Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-05-19
FORMER SECRETARY OF HEALTH
BOARD REFurEs GOVERNORS
CHARGES.
HINTS HE MAY SUE
EXECUTIVE FOR ISLANDER
Shows That He Withheld No State
Money and Puts Carroll in the Anan-
las cIass-says Entire Board Knew
How Funds Were Being Handled and
Collected.
special to Times-Republican.

/ special 10
! Red Oak, May 19.-Dr. Louis A
Thomas, formerly secretary Of the
state board of health, yesterday issued
a statement explicitly and emphatic
ally denying charges made against him
! by Governor B. F. Carroll at the Ma
nila meeting last Saturday and init
| mating that prosecution or law suits
| may grow out Of the statements made
by the chief executive The reply of
DR.. Thomas says:
In the newspaper report Of speech
delivered by Governor B. F. Carroll at
Manila, Iowa, May IA, he is credited
with the following statement: 'In
some instances l found an absolute
disregard of the law requiring fees to
be turned into the state treasury and
in at least one instance have found
that illegal fees were being collected
and retained by the party receiving
them. I refer to the collection of
fee of S. by the former secretary Of
the state board of health for each dead
body shipped to the medical colleges
of the state. This fee was being COL
lected without the knowledge of the
board"
Governor Speaks Falsely.
If the governor is accurately re-
ported his statement, so far as it ap-
plies to me personally, is absolutely
false and due to gross transformation
or to wilful Misrepresentation. In
boasting of his attempts to make
clean administration he intimates it
was necessary to rid the state of GER
tain officials, the inference being that
l was among the number. This is the
first reliable intimation I have had
that Governor CAROLS hand was con-
cerned in the cowardly, undetermined
and dishonorable treatment accorded
me by members of the state board Of
health. AS it appears he is now at
tempting to make political capital by
besmirching my official record, it is
but just that the public be given the
true facts.
Before my retirement as secretary of
the state board of health Jan. l, 1910,
I wrote DR.. A. p. Hanchett, Of Coun-
Gil Bluffs, president Of the board re-
questing him to meet me at the office
to receive and receipt for the funds
then in my hands. To this letter
received no reply; neither did he ap-
pear at lue lllIlc appointed. vi os@AA'
3 1 made out an itemized statement of
the receipts and expenditures OF
moneys received to pay the expenses
of distributing anatomical material and
forwarded the same, together with
check for the balance on hand, to DR..
Hanchett. also enclosed a type
written receipt for him to sign and
return to me. These together with a
1a++or 30 FRA n sn, ittal and checks for
balances in the other departments were
forwarded by registered mail. but DR..
Hanchett again failed to do me the
courtesy to reply or receipt to me for
the same. I also informed DR.. Hanch-
EFT that I received no payments from
certain colleges, and that others had
been delinquent for a year and half,
so that at the close Of nay term of Of
fee, the board had been instrumental in
127 bodies for which no
expense money had been received |
Some of this money was doubtless paid |
in after my retirement, thus giving my |
successor fancied opportunity to cast
upon my integrity Had
certain members of the board of health |
paid some attention to the duties of
heir office further than the drawing
IF fees for themselves, they would
nave been able to give a satisfactory
explanation instead Of pleading fgnor-
ance when called upon by the COVER
Tor, an opportunity not afforded me
prior to his attack at Manila. This,
however, is not surprising to one ac-
iuainted with the inner workings of
he board. have at no time made de-
nand for this expense money but re-
,eived and disbursed it in conformity