Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-20
POOR PATRICK LEE.
A VICTIM OF POOR-HoUsE DISCI-
PLINE TO BE CARED FOR.
More Contributions Received to the
Fund for His Beneft-Dr. Burdick
Says That He VIII Make
Statement.

Patrick Lee will be cared for now,
even though DIR. Burdick has seen fit to
turn him out of the county poor house
TO starve. Yesterday anumber of Irish
American citizens called at the HERALD
Office and contributed to the fund which
this paper is raising for the relief of the
decrepit and friendIess old man.
Everyone who called expressed him
self in very strong language denuncia-
tory OF the authority DIR. Burdick exer-
cised in driving Patrick Lee out of the
poor farm for a paltry, insignificant
breach of the rules. The old mamie
is 6S years old--can hardly walk, and is
incapable OF performing service of any
kind. He is on the verge of the grave.
The sands of life in his case are nearly
run out, but that is no excuse for turning
him out on the world to perish for the
want OF food and place to sleep.
The HERALD is investigating the case
of another aged and decrepit couple
who were recently elected from the poor
house. Cases of this kind are becom-
ing frequent.
AT the board of supervisors, yester-
day, Mr.. Perry, Mr.. Davis and Mr.. For
reste- all united in the statement that
they could not believe that DR.. Burdick
was guilty of any such inhuman act as
is charged in the case of Patrick Lee.
DIR. Burdick was telephoned to by
Supervisor Davis, He was asked If he
had read of the Lee case in the HERALD J.
The doctor replied that lie had. Super
visor Davis asked if the statemen IS
made were true. To this interrogatory
the doctor replied that the @
were some corrections to make.
He said that he would be
in on the afternoon train from Downey.
The doctor was more, fortunate than
poor old Patrick Lee. Lee, after he was
turned out OF the poor house, was forced
to walk in. DR.. Burdick could have
ridden in in the comfortable coaches of
the Terminal railway. But he did not
come yesterday afternoon.
DR.. Burdick gets salary of 5000 per
month-$50 week-from the county
for experimenting the poor farm. If he
has no more discretion and judgment
than to turn out of the institution an
old cripple in second childhood simply
because he was physically unable to
sweep out the hallway, it is time the
salary of the doctor was topped of, and
some one else was procured in his stead.
In the early part of this week DR..
Burdick sent to Sacramento the semi
annual statement of the number Of
indigents in his care, over go years of
age. Under the law the state pays 500
per year for the relief of indigents in
county institutions who are over so
years of age. The amount of the pres
ent demand ia $2S72. Now, the ques-
tion is, was Patrick Lee included by
Doctor Burdick in his $2872 demand on
the state? Whether he was or not,
though, makes no difference. He was
put out just the same, and the 500 per
year would pay every dollar of the cost
of supporting him at the poor house.
Rev. John II. Collins will take Lees
case in hand and endeavor to secure his
admission to the county hospital. Here
is whore he belongs and here is where
an endeavor will be made to place him.
The money raised by the HERALD will
go to purchase some new clothing for
him, and to his general support. It will
be turned over to proper parties and
receipt from them will be published to-
morrow morning. Yesterday the fol-
lowing parties contributed: P. J. Stack,
$3.50; DIR. MacGowan, ST.; James Han
ley, 81; J. McInnerney, 25 cents; Will
liam Slaney, 81; cash left at HERALD
office, 81; making total OF $l3.75.