the EVIL
dence of the trustees themselves. The con-
current resolution of the house to print 500
copies was adopted. The report was as fol-
lows:
We find that the full amount appropriated for the
maintenance, clothing and repairs al the hospital
has been regularly drawn by the treasurer Mr..
Gapen That very often and during all the months
IN which said Gapcn was in the employment OF John
l. sullivan large sums OF money, from $1,000 to
$500 each month, would not be deposited in bank
subject TO payment OF checks Issued by said Gapen
for payment OF bills allowed, hut loaned to John
J.. sullivan and others, from time to time, without
security, and in direct violation OF law, while per-
sons holding checks were compelled TO await the
payment OF same for the want of funds in bank.
This system was continued by the treasurer Of the
ment OF said Sullivan until finally over 5000 Of the
money received by Mr.. Gapen from the state treas
ury was carried oil by said John l.. Sullivan. leav
ing Mr. 6apen indebted 20 the tund IN that sum,
while the persons who furnished the goods and
whose bills had been allowed still holding the
checks on the bank for the money, which they can
not draw because OF this detalcatOn.
We lind that on Feb. /, lsSy, there we're Outstand-
ing bills unsettled accounts of various persons
and firms having claims against said hospital
amounting in the aggregate to l769f9S. These ac-
counts have been running, some OF them, since Nov
l. 1855 the beginning OF the pres Mt fiscal year. and
few have been carried over from the preceding
year.
We have had access to no books of the institution
TO show the receipts from products sold or from earn
ings at the hospital but from the books OF the state
treasurer find the amount paid in by the institu-
ton TO be for the fiscal year OF 1887, lOS404 and
Tor the fiscal year Of lsSS, $685..
We also find that in some cases where goods we're
sold disposed Of 10 persons who had contracts for
furnishing supplies, that the amount 50 taken was
charged to said persons account and deducted
from bills instead of being paid into the state treas
ury, as required by law.
4 careful comparison and examination has been
made OF the bills Of several contractors allowed by
the board for supplies with their contracts, and
IND that the amounts purchased were generally
much 10 excess OF the amounts named in contracts.
This is especially noticeable IN the contracts Tor
butter, eggs, poultry, sugar, coffee and tea tabu-
lated statement Of such comparisons by months
from March, 1887. 10 January, 1889 inclusive, Of
SUI plies above named will be found in the statement
OF the tXpers, the requistiOn books OF the hospital
for the several months being uniform as to the
largely from mon TO month. Our inference is
that when il to the interest OF the contractor
either account of the reduced price of the goods
purchased or the inferior quality OF the goods ac-
copied by such officers OF the hospital whose duty il
WAS to receive the same, much larger amount
would be ordered than the contract called for.
We also find that the board frequently failed
10 comply with the law In letting contrac for
supplies that when the bids did not suit the
members of the bOOrd they refus 10 let the
contract to any one, but authorized one of their
number to make the purchases, without any re-
strietons or limitations as TO price, quantity or
The frequency with which contracts we're let
TO John T. Sullivan and Others especially where
lower bids made bv competing bidders were re-
jected leads to infer that an unjust and un-
lawful discrimination and favOritism in
dulged ia by the board, which prevented compe-
ution IN the sale OF supplies 70 the hospital, and
compelled the board to pay the highest price for
inferior articles. The tabulated exhibits and re-
the TACT that very few persons furnished the
principal supplies for the hospital and the evidence
we think, wi show that part Of these persons, at
least, In collision with the board thrust in
f'IiOr goods the asylum at eXorbitant prices We
think, alsO that the amount OF goods for which
tracts were made monthly was ample TO supply the
institution, yet the bills show that monthly the
board paid for much larger amount of DDS than
the contracts called for The excess in the one item
OF tea from March TO December Of 1887 two thou
sand two hundred pounds (2,200 lbs. and the
OF sugar Tor the same time l3.s22 pounds, while
the excess iOr cOhee for the year 1855 was 14,324
pounds, and of tea for the same wear, 3047 hounds
and the of sugar for that year thirtynine
thousand eight hundred and twenty-five pounds
t59,S25 lbs, and many other articles in the same
proportion.
