The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-07-28
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.


Feeling confident that YOU stand
ever ready and willing to rectify
publications. in your valuable paper
wherein anyone is placed in an un-
just and false position before the
public, beg you to permit the pub
lication of the following statement
of facts:
I / have reference to the article in
yesterdays publication of The Sun
in reference to the confinement Of
my husband, Hiram Smedley. in the
strong room in Riverside hospital in
an effort to effect a cure of the NOR
phine habit by what is termed the
reduction plan. This habit having
been acquired by my husband in the
year 1902 during a severe spell OF
malarial fever and nervous pnostra-
ton. when his physicians were COM
PEELED to administer morphine once
or twice a day for more than six
months. Since that time he has
fought hard and suffered the torture
of he'll to become rid of this unfortu-
nate condition, in which efforts
have done all in my power to assist
and encourage him, having accom-
panied him to many sanitariums for
that purpose.
| Placing Mr.. Smedley In the hos
pital by those in authority was done
for his good, and II possible to better
his condition. This l know and fully
4 appreciate. but in his weak and ex-
thausted condition was unable TO
stand the severe treatment necessary
to effect a cure. He. among other
dishes by throwing them upon the
bed strapped in a straight jacket,
this being done but few hours pre-
cedlng his removal to the jail, and
| sincerely believe he will never over
come the shock to his nervous sys-
TEN caused BY this treatment.
| During Mr.. Smedley's confinement
in the hospital the only food he ate
was a little delicacies prepared and
took him, with the exception of two
glasses OF sweet milk; and the state
ment that he ate the food brought
him. after which he smashed the
dishes b ythrowing them upon the
floor, Is a dirty and malicious false
hood. which but slightly lets in the
light and shows the existence of the
lpettV spite work which is the pnin-
lciple foundation upon which this
case rests. While this incident as to
destroying dishes after partaking OF
the food at first glance seems insig-
nificant. yet upon giving Il thought
II appears TO me to be the most un-
kind, cruel and malicious act OF al
the others nurse having stated
that she believed the dishes were
broken by MIR. Smedley striking the
table with his feet or. hands in his
writing in his bed. and the food was
lentirely untouched.
am sure no one knowing nv
husband in his true sell Will ever be.
lieve he deliberately destroyed furni.
Iture and smashed windows. and II he
ibid so, as is charged, II was done
during a fit OF total responsibility
which condition he Is in today and
has so been for many days past.
The statement or insinuatlon that
i'm any way assisted my husband in
an effort TO obtain morphine while
lin the hospital or any other time. {:
unkind. unjust and untrue. and as
Twas forbidden to see or be with him
my visits to the hospital were TO in
Iquire as to hts condition. and as the
room in which he was confined Is So
SITUATED that anyone standing upon
the top step going in could plainly
see him. ! took advantage of this
fact and stood watching him many
hours during the night in my
Ianxiety over his condition. which fact
was and is unbeknown to him, there.
by doing him no harm.
ask the publication of this be
cause we have suffered much by rea-
son of the true conditions as they
are TO-DAY, and feel to have our sor.
lrow added to by statements to the
public and cur friends which are un-
true. | fell Is too much to bear in
lsilence.
| Thanking you in advance for your
kindness in permitting me TO place
this statement before the people.
lam, very respectfully
MRS. HIRAM SMEDLEY.