The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-10-10
b - my c. H. wETMORE.
STATE BOARDS REPLY.
Board of Charities Says the Letter is
Full of Falsehoods and Was
Paid For.


The state board of charities has is
sued the following statement, accompa-
MED by affidavits, touching on the cam
paign document published by DR.. Wet
more, superintendent Of the Topeka IN
sane asylum:
and the people of the state to make a
statement of the facts in regard to the
resignation of DR.. WetmOre as super
intendent of the Topeka insane asylum.
Not as a defense of ourselves, but for
the Information OF the people OF the
state who have friends and relatives In
the institution, and for the good name
of the state and her institutions. Ihe
letter which appeared in Sunday morn
ing's papers, and signed by the doctor,
evidently written by someone else, con-
tains a. number of falsehOOds, which can
be easily proven. For instance, the
resignation of DR.. WetmOre has been in
the hands of the board since the day he
was elected to that position, and it was
not necessary if the conditions were
such as his organization and tempera-
ment could not Withstand, Tor MIN TO
reiterate that resignation.
Another generality, which IS glitter
ing only in the fact that he at the last
meeting of the board tried to get
written guarantee from members of the
board that he would be retained as su-
perintendent after the election, which
the board refused to give, because
they were satisfied that the best inter-
ests of the institution would be sub
served by not allowing a superintend-
ent to dictate the length of his tenure
of office, when they held his resignation
in their hands The experience OF the
board with the doctor has not up to
date demonstrated that he was capable
of governing himself, much less an in
situation of the magnitude of the asy-
lum.
Continually in Hot Water.
Before he had been superintendent
four months a difficulty arose between
III nd Fa at
matron had been an employe of the in
stitution for years and was a sister OF
a member of the board, yet IN order 10
give the doctor a chance to demonstrate
his fitness for the position, the matron's
resignation was accepted and the place
filed by the present matron.
AT the next meeting Of the board the
doctor was again in trouble, this time
with DR.. Wel1man, father-in-law of
member of the board. W lille major
ity of the board believed that the tight
on DIR. Wellman was uncalled for. and
that he was attending to his duties in a
proper manner, yet the doctors hands
were upheld and DR.. Wellman !ett the
institution. Many times during the
summer complaints were entered
against different employees, who the
board were satisfied were doing their
duty vet he was given full power to
discharge and did discharge a large
number of employees, not one of whom
were ever reinstated by the board,
which we do not believe from the fact
that he was willing to stay and accept
them, providing his tenure of office was
assured, there is no one at fault but DR..
Wetmore himself.
Or Smith could have been gotten
out Of the institution within twenty
four hours at any time by DR.. Wet
more, and if he neglected his duty to
the patients, DR.. WetmOre is as culpa-
BILE as DR.. Smith, or more so.
Motive for the Resignation.
Now. as to the motive which i'm
PEELED the superintendent to pack his
grip and leave after his days visit to
the city of Topeka. we leave the pub
lie to Judge. which they can do by read
ing the following affidavits:
Estate of Kansas, Shawnee county,
IS: DR.. T. W. Scott, of lawful age;
being first duly sworn, depOses and
says, that he is assistant superintendent
at the Topeka insane asylum of Tope-
ka, Kas., and has held the position for
the last nine months; that up to July
last the relations between the superin-
tendent and himself were very pleasant
and harmonious; that he enjoyed the
doctors confidence, was often cOmpH-
mented upon his work and his ability
a s a physician; that at the time Major
Hood of Emporia vas candidate for the
nomination OF governor on the Repub-
Ican ticket, DR.. NsetmOre told him that
he intended going to EmpOria to ar
range with Major Hood, in case he was
nominated for governor, to resign his
position as superintendent and give as
his reason the inCOmpetenCy of the
board of trustees of the state charitabl
institutions and the manner in which
the Institution was conducted, and Incl
dentally roast John W. Leedy and the
administra ton; that he made no defense
of his proposed action, except that he
was to see Cy Leland and Major Hood
and receive $4,000 out of the transaction;
that he also reiterated the statement in
the presence of J. W. Tanner, steward
of the institution, and requested that
he say nothing about it outside This
I did not deem proper and informed the
president of the board, at the time w
L Brown, and enjOined him to secrecy
unless Major Hood was nominated.
THE deponent further says that since
the first Of July Dr. Wetnore has been
inclined to create trouble and done all
in his power to keep strife brewing in
the institution, apparently with no 9TH
er object in view than TO handicap the