The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-08-19
Dr.. w. s. Lindsey Cited to APP
pear Before Judge Dana.
Charged With Keeping Insane
Patients at Cottages"
SAYS 1T is UNJUST.
Will Try to Show He Hasn't
Violated Injunction.
Has Sent Noisy Patients to
Kansas City.

DIR. w. S. Lindsay, the head OF the
cottages for the insane at CHRIST s
hospital has been cited by Judge A.
w. Dana of the district court for
contempt. In an order issued by the
judge, DIR. Lindsay is required to ap-
pear before the court september y
to show why he should not be pun
ished for contempt and to explain
the charges of continuing to main
tain the insane cottages against the
peace of the public and Against the
Injunction issued on June 26.
The application for an order TO
punish DR.. Lindsay for contempt of
court was filed by Ferry & Doran on
behalf of the state. the attorney gen
eraI and the county attorney and at
ter an affidavit sworn cut by L. e
Marshall.
In his complaint Mr.. Marshall says
that the disturbances caused by the
insane patients at the hospital have
been carried on in the same manner
as they were before the injunction
was issued last June. He claims that
he has witnessed mber OF dis
turbances and that he has been re-
1iably informed by others that many
other people have had their peace
disturbed through the cries, screams,
wells and escape of the patients. Mr..
Marshall also adds that he has in
formed DR.. Lindsay of the condition
of affairs and other people have in
formed him-but their complaints
were not needed by the doctor.
I.
keeping noisy patients of the insane
variety in his hospital, this Injunction
following a series of complaints
which were first taken to the police
court and later to the district court.
The first charge was on the basis of
a city ordinance which stated that an
insane hospital should only be 10
Gated at least a certain distance from
the city limits the residential sec
tons. This ordinance was found to
be invalid and the insane cottages at
Christ's were then declared a nuf-
sance and on these grounds the in
junction was allowed.
When seen by a State Journal re-
porter this morning DR.. Lindsay was
inclined to feel that the charges
against him were unjust. He will
once. In speaking of the alleged dis
turbances DR.. Lindsay said:
"Of course these charges seem
rather unjust to me. Since the trial
tients away from the cottages and
whenever I found that a patient was
going to cause trouble sent him to
Kansas City at once. No patients
ed signs of violence or who were in
sane in the more serious degrees.
When we did take patient and
found later that he screamed, yelled
and otherwise disturbed the neigh
borhood we sent him away at once
and the people in this residential dis
trict have known this I have told
them a number of times that 1 had
sent away all of the annoying pa
tients and they were aware of the fact.
This man Linden who jumped
through a screen window and ran
through the streets was not insane
when he was taken in. In fact he was
very quiet at all times except when he
had that overpowering desire to brock
away and go home. He is harmless
and was overcome by the heat while
rrnrI-fnC IL iG at IL.
time and feels very sorry over his ac-
tions. He has offered to pay any dam
ages that might have been caused by
his actions.
ITO my own knowledge I have not
violated the injunction and was not
awart that / was carrying on Me
work the hospital against the wishes
of the people who live in this district
nave always tried to keep only the
quiet patients-and the extremely hot
weather has made some of them nerv-
Gus and restless. Every city of this
size in the country has such a hospital
and in Kansas City. for instance. they
arc situated in the best part of the
city facing the best street in the city
! will answer Judge Dana to this eff
feet
List of Complaints.
The list of complaints as filed with
the petition state specifically the time
place and action of the disturbances
The list is written as follows:
u q,
following the rendition of the judg-
lnent. at about $50 or s o'clock in the
m morning. and also in the afternoon of
said day. screams and yeI1s emanated
from some person or persons confined
In the cottages and were of such char
acter as to disturb the peace and quiet
of said community.
THAT On Wednesday. June 30. at
about $50 in the evening. the peace |
and quiet of the community was again |
disturbed by the screams and cries of !
persons confired in the cottages.
That on Thursday. July Is a similar |
disturbance occurred about $50 a. m. |
to the great annoyance and disturbance
of The peace and quiet of the COM |
munity. That a similar disturbance oc-
CURED on Thursday. July %. and again |
screams and yells of the persons con-
fined in the cottages on the last named |
GATE were heard by a great many peo- |
pie who reside in the community.
That similar disturbance occurred |
on Saturday. July 81 and again on !
Thursday, August 5. at about $40 a. m |
That another similar disturbance
occurred on Saturday, August Z, 1909, |
THAT on Monday. August g. 1909, |
at p. m, a similar disturbance oc- |
CURED; and that on Saturday. the |
4th day of August 1903. the cottages
one Edward Lindell. who was uncon-
trollable, was permitted to jump |
through the screens of the second |
story of the east cottage and to es- |
cape into the streets in his night |
clothes; that he was chased through |
the neighborhood and caught about |
one block south and two blocks east |
of the cottages on Tenth street; that
this escape in the manner and dress
aforesaid and his pursuit through the |
said streets, greatly disturbed the |
peace and quiet of the community and |
caused great fear and anxiety on the |
- 0F faa nd oh o. 4