The Topeka state journal., 1906-03-02
TO SEE ABOUT 1T.
Board Of Control Investigating
Private AsyIums.
Bedwell's, at Topeka, Is Now
Under the Glass.
ONLY TEN PATIENTS.
Proprietor Says That Business
No Longer Pays.
The RynearsOn Case Is Again
Being Overhauled.
only TEN PATIENTS.


An investigation OF the Bedwen pri-
vate insane asylum being made by the
state board of control for the purpose
of deciding whether or rot a license
shall be issued to that institution has
developed the fact that the business of
the asylum has fallen off so of late
years. in consequence of the increased
facilities of the state ssylums, that Mr..
BedweH is likely to close up his lnstitu-
ton
There are at present only ten patients
in the asylum, according to Mr.. Bed
wells statement. Mr.. Bedwen was
called to the office of the board of con-
troll a few days ago to explain some
matters concerning his asylum. One
of the members of the board said:
Mr.. BedweH informed US that unless
he could get more business than he had
been getting he would close up within
the next six months"
The Bedweu private asylum has been
doing business at the eastesrn edge Of
Topeka for the past ten years. It was
established at a time when the state
asylums were overcrowded, and the
counties were obliged to provide ac-
commodations for their own cases, re-
ceiving pay therefor from the state.
The county farned out the work to
Mr.. BedweIl- Whenever a patient
could not be admitted to the state
asylum, it was customary to send that
patient to Bedwell's.
There has been, apparently, no very
close supervision of the private asylum
in years past. The result has been
that the public did not know exactly
what was going on there, and there has
resulted a good deal of suspicion, ana
some lawsuits. The latest case 10 make
a stir was that of W. r. Rynearson, an
old man who was taken from the asy-
lun by his friends, and died soon a1ter'
presume bly from the effect of injuries
received at the hands Of an attendant
There was a cOroner's inquest over the
body, but the evidence was not con-
sidered strCng enough 10 holo any
The transcript Of evidence in this
case. however. is in the hands Of the
board of control. and is being thor
oughIy Investigated in connection
with the question Of giving Bedweh a
license.
The Rvnearson case was not the first
affair Of similar nature in which tne
Bedweu asylum was involved SeVeral
wears ago there were two patents AT
the ASYLUM, one Mrs. Sandy Short, ana
the other an old colOred woman. BoLh
Of these women claimed to be perfectly
sane and charged that BedWeH was
holding them at his asylum in order to
/ collect the so cents a day which their
keen cost the county. A newspaper
man went out to BedwelIs to lnvesti-
gate the conditions there. He was al
loved to interview both Mrs. Short
and the old negress. Both OF them
| claimed to have been abused and mis-
treated, and both strongly asserted
! their sanity. The result OF the lnVesti-
eefiol was that the next day the pro-
bate court ordered both women re
! leased from the asylum Mrs. Short
sued BedWell for damages, but the case
did not result in a verdict
E B. Sherm chairman OF the
| board of control. says;
'sThere is nothing to be found IN ou1
! records showing that any licenses We're
/ ever issued to the proprietors OF private
/ ssvluns. We have heard that at one
/ time such a license was Issued. but there
/ are no plats plans. or anything else or
/ file as required by law. Neither have
we anv list of such asylunns in the state
we propose to find out where all these
/ institutions are. and require them e
! comply with the law
! The section of the law providing fo1
licenses for private asylulns IS as Iol-
lows.
lish or keep a hospital asvlum- institu-
! tior or house of retreat for the care
/ custody or treatment of the insane o.
persons of unsound mind. Tor cornpeh
satfon or hire without first obtaining z
] license
charities and corrections. Every appli
cation for such license shall be accom-
panied by plan of the premises TO b'
/ occuDied, to be drawn on scale or no
less than one-eigath Of an inch to tn
foot. with a descrintion of the situation
I thereof and the length breadth ans
height. and reference by figure or lettei
to rooms or departments. therein; ana 1,
abatement Of the ground. exercise an
r,a+fer+e nronosed to be received there
in and it shall not be lawful 70
| said board to grant any such hcens
| without having collectively or by com
r,itfee. visited the premises proposed I,
be. licensed. and to be satisfied by % sucl
| exa~nination that said premises cores
! 1Ond 10 the description on the applica
lion. and are otherwise suited for n
purpose for which they are designed L
he used"
the law also provides that If an in
stitution is run without license tn
nroprietor shall be liable to a fine o
s10 per dav for each day so operated
WRpcuRIIc Tn PIIIl0