The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-04
KEITHFICHTSBACK
Physician Expelled from Medi-
cal Society Hires Lawyer.
Says He Will Find Why Action
Was Taken.
TALKS OF POLITICS.
Says 1t Was to Hurt Campaign
for Coroner.
Result of the Mixup Watched
With Interest.

DR.. H. H. Keith was expelled from
the Shawnee County Medical society
at meeting held at the National hotel
Monday night. The charge made
against DR.. Keith was unprofessional
conduct.
DR.. Keith today retained Judge A. L.
Redden as his attorney to investigate
the matter and to decide if legal action
should be brought against the society.
He claims that the move was simply
for campaign purposes to hurt his can
didacy for coroner.
DR.. Keith was not notified that the
society contemplated his expulsion and
he has not since been notified of the
action of the society and today Judge
Redden was unable to secure the rec
had been done.
The matter came before the society
when a circular letter sent out by DIR.
Keith, asking the voters of the county
to support him for the nomination of
coroner at the Republican primaries
February 27. was read at the meeting.
The letter was signed by DR.. Keith. 1t
stated that is he was unable to see all the
voters in the county and was unable to
make an extensive canvass for the
nomination, he was using the letter as
a means to call the attention of the
voters to his candidacy. He referred
the voters to the physicians of Tope-
ka if they wished to make inquiries DIS
to his reputation and political stand
ing.
The motion was made at the meet
ing, after the letter was read, that DIR.
Keith be expelled from the society.
There was some debate on the motion
and a motion to lay the matter on the
table was lost. The motion to expel
Dr. Keith was then carried. The
charge made was unprofessional con-
duct.
When the society elected officers for
the coming term DR.. L. M. Powell was
nominated for president. DR.. l. =.
Mum nominated DR.. w A. Wehe and
announced that the election of Dr.
Wehe as president of the society would
aid him in his campaign for the nomi-
nation as coroner. DR.. Powell declined
to be a candidate and DR.. Wehe was
elected. DR.. 0. A Taylor. who is also
a candidate for coroner. is a member OF
the Shawnee County Medical society.
Dr. Keith when first asked about the
action of the society in expelling him,
| said: Il know nothing about it. This
, is the first I have heard of it. I was
not notified that any charges were to
be made against me, and have not
been notified that have been ex-
PEELED
DR.. Keith then retained Judge Red
den and he began a search to find out
what the society had done. Judge
Redden called on DR.. Warriner. the
former secretary. DR.. Warriner said he
didn't know anything about the action
of the society as he was not at the
meeting. Judge Redden then called on
DIR. L. S. Chamberlain, the newly
elected secretary. DIR. Chamberlain
stated that he did not know that
sent to DR.. Keith. and that he did not
know anything about the resolution or
the charges. Judge Redden then called
on DR.. J. P. Lewis, the treasurer of
Ia TJ0 I'm 1Ofhino 0hOlIt
the resolution.
After Judge Redden had made his un-
successful search, DR.. Keith said: MY
attorney has so far been unable to find
out anything from the officers of the
medical society. I can't say much about
it except that if I was simply expelled
from the society I care nothing about it,
but if charges of any kind were made
against me professionally and to injure
my standing, I shall take such action
as my lawyer advises me to- This is
simply a political move on the part Of
the society to injure me in my cam
paign for the nomination as coroner and
to help DR.. Wehe. That is very evil
dent. The only trouble is that I came
to Topeka with nothing and have been
successful. I have built up a practice
that is worth $4,000 year. have my
own hospital and a pay roll of 50 900 a
month for my nurses and assistants.
pay between $500 and 800 taxes each
year. For this reason the physicians
connected with Christ and Stormont
hospitals wish to injure me because
started hospital of my own 1t is sim
pie petty jealously ON the part of the
physicians connected with these hos
pitals.'
The Shawnee County Medical society
| in expelling DIR. Keith from the society
deprived him of his membership in the
state and national societies as the
/ physicians who are members of the
! county societies are thereby members
| of the state society and the members of
| the state society are made members OF
the National Medical society.