The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-01
INTERNES WIN CASE
CLEARED BY BOARD OF HEALTH OF
"INsANITY TRUST" STIGMA.
Verdict Is that Dispensary Doctors
Were Not Dishonest in
Their Inquests.
POOLING OF FEES NOT EVIL
sUPT. BENHAM SAYS 1T PREVENTS
HURTFUL COMPETITION.
Denial that Physicians Had m Al
lance with Justice of the
Peace Lockman.
POOLING OF FEES NOT EVIL
sUPT. BENHAM SAYS 1T PREVENTS
HURTFUL COMPETITION.

The City Board OF Health last night COM
pleted its investigation relative 10 the al
legged irregularities in the matter Of hand
ling insanity cases by employees of the city
at the free Dispensary. Following is the
verdict made last night after a personal
examination Of Superintendent J. r. Ben
ham. Drs. J. F. Hicks. II. A. Jacobs. j. b.
Young, Elwood Gray. Drivers Thomas +.
Delaney and Henry Held and Matron Mrs.
Elizabeth Cronnon:
I'm our judgment some afidavits were
made after too brief a period Of obserVa-
ton. but We are convinced that they ex-
pressed the honest opinions of the atlantis
after personal examination of the patient.
There Is no evidence that any afhdaVit
was ever made for the purpose of securing
witness fees either for the affiant or for
any other person connected with the fnsti-
tuition
There is no evidence of any medical at
tendant or examining physician ever in
stigating an investigation knowing that the
patient was not insane.
There is no evidence of any pool OF all
employees of the Dispensary for the purpose
of dividing the fees from insanity inquests.
There is no evidence of an understand
ing or agreement between Dispensary en-
ployes and any justice of the peace for
mutual benefit.
There is a mutual understanding be-
tween the five Dispensary internes by
which they share equally the legitimate
fees of the institution, such as insanity
inquest fees. autopsies and coroner's fees,
neither the superintendent. ambulance
drivers nor other employees participating In
the division Of such fees"
This statement was signed by Drs. F. a.
Morrison, r. d. Mofet and r. c.. Reyer.
SUPT. BENHAM'S STATEMENT.
Earlier in the day afhdavits were made by
each of the attaches of the Dispensary, de-
nying the existence of a pool for the di-
a. - -. 1T. Il 80
shown that there was an agreement among
the five internes for the equal division of all
fees received. DR.. Benham. the superin-
tendent, upon his examination, said the
agreement was known to him and was by
his sanction in force. He recited an in
stance several years ago when such an
agreement did exist. but was broken by one
OF the members of the dispensary force
who sought to secure for himself more fees
than the others and this resulted at the
time in a noticeable increase in the number
of insanity commissions held and the dis
missal OF the inferno, there being a certain
incentive to each inferno not 10 miss any
thing for himself.
He said he had not. nor had the matron,
Mrs. Cronnon nor the ambulance drivers,
Thomas Delaney and Henry Held, shared
in the division of the fees. He thought
such an agreement a matter of fairness to
each. and. in fact. a safeguard. preventing
competition among physicians. He thought
it should be explained that the division was
not of fees from insanity inquests alone,
but OF court fees, autopsies and witness
fees when testimony was given before the
coroner. He knew of no agreement that
any justice of the peace was to have all of
the cases sent TO him. He also said that a
few days before the recent agitation of the
matter he had directed the internes to dis
tribute the cases among the various
justices. He said he had heard of no such
complaints against any of the internes and
their conduct toward patients. and he had
no knowledge of any physician connected
with the Dfspensary making charges for
attendance.
COMPLIMENTED THE INTERNES.
He said he had found all members of the
Dispensary staff under him gentlemanly in
their conduct and thought none so low
minded as to instigate proceedings which
would deprive any person of liberty with
out what they would consider just cause.
The testimony Of each of the attaches Of
the Dispensary was in about the same
tenor, all denying that any inquests had
been brought about for the purpose of Sc
curing fees, knowing at the time there was
no good ground for combining a person.
The questions put by the committee were
pointed and of a nature designed TO bring
out information. Members of the board
left the Dispensary with a feeling that the
internes had been fair and honest and had
been subjected To much unfaVorable criti-
cism. even though made in good faith, by
reason of insufficient Investigation into the
true nature OF the cases. There was also
a feeling that Justice of the Peace Lock-
man had exercised a dominating influence
over some members of the staff.
Two members OF the committee expressed
sympathy for Matron Cronnon. who made
many of the affidavits. She had not par
ticipated in the division of any of the fees
and II was claimed made the affidavits
upon being assured by LOckman that it
was her duty to do so.