The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-20
COUNTY ASYLUM STORIES
DIsGRACEFUL STATE of AFFAIRS AT
THE INSTITUTION.
Commissioners Say They Were Great.
Iy Surprised-Investiga of
County Affairs.
omces-INDIANA TRUST BUILDING.

The case against Flavius j. Meyer, super
intendent of the county Poor Farm, who
was arrested Friday night on the charge
of grand larceny. did not come up in Po-
lice Court yesterday, but was continued
until Nov. %. Attorney w. N. Harding has
charge of Meyers case. 1t is believed that
the arrest of Meyer will result in a general
investigation and shaking up of the Poor
Farm management. People who visited the
place yesterday say the premises are badly
run down, and that the inmates and en-
ployes of the farm tell stories Of friction and
fractional strife 1t is said that Meyer and
Engineer Edmunson are personal enemies.
There were rumOrs yesterday of mistreat-
ment at the farm of weak or insane patients.
Township Trustee Makepeace tells of visit
the Board of Township Trustees made to
the Poor Farm last summer. On that visit
they were told of an assault that had been
made on a weak-minded girl by a man
named Sherman, employed as laborer on
the farm. The trustees saw the girl and
noticed that her face was bruised. They
were told by Sherman that she had fallen
and bruised her face The trustees men
toned the case 10 the County Commission
ers, Mr. Makepeacc says. Commissioner
Greer said yesterday that the board investi-
gated the matter and found that it was a
Mrs Sherman who struck the girl. He
claims the investigation showed that the act
was justified.
The commissioners yesterday appointed
Charles Register, assistant superintendent,
10 take charge of the asylum temporarily.
a new superintendent will be appointed as
soon as the commissioners have time to look
around for a man. Wesley M. Gerard, who
was at one time assistant custodian of the
Tppecanoe County Asylum. and was chair
man of the Republican city committee, was
an applicant for the place yesterday.
The commissioners claim they were great
" surprised at the disclosures made on Fri
day when they visited Meyers farm. They
decline to say how the information concern
ing Meyers conduct came to them. Mr..
Harding said yesterday that the board
learned of it through very respectable citi-
zens, who do not care to be known in the
matter. They saw things that did not look
right" said Mr. Harding, and they thought
the board ought to know about it. They
We're interested only in the welfare of the
county in telling what they had SEEM
The commissioners are not strongly of the
opinion that Meyer was aided in the work
py another man, as is claimed by the SUI
lerinteroent. The information which LED 10
the arrest of Meyer came to the board on
Thursday. we were greatly surprised,
said Commissioner McGregor, and decided
al once that should make an investiga-
ton. We reasoned that it ought TO be done
TO eXonerate Mir. Meyer as long as he
seemed to be under suspicion. When we
started out Friday morning we had no idea
that We should find Meyers farmhouse full
OF goods that belonged to the county. Meyer
accompanied Us from the Poor Farm TO his
own farm and led US through the house. AT
one time it looked as if we would not find
Frn
We found the evidence OF the mans guilt IN
ms own sitting room. He declared that ne
old not know how the goods came there
ana then, like coward, tried TO shlIt the
o.tino on his wife. The board went TO see
county Attorney Brown Immediately on its
return TO the city Friday evening, and on
Ms advice the warrant for Meyers arrest
was sworn out He tod US that 1t was our
plain duty to the citizens of the county to
% TO the bottom OF this business, no matter
how ugly il looked"
All the buying for the county farm is done
Dy the County Commissioners. Each month
the superintendent files a list OF the articles
needed. and this is gone over by the board
the commissioners take turns at buying,
each member serving four months IN this
capacity. They say they have never no.
uced that Meyer was making extravagant
demands for supplies although the requisi-
lions f4ed by him were watched closely ana
occasionally some article that II was
thought might be dispensed with would be
crossed off the list.
The commissioners yesterday discussed the
question Of making 3 thorough investigation
OF all county affairs, which Will inciuue the
examination Of the books I'm all the county
offices. The board resolved to begin this
work as soon as possible. II Is proposed
% employ two men, a Republican ana a
democrat, to make an expert examination
OF the county records The examlnation OF
aHalrs In the auditors Office viii extend
Daek eight years and the investigation In
the other offices WIFI 20 back from four to
six years Among those suggested 10 the
BOARD as being competent TO make the IN
lleestieauon are John ". EooRSs formerly
deputy state auditor. G. II Spaulding, Mii-
ton Alexander and man named johnson,
"A exaploye Of tho county treaeurer's otnces