The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-07
HOW NOT TO KNOW
7tate Board Of Charities Limits
n BedweIl Hearing.
Confines Evidence of Outrages to
Few Months.
STORY OF EMERSON.
Frightful Bruises On Old Mans
Body Described.
His Pitiful Story as Told After
His Release.
Employees of BedwelI Flock to
His Defense.
STORY OF RYNERSON


formation the state board of charities
ls quite marked success. In the hear
ing OF testimony on the application Tor
the revocation of the Bedwell asylum
license, which commenced Monday at
Gernoon at 2 o'clock, and was concluded
this morning, the board ruled that no
charges should be entertained except
those relating to occurrences subsequent
to May Is, 1901, when the new law regu-
lating private asylums went into effect.
This ruling viii in all probability
break the backbone of the attempt To
have Bedwell's license revoked. Among
other things. the board suppressed the
\ testimony Of the following witnesses:
y DIR. G. W. Ellinger, former county
Physician, who said he knew of improper
Occurrences at the asylum during his
Germ Of Office as county physician prior
to May Is. 1901.
Mrs. Ella Evans. a former employe at
the BedweI1 asylum, who was present 10
testify to cruelties to inmates at the
asylum while she was connected with
that institution.
Ralph Elerick young man who lives
on the ten acres adjoining BedwelI
asylum grounds on the south, VINO Tor
FIVE and half years was employed by
Bedwell, was present to tell of abuse OF
Inmates of the asylum.
Mrs. Dollie Mcclure. a former en-
ploye at BedwelIs, who saw Bradshaw,
the attendant. kick a woman in the
stomach, and saw patients frequently
rhastised.
Supt. Biddle of the Topeka state hos
pital, who while superintendent of the
Osawatomie asylum, discharged Brad
shaw for cruelty to a patient.
Mrs. Mary Jane Short, who was her
self sent to the Bedwell asylum in 1897.
supposedly insane, and who was re
leased by order of the probate court
when the Topeka papers exposed the
real conditions existing at the asylum.
Mrs. Short was not only mistreated her
self, but also saw man named Belts
kicked and pounded, receiving injuries
from which he died soon after.
None of this testimony was admitted
and 1t has been impossible to locate
any employees of BedwelI who have Lett
there since May Is. 1901, except Mrs
Mcclure, 1t was impossible to establish
the true conditions to the board. Mrs
Mcclure was not allowed to testify as
to the kicking Of the woman because
she said it happened before May Is,
, 1901
Mr.. Bedwell. on the other hand had
Nlree witnesses recruited from the ranks
q his employees. to say nothing of the
attendant Bradshaw and the delivery
boy for the bakery which he patronizes-
According to the testimony of the de-
Tense, old Jacob RynersOn must have
done little else but trip up and fall down
from the time he entered the asylum
until he left. When he went into the
institution, he was free from injuries,
when he came out, he was decorated
with bruises from head to foot, and ac
the bruises were due to falls.
Only three members of the board of
charities were present They We're John
Hanan, r. Vincent and Chas. Yoe. The
testimony was all taken down in short
hand by the Stenographer for the board,
and will be transcribed and considered
by the whole board before the result of
the hearing is announced The hearing
was held in the board room on the third
floor OF the administration building at
the state hospital and there was a large
crowd OF witnesses in attendance all
day. The applicants for the re-ocation
IF the license Of Bedwell to receive pa
tients for whom there is not room in
The state asylums were represented by
w F. Schoch. o. E. Hungate appeared
for the defendant. Bedwell. The COM
plant, which was read by Mr.. Schoch al
the opening of the hearing, set forth
that the Bedwell asylum is and has
been misAnanaged, and that patients
there have been abused. The complaint
specifically sets forth the case of Jacot
d Rynerson, who was beaten and kicked
at the asylum, and subsequently died.
The first testimony was offered by S
A. BedWell. He testified as to the
: granting of a license. He said that he
had applied for a license and received
it and that he filed it with the county
clerk after Jacob RynersOn had beer
. taken away from his institution HI
n would not testify when it was that ht
NPpplied for his license The law requir
nd that the application be made si1
faonths after the law was passed in 1879
but he would not testify that he haC
s made application within that time
; Deputy Sheriff W. E. Stewart testified
that he took Rynerson from the cit.
Jail to the county Jail and that at tina
time he saw no bruises on Rynerson
Jailer Smith. from the police station
testified that he saw no bruises on Ry
nerson while he was at the Jail.
Dr. W. f. Bowen testified that h
visited Rynerson at the latter's home il
Tecumseh on September IA. and made
careful examination of his body. H
found a bruise on the abdomen. three o
four bruises on the back, a large bruis
on the left hip the entire left side Yer.
red black and blue back of one ear
both eyes black and blue. He judge
from the injuries that they had been in
flicted about ten days before. Dr. Bowei
was asked to tell what RynersOn toll
him concerning how he received the in
5uries. To this the attorneys for Bed
4 well objected, but the board, which ha
+ not then started to making its stric
rulings concerning the admission of ev
idence, allowed DIR. Bowen to tell wha
Z Rynerson said
It appears that Rynerson told Bowe
that while at the asylum he got Yer
cold one night, and tried to call some
one to get him some bedciothes. II
pounded on the floor and tried hard t
bring an attendant. Failing in this, h
got out of bed, and tried to find III
door. While doing so, he fell down. an
shortly after, an attendant, who RyneT
son could not recognize because of hi
blindness, came in and kicked him bac
into bed.
Deputy Sheriff Hal Williams testifie
20 seeing a bruise on Rynerson whe
Rynerson was taken to the county jai
Mrs. Mary Jane Short. formerly a
Innate of the Bedwell asylum. VIII
Z.ce sued Bedwell for damages, wa
/hlaced on the stand. She wore a heav
n veil, which Commissioners Vincent aske
.har to remove. She declined to do s
e.. the reason. as stated By her, tha
sbe had a cancer which had affected he
Face. She said that she was in Bedwe
asylum Tor yea9 "a, ana seven i month Ra
p-sdshaw, not Charles or VIII. Sh
Vas not allowed to go on and tell ht