The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-05
Appears to Be Something
Wrong With County Supplies.
DR.. Keith Says Smallpox Pa
tients Get Bad Food.
SUPPLIED By HALE.
Poor Commissioner Charged
With Neglect Of Duty.
While Officers WrangIe Sick
People Suffer.

DR.. h H Keith. the physician IN
charge of the smallpox cases in the
Baker family, addressed a menacing
letter to City Physician c. E. Judd to
day. Of which the following is a copy:
DIR. c. z Judd. City Physician:
Dear Sir-The Baker family are get
ting nothing to eat The -four sent there
Is not ut to eat. This family are sick
and need food sick people can eat, and
II they do not get the things I order /
Will turn them out and let you arrest M
if you want to.
Yours respectfully.
H H. KEITH. NJ D.
Accompanying the letter was request
for provisions. signed by John Allen.
the man who is acting as guard at the
Baker home. The request specified the
following items OF food which are needed
for the Baker family.
Sack good -four, busheI Of potatoes.
butter. lard. two cans Of baking powder
soap, one gallon coal oil. meat, sugar
cabbage. beans. coffee. half dozen cans
of corn. half dozen cans OF tomatoes
half dozen cans Of June peas.
The trouble seems to be that the food
furnished by the county for distribution
through Poor Commissioner Hale is not
their aall-sieian This is not the firse
time, by any means. that the quality q
the county food has been severely crIti-
ci@ad.
The health officers say that DR.. Keith :
threat to turn loose the Baker family Is
Of no force. because the haalth depart
ment VIII continue TO maintain the
quarantine in spite Of what Dr.. Kieth
MS CO
The city is seeking to avoid the fnan-
0f1N cfrrr.l--5r7zr dazfi-
{ tute families who happen to be tied up
by quarantine. and so far as possible
has turned over all requests for food to
the poor commissioner OF the county TO
be filed. The Baker family reside OUT
side Of the city limits. but within the
smile jurisdiction of the board OF
health The position of the city is that
the city pays to the county a large pro-
portion of the fund created for the poor.
and that it IS the business of the county
to step In and take care Of such cases
In the past the city has paid a good
many Of these bills for provisions, and
has borne all the expense of feeding
patients at the pest house There is a
strong disposition on the part of the
& city council to turn down all sucn bills
in the future At the meeting Of the
I committee on claims and accounts held
( Saturday the matter was discussed. but
nothing was done The committee al
lowed bill which was presented for
T this purpose.
& II the new CITY cnarrer act becomes
+ a law. the county viii be obliged 20 pay
ali such bills. This seems right ana
just, as the city pays about $4,000 a
year TO the county to. be used for the
purpose specified The new act says
Sec 21S Whenever smallpox or other
kindred cOnta gi0us diseases exist in the
city the mayor and council shall take
such action as in their judgment NAY
be necessary to suppress and prevent
the spreading Of the same. and pay al
necessary expenses for such purposes
Sec PIG A detailed tented and
correct account Of all money SO expend-
ed by the city shall be presented 10 ths
board of county commissioners in which
such city is located and said board OF
county commissioners shall monthly
audit and allow such claims as are
found correct and draw warrants on tbs
+ county treasurer in favor Of said city
therefor and il shall be the duty Of tbs
F county treasurer of said county to pay
the same out OF any funds in the treas
ury not otherwise appropriated
DR. keithfs letter and the list of pro
visions desired will be turned over by
the health department to Poor Commits
siOner Hale, and he viii be requested tc
i'll the order. II he does not do so
there may be some annoying compIi-
cations Meantime, the Baker family
sick and hungry. win be allowed r
struggle along with the burden OF rec
tape as they best can.