The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-09
helpless Paralytic at Poor Farm
Says He Was Beaten.
OutgrOWth of Letter Publishc d
in State Journal.
ASKED TO LET 1T DROP
Promised to Keep Still About
His Treatment.
Only Because Wanted to Get
Away, He Says.
ASKED TOILET 1T DROP

few days ago the State Journal
published statement from an inmate
of the poor farm which was in the
nature of protest against the treat
ment received by the unfortunates
kept there and in which some pretty
strong charges were made about the
food served there and the sanitary ar
engagements.
Now comes Lloyd Rupin. a poor old
broken down and dissipated printer.
suffering from paralysis. who has been
confined out there for the past three
months. and makes still stronger
charges against Superintendent G.
w. Belts and the conduct of the. poor
farm generally. Rupin tells the fol-
lowing story:
THE other day this man Belts
called us all into room and read the
article in the State Journal and de-
manded of US to tell which one wrote
IT, He said that he would compel the
State Journal by threats of a libel
suit to tell who had sent the letter.
That letter did not begin to tell how
bad conditions are out at the poor
farm.
After the incident of the letter
Superintendent Belts declared that he
would let none of us send a written
line from there until he had opened
and read our letters. 1 was without
shoes and clothes and being killed by
my treatment there, so 1 wrote my
brother, DIR. Anton Rupin of this city,
telling him of the state of affairs out
there and asking him to send me
some clothes. After the letter had
been sealed and stamped and placed
in the mail box Belts took 1t out and
started to open and read it. l tried
to prevent him and he assaulted me in
a savage manner. He said he would
put me I'm cell. 1 resisted as we'll as
1 could. but he is a burly man and
he kicked and beat me until 1 was
nearly insensible. Some Of the in
mates had hid the key to the cell so
he could not lock me in.
Belts came to me afterwards and
asked me to- let the matter of his
treatment of me drop. 1 asked him
for shoes and clothes so l could leave
that place. He made me promise to
keep still. I did. I would have prom
Used anything to get away from that
terrible place.
IAN the inmates saw his brutal at
tack on me that day and would verify
my statement If they were not afraid
to do So
why, 1 have lived there for days
at time with only green turnips to
eat We have to work hard out
there and our treatment is something
awful 1 cannot tell you what a
state the sanitation has come to out
there.
IT went to Poor Commissioner Hale
today to tell him about my treatment
out at the poor farm, but he would
not listen to me-"
Rupin is an old time printer and in
spite of his unfortunate state, talks
intelligently and convincingly of his
treatment at the poor farm. He
worked in this city many years ago
on the Capital and before that on
the old Commonwealth. He was later
connected with the st. Louis Repub-
lie. If one-half what he says is true
there should be an investigation of the
poor farm.
Superintendent Belts was ap-
pointed commissioner at the poor
farm last spring in place of John
Taylor. The latter had held the
place thirteen years without a COM
plant being registered against him.
Commissioners Frank Harrison and
Frank Simms secured Belts the place
over the protest of Commissioner
Sterne and 1t was supposed to be in
pursuance of a political deal as Simms
is candidate for sheriff on the
Democratic ticket and needs the in
fuence of Belts who is a Republican
and a brother of Senator ]. B. Belts.