The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-10-22
NEIA()RE IS UPHELD
By D. J. Clifford, an Ex-Insane
Asylum EmpIoye.
TAYLOR RIDDLE VOUCHES
For the Good Persona! Stand
ing of Clifford.

Topeka, Kan, Oct. 2o-(speciaL)-Dr.
Wetmore's old friends in Lyon county.
where he has ben well known for twenty
| eight years. are not the only ores 10 sus-
tain his story of the awful condition Of
affairs at the Topeka insane asylum. To-
! day an affidavit from D. M Clifford. for
merly an employe at that institution, but
| now a resident OF St Joe. No, was re-
| ceived in this city. Mr.. Clifford was IN
the institution while DR.. Wetmore was
superintendent. and his story. as given
below, is a remarkable confirmation OF
the ex-superintendent's statements. He
tells Of the misconduct, ineficiency and
| brutality of officials toward the patients.
Also of the immortality and untoward
conduct Of the employees, and says DR..
Wetmore was powerless TO correct these
abuses, on account OF the obstructive tao
tics of the members of the board of char
tiles. who had secured the positions for
these people. OF anomalous and suspc-
ious characters" and who retained chem
in their places
The testimony Of Clifford can not be
questioned, as. when ne was discharged
by Dr. Wetmore Taylor Riddle. chairman
of the Populist state committee, wrote
the superintendent a very abusive letter,
telling him what a fine man Clifford was
and what a great loss to the Po2ulist
party his discharge would be Riddle
vouched for his good name in every re-
spect, and insisted that he must be rein
stated. The correspondence which fol-
the respective attitudes Of the Leedy ad-
ministration and Superintendent Wetmore
relative to the asylum management
The following is the AFFIDAVIT of D. ].
Clifford:
State of Missouri, County of Buch-
anan, SIS.
D. J. Clifford, of lawful age, being duly
sworn, deposes and says: am now a res
ident of St Joseph, Missouri. and have
been for several months past; that I
held the position as attendant at the To-
peka insane asylum from July 2. 1897 I'M
til the latter part of June, 1898 l am a
Democrat and in 1896 was secretary of
the committee on rules and order of bust
ness at the Hutchinson state convention
and assisted in the formula ton of the
fusion which subsequently resulted in the
election of John W. Leedy and the fusion
state ticket. 1 was thrown actively in
Connection with DR.. Wetmore, late super
intendent of the asylum, and have care
fully read his statements in regard to the
management of the institution for the
past year and am reluctantly constrained
to admit that many of the charges alleged
in his letter are substantially correct.
while quite a number of fragrant abuses
as an outgrowth of misconduct and gross
inefficiency are unrevealed in his letter.
During my incumbency as an attendant 1
observed quite a number OF instances of
brutality towards the patients from at
tendants on different wards. Il was an
almost universal topic of conversation
among the better class of employees that
women of uncertain virtue were assigned
to positions of responsibility and trust |
while many instances of untoward con- /
duct on the part of lady employees and |
male attendants were called 10 the at
tention of DR.. Wetmore, the superjntend-
ent of the institution, but ne was power
less TO correct the abuses on account of |
the obstructive tactics of certain members |
Of he state board of charities who had |
secured positions for the aforesaid women |
of anomalous and suspicious character. |
Every conceivable effort was brought into |
requisition to conceal many of the short |
comings of the more forward attendants |
who were in close touch with certain |
members of the state board of charities, |
the latter being cognizant of their per-
sonal delinquencies.
CSigned) D. ]. CLIFFORD. |
Subscribed and sworn to before me this |
18th day of October. 1895.
(Seal0 ROBT. V. FULLERTON.
Notary Public.
Ny commission expires May 81. 1900