The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-20
THE CURSE OF KANSAS
Our Insane Asylums Scenes Of
Murder and MutilatiOn.
Particulars of the OsawatOmie
Horrors by an Official.
AWFUL REVELATIONS.
Insane Patients Are Manned,
Starved and Murdered.
Politics, Always Politics, Re
sponsible For 1t.
ALONG BLACK RECORD
For Twenty Years Have the
State Asylums
Been Carried On by Crowds of
Political Heelers
INCLUDING BRUTES
Who Hold Their Places Because
They Have a Pull.
One Horse Politicians Dictate
the Appointments.
BRUTES
Who Hold Their Places Because
They Have a Pull.
One Horse Politicians Dictate
the Appointments.

Some time the people of Kansas may
awaken to the fact that the present plan
of management of our state charitable in
stitutions is the worst possible.
To satisfy the whims of politicians the
institutions are turned over to the control
of individuals without skill or training
and who have no regard for the unfor-
tunates they are put there to care for.
It is great outrage that because man
has been of service to "the party" he
should be placed in a position for which
he has no qualification and which must
result disasrousIy.
One party is no less rspreEensible than
another 1t is the fault of the system
partyism and partisauship No man coz
trolling big business would think of
hiring employees because they were Re-
publicans or POpulists. without regard to
capacity, but that is what the people of
Kansas do.
This matter has been called to the at
tention OF the public very recently in
little book whose author for two
years supervisor in the insane asylum
at Osawatomie. He was in a position
where he could have in full view the
Outrages constantly perpetr2ted, and he
substantiates his very startling state
ments by afidavits
The book is written by W H. Wilson,
who says that his only object in writing
it is to 'lift aside the curtain and give
the public a glimpse of these hidden
mysteries" These mysteries" are such
as will cause a feeling of righteous in-
dignation in the heart of every citizen of
the state.
Mr. Wilson commences with 1873,
when Dr. A. II. Knapp was elected super
intendent of the asylum. He follows
the history of the institution down to the
present time, and through all these years
it is shown that brutality, carelessness
aud stupidity prevailed. because poIitics
eternally interfered with the decent ad-
ministratiOn of the asylum. He says
that everything appeared to go on
smoothly for three years after 1878, and
the state board of charities was feasted
and cared for royalty whenever they Wis
tied the institution. In 1876 complaints
were made about the condition of the af-
fairs al the asylum by people who had
friends or relatives there, and the follow
ing year committee was appointed by
the legislature to investigate and report.
Mr. Wilson quotes the findings of the
committee, of which the following is an
extract:
1--WE find that the superintendent has
disregarded his duty in this, that he has
not visited the wards once every morn
ing and evening (even when he has been
at the asylum, as the rules of the asyIun
demand and require that he should; and
in fact, that he has not visited some of
the wards for days at a time.
That he does not seem to have made
any thorough personal or physical ex-
animation of any of the insane. that he
might become acquainted with the cause
of their insanity.
"That under his management a reign
of terror exists.
THAT he omits to attend to his duties
devolving upon him, in this. to- wit: That
In many cases, whore he has been notified
of the suferings of patients from acute
disease, he has omitted for days, and even
weeks. to attend to them
That he allows several favOrite at.
tendants to willfnlly violate well-known
rules without taking notice of the fact
and has repeatedly discharged others fol
the same and less offenses
THAT he is cruel, unkind. and IN
necessarily harsh in his treatment of the
patients, having repeatedly knocked out
the teeth OF patients in forcing the gag
into their mouths for the purpose of fore
Ing food and medicine down with a
stomach pump"
Just before the report of the commit
tee was made public the superintendent
resigned.
Mr.. Wilson calls attention to the fac
shat Notwithstanding the report of tn,
committee DIR. Knapp had enough "polit
icaI influence" to soon after be reappoint
ed and he served as superintendent O
the institution thirteen years longer. Il,
says:
'In the year 1890 the friends of hon.
esty and humanity and decencv tbor1l
discouraged by the experiences of tn,
last eighteen years, determined to onc,
more call the attention of the peopIe O
Kansas to the condition of affairs at thi
asylum, snd steps were taken to secnr,
smother investigation; this movemen