The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-03
.HENRYALLEN'S DEFENSE
Former Chairman Board of Charities
Discusses DR.. NewIon's Discharge.

DISCUSSES Of. NeWiOnS O1Scnargo.
H. ]. Allen, who was chairman of
the old state board of charities up
DIR. c. S. Newton. of the Winfield
school for the feeble minded. He
says:
~ have no criticism to pass upon
the state board of control for remov-
ing DR.. Newton from the superintend-
ency at Winfield, if the board believed
the removal was necessary for the in
terests of the service, or If they want
| ed DR.. NewIon's place for any other
reason. have read the list of charges
upon which the board has pretended
to act, however, and they do not seem
to me to justify in themselves DR..
Newlon's removal from a position
which he has filled with ability for
| in view of the statement which the
board of control makes, that DR..
Newlon's conduct in reference to three
| of the charges was authorized by the
state board OF charities.
'In reference to the charge that
DR.. Newton obtained $147.63 in July,
1904, for expenses incident to a trip
east, will say that not only the state
board of charities but the auditor as
well had knowledge of this expend1-
ture, and before DR.. Newton took the
trip we authorized it, believing it was
wise expenditure in the interests of
the Winfield school. We desired Dr.
Newton to investigate conditions in
other schools for feeble-minded. to
| look into the policy in force in other
states for the transfer of feeble
minded epileptics to state epileptic
hospitals, and to attend the national
meeting of superintendent of institu
tions for feeble-minded. DR.. Newton
had been giving his full time to the
work at Winfield for several years, be-
ing obliged to take care not only OF
,ser&-
ical duties as well of over 800 pa
tfents, and his time had been so given.
to this work that we believed it would
be a benefit to the service for DIR.
Newton to take this trip because of
the educational features it would fur
nish to him. Nearly every state in
the union has the policy of allowing
Its superintendent to study in this
manner the. questions which relate to
the progress of their work. Under the
new law provision is made for the
sending of superintendent upon tours
of investigation whenever the j1dg-
ment of the board warrants.
I'VE believe that the board and the
in this expenditure, but if we did not,
DR.. Newton is in no sense to blame.
The state board of charities assumes
full responsibility for the expenditure.
Concerning charge No. 2, that DR..
Newton had been putting inmates on
the pay roll and signing their names to
pay rolls and warrants, desire to say
that DIR. Newton had authority to car
| ry the name of Frank Wells, one of the
inmates, on the pay roll, for $500 per
month. This patient was capable of
doing an employs labor in the power
house of the institution, and his work
| saved the state the expense of employ
ing an assistant, which would have
cost at least $500 per month. For
the purpose of encouraging this in
mate, and also because we thought it
was an equitable arrangement, we
authorized DR.. Newton to put him. on
| the pay roll for the amount named.
| Maggie Shannon, who received $1,000
for her expenses in visiting her mother
at OSawatomie, is another patient who
did the fun work of an employee, and
wac, we thought, entitled to this small
recognition for her services. believe
that during the four or five years
which DR.. Newton has been authorized
to make these expenditures, less than
| $4,000 has been spent in this manner,
and the labor done by these patients
has been worth several hundred dol
| lars to the state.
I'm reference to the charge No. 8,
of DIR. Newton in the apartments used
! by himself, family and friends and
| charging his expenses to the state,
| desire to say that during the service of
the state board of charities, never re-
| garded DR.. Newton as extraVagant; the
quarters used by himself and family at
| Winfield are much smaller than those
used by most of our superintendents.
| I know of no instance during my ac-
| quaintance with this work in which he
| has charged wrongfully his expenses
to the state. If he has been giving
| house parties, it has been since the
| first of July and the state board of
| charities has no knowledge of this
| charge.
Touching charge No. 4, that DIR.
| Newton sold a horse and a few small
items of furniture to the state. will
say that the state needed q horse and
the one purchased was bought at a
| bargain and is now in the service of
| the state. It is not charged, I believe,
/ by the state board of control, that any
small purchases, and their only COM
plant is that touching the policy. This
/ policy was approved by the state board
of charities as being good business
sense. and if we have erred therein,
DR.. Newton is not responsible.
'"'It was presumed, of course, that
the new board of control would desire
to make changes in the Superintend-
encies of these institutions, and being
| wholly responsible for this work, they
| changes they desire to make. am
only sorry that in changing the super
! intendency at Winfield, they should
have adopted the policy of making
| charges against DR.. Newton, thus do
ing grave injury to an employee who
has given many years to the service of
the state. 1 am glad to note that the
! board makes no complaint touching
the work at the institution, the condi-
ton of the patients. or the manner in
| which DR.. Newton has superintendent
the inner life of the institution
YOUNG BRYAN IN HOSPITAL.