The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-01-21
EVERY WRONG
IN ASYLUM TO
Be RIGHTED
Committee of Three Is Sent
E0ut Under Orders.
SCANDALOUS SCHARGE MADE
Sheriff TiIghman Is Quoted in
Regard 10 Cruelty.

Guthrie, o. r, Jan. pa committee
consisting OF DR.. Cras. Elliott of Black
well, DIR. J. w. Werner OF Newl1irS and
DR.. E. II. Cook Of Watonga, selected by
Governor Ferguson, viii leave tomorrow
morning for Norman, to investigate the
Oklahoma sanitar1um A conference will
be held in Governor Ferguson's Office be-
fore leaving the city, and specific instruc-
tions viii be given the committee by the
governor. The doctors viii be asked to
look up certain charges relative TO the
deaths Of inmates and their burial before
notice was given 20 relatives. A number
of complaints in writing have been made
to Governor Ferguson relative to this
matter. and he desires to know what the
facts are in ths case. Other instructions
relative to the sanitarium and food for
the inmates wiz be given ard the matter
rigidly looked into
The personnel Of the committee and
tine Of the investigation have been kept
r
nouncement today is the first that has
been nade Of the movements of TIE in
vestigstiug committee As soon as the
members of the committee return 70 this
city written report VIII re submitted
10 the governor ard Will be given TO the
press by him.
The governors attention has been called
to several articles in the newspapers in
regard to affairs at the sanitarium. The
Chandler Tribune of last week contained
an article using the name of Sheriff VIII
liam Tnghman Of Lincoln county as au-
thority This article stated that persons
from Lincoln county had died and were
buried long before relatives were inform
ed other statements were printed, and
since Governor Frguson's attention has
been called to them. he has written vari-
Gus parties over the territory asking
them if they can substantiate statements
Of this nature and if such proves to be
the case the matter viii be turned over
TO the grand jury at its next session for
investigation.
A portion of the article in the Chandler
Tribune referred TO is as follows:
Sheriff Tighlman. who las frequent
occasion to visit this institution, says
that he has reliable information that the
inmates are treated shamefully. In the
case Of one Of Lincoln cOunty's citizens.
olNman Jennings who was taken there
but a few weeks ago. he says that he
has no doubt from the stories told him
that he was starved and beaten TO death.
His informant told him that one of the
inmates knocked the poor old man down
the day before he died. The old man
had been dead and buried two weeks be-
fore his relatives in the county We're in
formed OF his death. and they were thus
deprived of the consolation OF bringing
the remains of their loved one home and
giving a decent, Christian burial, IS they
were anxious to do, and which they would
gladly have doIe at their own expense.
Another case reported by Sheriff Tighl-
man is that Of feebIa-mnded younth
who was sent Up from the county. Mr..
Tichlman having information which led
him to believe that the boy was not re-
ceiving proper treatment and that ten
days more N the sanitarium would end
his days, advised the boys mother 10 go
and get him, which she did, and the
boys statements OF the treatment accord
Cd him certainly shows that Sheriff
TiEhlman's fears were well founded
Another Lincoln county citizen. Ben
Howden. who resided in the Kickapoo
country is said by his sister TO have been
starved to death. lie was SO emaciated
even when she visited him a few weeks
before his death as TO be bat a mere
shadow OF himssli-so much so that she
wrote to friends of her brother residing
in Lincoln county begging that steps be
taken to have him released. that h was
As sane as ever ana told her that ne was
being slowly starved to death" And af-
ter his death she went after his remains.
ana the letter which she wrote Of poor
Ben's shocking appearance would bring
tears 70 Tire ewes Of any nm who had