The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-12

Just wanted TO md
Here DIR. Lewis broke in with this
question:
rs there anything in the report that
If you were single man you were TO
inherit a large amount of money, but II
married you could not? Did that have
anything to do with your divorce?
notice it was agreed to by both you
and your wife,
II wish 1t were true but it wasn't,
answered the doctor.
DR.. Mefferts story of the pasture cpl
sode correspondent with that OF Mr..
Smelzer.
AS the members of the board were
anxious to complete the hearing yestar-
day a night session was held in DR..
Roby's office last night. The testimony
was completed shortly before O'Clock,
and after supper the arguments were
begun. J. Harvey Firth led off for the
state, and was followed by Judge Buck
and Judge Redden on behalf OF DR.. Mef-
fert. Assistant Attorney General Clad
Hamilton closed on behalf of the prose-
cution. 1t was then 1:3O o'clock this
morning, and after half hours delib-
Grafton the board announced that it
would revoke DIR. Meffert's license.
There was much curiosity concerning
the divorced wife of DIR. Meffert when
she took the stand late Friday after
noon. While she defended her former
husband in the direct examination
when it came to the cross examination
it was evident that she cherished
feeling of resentment against MISS
IraylOr WnOm 1t was charged Of MEL
fert was about TO marry.
The cross-examination of Mrs. Meffert
was conducted by ]. Harvey Firth.
when did you and DIR. Meffert make
up?" he demanded.
The lawyers for the defense objected
strenuously to this question but it was
admitted, and it developed that they
had become on friendly terms again
only few weeks after the divorce
and he had gone to board with her when
she took charge of the house. After
other questions DR.. Cook. of the board,
asked:
Did you ever have any misunder-
standings with Miss Traylor?"
Il have" answered Mrs. Meffert-
What were they abOut?'
''They were about doing the house
work"
Did you ever have occasion to sus-
pect undue intimacy between the doctor
and Miss Traylor?'
Il never did,
Here DR.. Roby broke in.
Did you ever threaten to kill Miss
Traylor?" he asked.
Il have" said Mrs. Meffert with the
utmost GOODNESS.
what were your reasons" asked the
doctor.
DR.. Meffert's lawyers objected to this.
but finally withdrew their objections.
II said that since I had been DR..
Meffert's wife and he married any other
woman 1 would kill her if she were
lewd woman"
What was your reason for saying
| that?"
| doctor and Miss Traylor."
Meffert?"
| NO never did"
DR. Lewis then broke in.
Did DR.. Meffert ever mistreat you at
| any timer" he asked.
mo, think not" answered Mrs. Mef-
fert hesitatingly.
Didn't you ever B., have auarrels while
Are you married." asked Mrs. Mef-
| fert quickly.
| This caused a general laugh.
We'll, 1 see you charge extreme
cruelty in your petition for divorce.
How about that?" asked DIR. Lewis.
THAT was an understanding between
| our attorneys" said Mrs. Meffert.
Mrs. Mary Mcclellan, Dr.Meffert's sis
| ter, stated that she lives in Kansas City
| and visited DR.. and Mrs. Meffert about
| twice a year, staying two or three
| weeks at a time, but never saw any,
| thing out of the way between DR.. Mef-
| fert and his wife after their divorce
! Miss Traylor sometimes visits her in
| Kansas City but Mrs. Mcclellan says
| she has never had reason to believe that
| the doctor and Miss Traylor were en-
| gagged.
Mrs. Ida Wilson testified that she was
a patient of DR.. Meffert and in COM
| pany with her sister she boarded at
| Mrs Meffert's in March, 1901, but never
saw anything out of the way there
| George Goddard testified that he has
worked near the Meffert home for three
years and that DR.. Meffert has been his
| family physician. He said he had fire.
| quently called at the Meffert home, but
| did not believe there had been anything
| out of the way there. He said, in reply
to questions by DR.. Cook. that while
some of the best prominent people of
| Emporia made the charges against DR..
| Meffert. he believed they took rumors
| for facts and did not know what they
| were talking about.
Carl Jillson, who lives near the Mef-
| fert home, gave similar testimony.
Mrs. Olga p. Oliver, wife of Rev. j.
H. Oliver, made affidavit that she had
| twice boarded at the Meffert home and
| been treated by DR.. Meffert and had
never seen anything out Of the way
| there.
Cora Silvers was the wife of S. G.
Conklin from whom she obtained a di-
vorce and regained her maiden name
They had trouble and Conklin shot her
and her mother and then committed
suicide. Rumors stated that DR.. Mef-
fert was responsible for the troubles
which ended in this tragedy Mrs. Sill
vers made aff1davits that the rumors
| connecting her with DR.. Meffert were
entirely false and this was substantial
ted by affidavits of her mother and sis
| ter.
Affidavits were presented signed by
more than a dozen Emporfa womer
stating that DR.. Meffert had treated
them and was their family physician
and that he had never acted toward:
them other than as a gentleman. One
said he was one of the most con
scientious physicians she had evel
known. These affidavits were signed
by Mrs. E. ]. Shaffer, Mrs. William
Martindale. Emeline Johnson. Mrs. Rutl
Childers, Mrs. Mary A. Gray, and othel
prominent Emporia women.
A statement was introduced said to b,
| signed by upwards of 500 people living
in or near Emporia, testifying to DR.
Meffert's good character and asking thu
board not to take away his medica
license.
An affidavit of w. A. Hall was filed
which stated that while driving nea
Reading he saw man and woman
walking in a pasture. When he reached
Reading he drew on his imag ination il
describing them and told story tina
their action were improper. DR.. Brown
| he said greedily picked I'D the stOr,