Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1898-10-15
PoPULIST SUPERINTENDENT RESIGNS
IN DISGUST.
AN ASTOUNDING NARRATIVE.
CRUELTY, INHUMANITY AND DEBAUCH-
cry REIGN
Drunkards and Incompetents in Charge
of the Insane-Street Medicine Fakir
Appointed Physician-Death From
acknowledgements Proceed
ings

From the X. C. Journal
The following is copy of the Wet
more letter:
TOPEKA, Kan, Oct. I, 1898.
Hon. w. Leedy, Governor of Kansas:
DEAR SIR have this day trans
mitted to the board of trustees of
the state charitable institutions my
resignation as superintendent of the
Topeka Insane asylum, to take effect
Immediately. As you are directly re-
sponsible for the appointment of the
members of the board of trustees and
their management of the charitable
Institutions of the state, and as /
have heretofore frequently made COM
plants to you and to the board rela-
tive to the abuses existing at the in
Stitution under my charge, and my
DowerleSSneSS to correct the same,
owing to the lack of support from
yourself and members of the board, L
deem it my duty to give you some
what in detail the reasons of my res
ignation.
/ have been practicing physician
for over forty years, and for the past
eighteen years have followed my pro-
fession at Emporia. in this state, and
/ think L may say without bOaSting
that i have not only secured but al
ways deserved the esteem and conf
dence of my fellow citizens. i feel
that l can no longer do injustice to
my feelings and my sense of humanity
and decency by remaining at the head
of an Institution and bearing the re-
SponSibility of its miSmanagement,
while / remain powerleSS to correct
the evils of the most fragrant and OUT
rageous character When L assume
s the duties as Supefintendent of the
Topeka asylum, L did SO with the full
determination to use my utmost en-
deavorS to protect the unfortunate in
mates of the institution from every
wrong that might be practiced upon
them by those in whose charge they
were placed, and to give them such
care and attention, in their most I'M
fortunate condition, as would meet
with the appreciation of their solicit
Gus friends and relatives at home
After many months incumbency, /
have become cognizant of many
wrongs that have been perpetrated on
the inmates of the Institution by I'M
scrupulous employees placed there for
the purpose of diScharging personal
and political obligations at the eX-
penSe of the state, without reference
to their professional capabilities. As
you are well aware, L have been for
many years in entire sympathy with
the reform movement in Kansas and
an earnest supporter of Ex-Governor
Lewetling and yourself, yet l feel
that / can no longer reconcile myself
in this matter, in Justice to myself,
to humanity. and to the unfortunate
inmates of the asylum, who are de-
serving of the tendereSt care and the
most sympathetic attention. / can
no longer bring myself to face those
who rest secure in the faith that their
afflicted friends or relatives have
found a home in an Institution where
Kindness. human sympathy and love
are watchwOrdS, when you know and
the board of charities know, and /
know it is all a hollow mockery.
My complaints and protests have
Invariably been met with the admoni-
ton that L keep still, lest L incur the
zdiSpleasure of the rebuked or deposed
parties or perhaps do an injury to the
party to which / belong My COM
plants as to existing conditions have
either been met with Indifference on
on your part, or unqualified refusal to
remedy them, and you have been for
a long time fully aware that the board
of charities not only countenanced
but active participants in many in
1quitous performances 1t is the prac-
tIce of certain members of the board,
PENDENT, DIR. L. w. Scott, and the as
siStant physician, DIR. ID. FL. Smith,
10 resort to the asylum drug room for
the purpose of conviyial concourse,
and it might be said that state
Joint is being maintained within
WIG Walls III tlC SldlC ttSt iuLi, uktE
public expense, for the qualification
Of these high and well paid officials.
Senator III. G Jumper, the we'll
known president of the board, has APP
parently been on one continuous and
protracted debauch for the last fif-
teen months. You will probably re-
call that President Jumper installed
his father-in-law, DIR. Wellman. a
doctor without a diploma, in the posi-
tfon of assistant physician in charge
OF the patients at the detached build
ing, and that when it was shown, that
he was not fit and proper person for
the service he was not discharged but
was transferred to the asylum at OSa-
Watomie. Even this transfer was not
accomplished until after repeated pro-
tests by myself. 1t is "a well known
fact that DR.. Weliman was a street
Iakir, a dealer in patent medicines |
and all-around professional quack- In
the opinion of yourself and the board |
he seems to possess the qualifications
necessary to entitle him to care for |
The insane of Kansas
The assistant physician, Dr. d. H.
Smith, boasts that, while having no
n03ftical pull, to use his expression, !
you owed him bill of upwards Of $50 |