The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-11

gins, Sherburne. King. Eckdall. Morr1-
son, Yingling. Poindexter, Jacobs, Hunt,
Wetmore, Ellsworth, Cromer.
A petition asking for the revoking of
Meffert's medical license signed by Revs.
w. C. Madison, ]. NJ Hughes, F. J.
Sauber, F. G. Ward, A. S. Vincent, w.
A. Parker, Father Rom, H. c. Whttby,
H. Zimmerman, was introduced, and
also another along the same line signed
by a large number of representative
citizens of Emporia, headed by Mayor
Morse, State Senator L. r. Wright,
Representative Charles Harris, President
Wilkinson of the State normal, Presi-
dent Miller of the College of Emporia,
and many others.
The first oral witness was DIR. T. A.
Brown, of Reading, who was intro
duced to identify DR.. Meffert as one OF
the parties seen by w. A. Hall in the
pasture. He did not see Meffert in the
pasture himself but met him driving
away from the locality, and his descrip-
ton of Meffert whom he met and rec,
ognized, tailed with that given by Hall
of the man he saw in the pasture.
The defense attempted to compel DR..
Brown to give the name of the girl inn
plicated with DR.. Meffert, but he re-
fused and the board ruled that he did
not have to do So
DR.. Packer, chairman Of the board,
called down the lawyers who attempted
to wrangle over hair-splitting legal
techniealities. He said the board want
-
would not stand on technicalities.
On cross-examination DIR. Brown tes-
titled that w. N. Smelzer, who is one of
Meffert's attorneys, was with Meffert
when Brown met Meffert coming away
from the pasture, and that they were in
surrey driven by a colOred man.
This completed the direct evidence on
the part of the state.
DEFENSE BEGINS.
The defense introduced counter af-
was alleged criminal operation had
been performed. The affidavit denied
that DR.. Meffert had ever performed a
criminal operation upon the affiant. 1t
was made May IA, 1902. three or four
days prior to the affidavit produced by
the state.
The girls mother made AFFIDAVIT that
the girls supposed dying statement was
secured while she, the mother, was alb
sent from the room, and that the girls
nerves were in such condition that she
was not responsible for her statements.
Afhdavits of E. ]. Palmer and Mrs.
r. A. Palmer stated that the girl re-
ferred to was visiting at their house
when o. M. Wilhite, Charles Harris and
Others called to see her about the Mef-
fert case; that they warned her against
getting mixed up in it, and that she
said she was to receive $25 and expenses
for coming to Topeka and testifying
before Attorney General GODDARD with
reference to Meffert, but that she
wouldn't give any damaging evidence
against Meffert because she didn't know
anything against him.
DR.. w. F. Boylan, now of Guthrie.
but formerly of Emporia, went on the
stand and testified that he was called to
see the girl after the time of the alleged
criminal operation, but found no evil
dences of such an operation. On the
contrary he found her suffering from a
disease which might have produced her
trouble.
DR.. G. w. Morse testified that he was
in the room where the girl was sick,
but made no examination OF her condi-
ton. and that DR.. Biddle made no ex-
animation either. The object of his tes-
timony was to impeach the affidavit of
DIR. Biddle.
At this point the board adjourned for
noon.
noon the defense introduced the affidavit
of H. p Wilson, who stated that the
girl who made the affidavit before At
torney General GODDARD charging Meffert
with performing a criminal operation,
told him that she had to sign the
charges but that she really had moth
ing against DIR. Meffert, who had al
ways treated her as well as other En-
poria people.
DR.. L. E. Evans, formerly of Wilston
Ok, went on the stand to rebut evil
dence with regard to cr1minally neg
1ecting Mrs. John Roberts, who after
wards died. He testified to having as
sisted in an operation performed by DIR.
Meffert, who had charge of the case.
On the eighth day he went to Kansas
City and failed to get back for two
days, and DIR. Evans was called in. An
affidavit made by DR.. Garner stated that
Dr. Evans said Meffert had gone off to
Kansas City and left him with a bad
case. DR.. Evans denied saying this.
The idea OF the state was to show un-
professional conduct on the part of
Meffert.
Affidavits of Mrs. Roberts mother and
sister to the same effect were intro
GIRL DEFENDS DIR. MEFFERT.
Media Stine said in an affidavit that
she is the bookkeeper for the telephone
DR.. Meffert for six years, one year OF
which she boarded at his house while
going to school She gave the names OF
several other women who had been
with DR.. Meffert as patients. Never
saw any improper conduct on the part
of Meffert or any of the patients.
Alice Tray1or makes affidavit that the
runor that DR.. Meffert caused her
downfall is false and that he had al
ways treated her as a gentleman.
Mary Swan makes affidavit that she
was for six months a nurse in Christ
hospital Topeka, and was for some
time in the employ of DR.. Meffert up
to January, 1901, and that he had al
ways appeared as a gentleman towards
her and his patients.
At 2:30 stir was occasioned by the
entrance of the divorced wife of DR..
Meffert accompanied by three other
women.