Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-11-03

under populist management Mr..
Parks was an attendant ct this place
for one year and his letter corrob-
crates the charges made by DR.. Wet
more as TO the condition Of the Topeka
asylum.
Parks' statsmsst
The fact that the statement of DR..
Wetmore relative TO the conditions
which exist at the Topeka insane ssy.
lum have not been denied by the state
board Of charities or the officials Of
that institution whom he charges with
being incompetent negligent and
brutal, has led to q settled conviction
in the minds Of the people Of Kansas
that they are true. But many very
naturally conclude that this condition
Of affairs exists at the Topeka institu-
ton alone. As one who was connected
for over II months with the Osawato-
mic asylum under the present populist
management l desire to say that the
condition which DR.. Wetmore de.
scribes concerning the Topeka asylum
is only faint picture Of that which
has existed at the Osawatomie insti.
tuition.
On April /, 1897, this institution was
the pride Of the people Of the state OF
Kansas The mem ers Of the present
state board Of charities repeatedly
stated that its management was supe.
rior to that Of any other state institu.
ton. But notwiths landing this state
ment they displaced superintendent,
DR.. I. c. Biddle. and his experienced
assistants, DR.. S. D. Van Mugs and the
trained employees, with an assistant su-
perintendent, DR.. E. W. Hinton, and
an assistant physi clan, DR.. Wellman,
neither Of whom has a diploma or ever
had any experience either in treating
or caring for the insane. The board
OF charities insisted on replacing the
experienced employees with raw mate
rial, much Of which had had no expe.
rience whatever in such work and was
alike deficient In morality, mentality
and that sympathy SO necessary in
caring for the helpless dependents con-
signed to their charge.
As result, is 1t any wonder that
Hugh Forsythe. patient from Fronte-
mac was permitted to jump through
second.story window and receive in
juries from which he soon died?
Is it any wonder that where polit-
ical pull was the sole requisite for
position and promotion that laundry
girl was found in the clerks bedroom
in her night clothes?
Is it any wonder that the matron SO
selected declared this episode only IAN
indiscretion?"
Ia II any wonder, then, when hair
pins and garters were found in the bed
Of an official Of the asylum that the
employe making the discovery should
be told that 1t should not be consid.
cred immoral, nor toldp
Is 1t any wonder that during the
past IL months there have been no less
than four military marriages" among
the employees at this institution?
Is 1t any wonder that the officers Of
that institution boycotted the mer-
chants of Osawatomie because they re-
fused to "lay down" on their local ed
itor and have him suppress stories of
the horrible condition Of affairs at the
asylum
have been interested In the reform
movement all my life, and worker in
the populist party ever since became
old enough to vote; | have seen mem
bers of the state board of charities
who have supervision Of these institu-
tions, come to the Osawatomie asylum
under the influence Of liquor; | have
been an eye witness to their unseemly
conduct and cannot believe that the
people Of Kansas who pay so literally
for the support of these charitable in
situations and who should find in them
a source Of justifiable pride will ever
indorse a state administration which
permits these conditions to continue.
On numerous occasions have known
employees who were discharged at
Osawatomie because they were incom-
petent or for misconduct on account
Of their pull with the board, trans
ferred to the Topeka asylum where it
is only natural to suppose they con-
tributed to the conditions which DR..
Wetmore says existed at the Toneka
asylum. lrthe people OF Kansas fully
realize these conditions how the un-
fortunate insane-sometimes their
relatives, other time their friends-are
neglected, abused and mistreated in
these institutions, they would rise up
in their might and at the ballot box in
November repudiate most empha teal
~ all Unose VINO nave contributed to
create maintain and continue this
state OF affairs. s. M. PARKS.
PERCY DANIELS REVOLTS,