The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-05-25
FED ON MORPHINE.
Mrs. Lease Appears to be Dying
By Inches.
Her Recovery Now Believed to
Be Impossible. ~
WHAT DIR. ROBY SAYS.
Mrs. Leases Condition Most
Critical One.
Her Husband Hasn't Been at
Her Bedside.
WHAT DIR. ROBY SAYS

''Mrs. Mary E. Lease is In very criti-
cal condition and we, her friends, do not
know that she will ever get WELL" were
the words used by DIR. III. w. Roby this
afternoon to a STATE JOURNAL reporter.
Dr. Roby has just returned from
Olathe, where he went to see Mrs. Lease.
Continuing, he said, ''She is very sick
woman, and. instead of getting better as
reported. she is getting worse right
along. The only time she is seemingly
better is when she is under the influence
of morphine given in hypodermic injec-
tions and in double doses.
'sTo add to the seriousness of her
case there is trouble among the people
at Olathe VINO are taking care of her.
DIR. Haviland, Mrs. Leases private secre-
tary, DIR. Harding and most of the Off
cials of the institution are hOmeOpathists
and DR.. Williams, who has charge of
Mrs. Lease, is an allopath. DR.. Havi-
land and DR.. Williams quarrelled about
the treatment he was giving, and Gov
ernor St John and DR.. Haviland, who
had heard Mrs Lease speak about DR..
Roby, sent for me.
sWhen ] arrived there evening before
last, at CLOCK, went Immediately to
Mrs. Leases room aud talked with her.
She recognized me, and asked me to ex-
anime her case. which | did. 1t was
plain to be seen that she had been under
the influence of morphine and she was
in very bad state. When she is con-
scious she suffers almost everything.
She can't move without giving her such
pain that she screams out, and her pain
is so intense that she must move to re-
lieve herself.
AFTER l had gone down to supper her
physician arrived and gave her an injec-
tiOn of morphine, which gave her tenn
porary relief and put her in a stupor.
He gave her another injection the next
morning before l left She was in such
a stupor that | could not talk with her
except just after 1 arrived.
"Dr Williams refused to meet me and
will not allow any one there to see his
| patient. He did however, send to Kansas
| City and DR.. David r Porter went down
/ and made a careful examination of the
| case so l was told. DIR. Williams had
given it out right along that Mrs. Lease
was getting better, but DIR. Porter told
| Governor St John that she was a very
| sick woman and her recovery was doubt
| full.
| "The morphine Mrs. Lease is taking is
| a two edged sword, and while it seem
| ingly gives her temporary relief, it is
eating away her system, and the extra
| large doses which it is said she is taking,
may result in driving her into a NOR
phine eater if she does recover How
| ever, l did not see the doses and only
| know about their size from what l was
| told.
| ''Mr6. Lease a lew evenings ago
thought she was going to die, and she
| called all her friends about her and gave
the manuscript of her book, which is
about to be published, to Governor st.
| John. She asked him to promise to see
| that it was published and see that her
! children received the proceeds from the
| book. She said she was the
breadwinner of the family and
lamented that she had to go and leave
her helpless children alone in the world.
] Mr.. Lease has not been near her during
| her sickness and this is regarded at
| Olathe as evidence that they are living
separate lives. Her son Charley her
| oldest son is with her however.
"There is a great deal of Indignation
| expressed among the citizens of Olathe
on account of the trouble between the
attending physician and Mrs. Leases
| friends"