Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-04-26
FULTON INVESTIGATION CONTINUED
AT JEFFERSON CITY.
SOME STARTLING TESTIMONY
DIR. HUDSON, OF KANSAS CITY, TELLS
A DAMAGING STORY.
swears That n Fulton EmpIoye Ad-
mitted to Him That She Had
Been UnduIy Intimate With
DIR. Caombs - Other
Testimony.

JEFFERSON CITY. April 25.-(Special.)
The testimony taken here to-day before
the house committee on the investigation
of the Fulton insane asylum proved high
ly sensational. Several witnesses stated
that DR.. Coombs was intoxicated when he
appeared before the house committee on
appropriations five weeks ago. The most
startling testimony, however, of such a
racy character that II could not be print
ed in full in a reputable newspaper, was
furnished by DIR. ]. T. Hudson, of Kansas
City, first assistant physician of the Full
ton asylum from April. 1897. until recently.
DR.. Hudson unfolded chapter of secrets
that made DR.. Coombs' ears burn, while
the many interested spectators in the ROOM
all of them, fortunately, men. seemed to
enjoy the racy testimony immensely.
Mr.. Hall, of Grundy, the Republican
member OF the investigating committee,
who so skilfully conducted part of the
examination in Fulton, ninterrogated DIR.
Hudson. The witness said that experienced
attendants at the asylum had been dis
charged and replaced by others lacking eX-
perience. with the result that the man
asement of the institution had been i'm
paired. He said that the asylum was con-
trolled by the superintendent through su-
pervisors and that, in his department,
months. He testified further that there
had been case OF suicide at the asylum
which might have been prevented with
proper care and attention. The witness
said that the superintendent, DR.. Coonbs,
rarely visited his ward. except with CALI
ers, and frequently. he could not be found
when wanted by physicians and attend
ants. onsone occasion. he said. a patient
choked to death before@a physician ap-
peared on the scene.
DR.. Hudson was asked TO tell all he knew
about the charges of immortality against
DR.. Coombs. he said that, on February 10,
1888. at i o'clock in the morning, Mrs.
Sanders said Miss Huer asked her to SO
down to No. 2. He said they watched the
door of Mrs. Williams room. Later, he
said. DR.. Coombs and Mrs. Williams
emerged. DIR. Hudson requested them to
say nothing about it until he had seen DR.
Coombs. They said that Mrs. Griffith and
Mrs. Vannice also knew about the incident
DR.. Coombs went to Mexico early in the
morning TO attend the MacFarlane funeral
When he returned, DR.. Hudson called his
attention to the report, and he denied it
DR.. Hudson said. however. that DR.. Coomb:
asked him IL he could not keep the womer
quiet Then, DR.. Hudson said, DIR. Coombs
and Mrs. Vsnnice conferred privately. Wit
ness said that Mrs. Sanders and Mrs. Van
nice agreed to keep the matter quiet Il
Mrs. Williams was discharged. Witnes:
ventured the opinion that Mrs. Vannic'
plotted to get rid of Mrs. Williams by Civ
ing Mrs. Sanders and Miss Huer a Tip" q!
to when they could detect DR.. Coombs com
ing from Mrs. Williams room.
Pressed further for information, DIR. Hud
son said that Mrs Vannice admitted II
him that she had sustained improper rela
-,-stl N,,t *e1,n
ed that she was not common "I re
monstrated with her." said DR.. Hudson
"and told her that she should not do any
thing to the discredit of the institution
even If she did not care for her own repu
tation.'' aS,
DR.. Hudson. when asked to specify othe
Instances when Mrs. Vannice admitted t
him of improper conduct, saidcthat she con
fessed to frequent hugging matches in DR.
Coombs' office. Continuing DR.. Hudson
said: -.....s vs..
After hearing all this. 1t was not Difficult
for me to understand how Mrs. Vannic
controlled the night watches, and. that wa
why the superintendent worked tnrougl
the supervisors instead of the physicians
DR.. Hudson, when urged TO tell more o
the inside history of the, Institution unde
DR.. Coombs' management said that Mrs
Vannice had been in the -1Ebtt of visitin
DR.. Coombs office at clock in the morn
ing, after visiting her wards. At first, Dr.
Hudson said. Mrs. Vannice would TAX
twenty or thirty minutes to make thes
wards" and then one hour, the wards an
DR.. Coombs' office being included in tn
circuit. He said that Mrs Vannice con
tinued to make the circuit until Mrs. Coomb
forbade her to enter DIR. Coombs' office
DR.. Hudson reiterated his statement tha
he frequently charged Mrs. vannice wit
intimacy with DR.. Coonibs, and that sh
always replied that she was not common
Representative Fitzgerald of Gentry vol
unteered a definition OF the word common
which seemed to delight the large crowc
DR.. Coombs excepted, of course.