We find that at the time of his appointment as
trustee, r. NJ Gapen gave bond in the sum Of
$1,000, with Samuel C. Hanna and Robert Browning
OF indianapolis Sureties and that said Gapen has
never fled any additional bond, and that at least
one OF said suretieS is now wholly insOlyent, and
that the other surety has failed financially since the
execution OF said bond, but said surety, Mr. Brown
ing. testified before this committee that be was now
worth $4,000 over all Of his Indebtedness.
We ind that said Gapen has unlawfully appropri-
ated 10 bis own use several thousand dollars OF the
fuCds belonging 10 the hospital and that BY reason
thereof he is a deaulter for over three thousand
dollars, and recommend that suit be Instituted
against him by the proper officer to recover said
funds and that the prosecuting attorney OF Marion
county cause such criminal proceedings TO be COM
menced against him as his Oilense lustIhes.
We find that Dr. Galbraith, AZ superintendent
under the direction OF the president Of the board Dr.
Harrison, on two occasions loaned 1000 out of the
contingent funds in his hands belonging TO the hos
pital 70 John t. Sullivan, but that said we're
subsequently paid to him. We also find that on
three OF four occasions State Treasurer Lemcke at
the request af Mr.. Gapen. loaned money to John F.
Sullivan taking an order on Mr.. Gap as treasurer
Tor said amounts and that the amounts OF said loans
were deducted from the sums subsequently, drawn
BY Mr. Gapen as treasurer, and we condemn the
practice as unlawful aud recommend its discOn-
tnuance.
We md that the plan of issuing supplies at the
hospital is loose aud almost wholly without system.
The amount distributed i not based upon any esti-
mate OF the amount needed to supply the wants Of
the patients. but determined wholly by the
amounts called for from time 70 time by various
employees OF the hospital These supplies are not is
sued upon any requisition of the superintendent
other superior officer, but are issued whenever
called for by the cooks or other persons calling for
them, the requests being sometimes in writing and
sometimes verbal-nO receipt being taken by the
store keeper for goods issued, and sufficient pre-
caution being taken 10 guarantee the sale delivery OF
the goods called for at the places in which they
claimed 10 be needed. The efficiency and economy
OF the present method depends wholly upon the hon
esty Of the clerks aud employees. No good business
man would manage his private affairs in the loose
manner in which this magnificent state charity is
managed. Such a loose manner Of doing business
and Keeping accounts makes IL easy Tor collision TO
take place and for extensive waste OF supplies TO
occur, without giving any means OF detecting the
same.
We hnd that J. S Hall, the present steward and
bOokkreper, is wholly incompetent, and should be
immediately removed. and thoroughly competent
and PROFESSIONALLY honest man be placed in the
position.
We find that the management of the financial
affairs of the hospital under the present board Of
trustees has been very bad, and that the evidence
creates very strong suspicion that there has been
corruption and dishonesty in the purchasing and
ceiving OF supplies.
We md that the present superintendent, DIR. Gal
braith selected with the express implied I'M
derstanding that he would not ntei fere with the
board and their appOintees IN the purchase and re-
ceiying Of supplies and that he would not interfere
with the appointments OF said board and with the
express understanding that he would appoint DR.
Howard as a physician at the hospital, without him
sell knowing anything OF the qualifications oil SAID
doctor for the position, and that superintendent
he has failed to exercise his proper authority in
recting and preventing abuses at the hospital,
which, taken in connection with the fact that he has
failed to adopt any proper system to regulate the
amount OF rations required TO support the Inmates
Of the hospital show him TO be not qualified to
discharge the duties OF responsible position as