Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1896-05-12
TESTERS REPORT.
THE ASYLUM INSPECTOR FILES HIS
WRITTEN STATEMENT.
The Letcher-StanIey Feature Left Open for
Further Investigation = the Main
Charges Declared UnfOunded.

franK1ort, ny, May 9.-Ihe fol-
lowing official paper has just been
filed in the Governors office.
Office of State Inspector
and Examiner.
Frankfort, KY, May 8, 1S96.-Hon.
W.O. Bradley, Governor of Kentucky:
AS ordered by you, l went to Hop
kinsville april 70, to investigate the
conduct of officials of the Western
Insane Asylum. did not call at the
asy lum until l had run down each
and every rumor concerning the man
agement of the institution, in the
city of Hopkinsville. | called before
me Mr.. Gardner, who was reported to
have witnessed some "shockingly i'm
moral conduct" on the part of some
of the officials. All that he could or
did state was that about two or three
weeks ago he went into a grocery
store mot saloon) formerly owned
by MIR. Anderson, steward of the asy-
lum, and saw Mr.. Anderson pouring
from pitcher two glasses of
beer, one for DIR, (Mrs.) Hauser, and
one for Miss Cromwell, mat - 10
asylum. 1t is the only tin.o 40 ever
saw any conduct of that character,
and no one else seems ever to have
heard of any such, or seen anything
in the conduct of these officials to be
condemned.
next called before me DR.. Kort-
lander, late druggist at the asylum.
He was reported to have seen and
learned positively that gross immor-
alIty in and about the asylum among
officials and attendants was the regu-
lar order of the day. When required
by me to state what he knew, he was
utterly unable to point out single
instance of immortality or misconduct
on the part of any one. Some time
ago, Thomas Naughton and his niece,
Miss Ellen Foley, daughter of his
sister, were employed at the asylum.
Naughton, who served in the same
capacity several yeaTs.while DR.. Rod
man was superintendent, is reported
to be. a. very competent man. He was.
made general supervisor of the male,
wards by DR., Leteher, and in the dis
charge Of his duty received the ill
will of lot of the attendants. They
went in a body to DR.. Letcher and
demanded that Naughton and Miss
Foley be discharged.
They made no direct charge against
them. Kortlander says they told DR..
Letcher that they could not assoc
late with them and keep their self
respect" DR.. Letcher promised
these malcontents that he would in
vestigate their Infatuated charge, and
if found true would discharge them.
Naughton, on the same day, having
learned that trouble had arisen, left
the place and has not since been en-
ployed. A few days ago, DR.. Letch-
er, believing it best for the institu-
ton, asked Miss Foley for her resig-
nation, and she gave it. The evil
dence, as far as heard it, does not
show Miss Foley to be of immoral
character; as she has been removed, /
telt it unnecessary to make any
searching investigation of her charac-
er. l could get nothing out of Kort-
lander, even by rigid cross examina-
ton, other than that he had personal
grievance toward DR.. Letcher It
arose in this way. For some time the
institution was without first assis-
tant physician. Kortlander being a
graduated doctor, was taken from the
drug room and placed in charge of
one of the wards as assistant physic-
ian to help along with the work till
you could appoint a first assistant
physician.
Prior to that time, while acting as
druggist, he did not take his meals at
the official table, but with the attend
ants. When he was elevated to the
place of physician, he appears to have
assumed very much greater dignity
than formerl y; became at once a
great stickler for every courtesy ac-
corded TO a regularly appointed ply
sician, and because DR.. Letcher neg
ected to invite him at once to the Of
ticia. table, and consult him in the
matter of treatment Of patients, and
management Of the asylum as he
would a regularly appointed physi- 1
clan, Kortlander took offense, and lost
no opportunity when speaking to dis I
conten ed attendants and outsiders
who had sought positions in the asy- I
lum at your hands and at DR.. Letch- I
er's, and failed to get them, to speak 4
disparagingly Of DR.. Letcher and the
management of the asylum. His
complaints were, and are so childish
and Insignificant that details would
excite only ridicule in the minds of
fair minded men.
Here the inspector takes up the re
lations existing between DR.. Letcher
and another assistant physician, but
because this matter is still under in
vestigation this portion of his report <
is not given out for publications. q
In regard to the beer drinking cpl &
sode mentioned in the foregoing, am
inquiry made of Mr.. Anderson, Stew \
ard of the asylum, develops the fact
that about three weeks ago he went
into the city OF Hopkinsville on Off