The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-12-12
SUPPRESSED TESTIMONY
IN SANITARIUM CASE
DISCLOSED
WHO OWNED THE STOCK1
How jenkins Was Trapped.
WinkIer'S Removal.

Below is the testimony OF Ex-Governor
Jenkins before the joint committee OF
the seyenth legislative assembly. This
testimony was suppressed and destroyed.
as was also that Of DR. Winkler. which
Is herewith given All this testimony
IS OF peculiarly vital interest now in the
Hight Of the upheayal In republican ranks.
These upheavals are due primg-ily to
the Norman asylum expose.
Mr.. Jenkins Testimony.
w. NJ. Jenkins, being called as a wit
ness, and being first duly sworn to tes-
tify 70 the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth, and to keep se-
rret the proceedings the committee
until SUCH time as the report thereof is
made to the council and house Of repre-
sentatiyes OF the legislative assembly,
tesuhes as follows;
Examination by j. c. Strang-
q. Your name is William NJ. Jenkins?
A. Yes. s.r
q You reside IA Guthrie?
A. do.
Q. / will ask you now II you know
when the corporation known as the
Okhhopla or Norman sanitarium was
organized, or rather. re-organized, after
the purchase from Dr. Threadgill--I do
not mean the exact date.
A. : know about when it was re-
organized.
Q. DO YOU know to whom the stock
was issued when the reorganization
took placeg
A. ! do not know fully. I never saw
the books Of the corporation. and the
Information l had in reference to It,
mainly, were conversations with Mr.. Cot
tingham and Mr. Robb and DR.. winkier,
with whom thu business transactions
were conducted in reference TO letting
the contract.
Q. You was the governor of the terri
tory then?
A. Yes. sir
Q. And the contract was executed
between the corporation and yourself as
governor?
A. Yes. cir.
Q. I win ask you if you ever owned
any OF the stock
A. never did
q. You know, Of course. governor.
that II has been stated that you had
some stock in tho hands of McNeal.
a. Yes. sir.
O. Now. viii you explain to the COM
mittee tho transaction?
A Yes. sir; / want TO explain IT, Mr..
Cottingham and Mr.. Robb came to my
Office and desired to make "A contract
for the keeping OF the insane. A few
days prior to their coming. Dr. Thread
gill had come with Or. McElrath and
Mr.. Warren, and they had talked and
desired TO renew the contract then ex-
istlng between the sanitarium company,
then owned by DR.. ThReadgill, as l un-
ders.ood. and the territory. and l told
them ! wis not ready to make a con-
tract and that / wished to consider the
matter before / made the contract fur
ther. and / at once had the representa-
tives Of the papers give out NOTICES that
the contract WAS TO be let, and / ap-
pointed ths commiBtee provided for BY
law, to go down there and investigate
the conditions there, as there had been
no report or examination made since 1
had been governor. and Dr. winlsler was
a member OF that committee Then. after
a day or so. Mr.. Cottingham ana MIR.
Robb called and desired to make a con-
tract / told them that was not ready
to make a cnotract that ] did not wish
to agitate the question OF the remoYal
OF the institution, and did not wish 10
do THAI. and l told them that / wished
10 make as good a contract for the ter
ritory as ! could contemplating the con-
tinuing Of the institution where It was.
and II I found that everything was all
right, and the territory was getting what
il was paying for and that I would
feel lite letting the contract TO the peo-
pie who then held IT, and they wanted
to know II they were able TO buy the
Institution IL they personally would be
satisfactory persons TO have the con-
tract In that event My reply to them
was that / d.d not now know bur that
they would. it was an affirmative reply,
and IN the meantime the report OF the
COMMITTEES was made. and they returned
10 ms office wiihin. think. the next
day, and reported that they had seen Or.
Threadgill and had arranged with him to
purchase the entire stock of the insti-
tuition and that thetransaction was en-
tirely satisfactory 10 him, and then we
discussed further what the management
Of the institution would be II they got
the contract. and they said that they
would ask Or. W1nller to become a
member OF the company and to take
the active management Of the concern
Thai seemed to me 10 be a good ar
rangement and I had perfect confidence
in Dr. Winkler; | had known MIN two
terms as a member Of the legislature
and l had been In the secretary's onice.
and ] had the utmost confidence ia him,
ana they lold me what stock they wished
TO hold themselves and what amoant
they would ask Dr. Winkler 70 purchase,
and they STAGED that tLere was yet
about ten thousand dollars worth Of
tho stock that they would distribute
among oiher people hey did not know
who-and they suggested tht n there
was any person that / had in mind that
] would IKE % have somc OF the stock.
or that ! would like 90 have Interested
in Inc institution 10 that extent. that
they would be glad TO turn that amount
OF the stock 10 amy person that / could
sugeest. and / told them that ! would
like 10 know as soon as possible Who
the owners " the stock were and who