The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-16
HE'LL HIT BACK.
Supt. Biddle Of Topeka Insane
Hospital Wrought Up.
Will Bring Criminal Action
Against His Accusers.
MUST PROVE CHARGES
Otherwise They will Have to
Answer in Court.
Says Patients Have Never Been
MUST PROVE CHARGES
Says Patients Have Never Been
Mistreated.

MIStreateO.
There may be a large juicy package
Of grief in store for the persons who
have made complaint against the To-
peka state hospital if these individuals
fail to produce evidence to back up
their charges against DR.. Biddle and
his management of the asylum. When
questioned about the matter this
morning, the superintendent was not
In a frame of mind to see the funny
side of the situation. He threatens TO
commence criminal action against sew
eral OF the compliments when H. c.
Bowman, chairman of the board II
control. returns from his trip to south
ern. Kansas and investigates the trou-
BILE.
For three weeks a long list of form
er employees of the Topeka asylum
nave been filing charges against the
on1c1al record of DR.. Biddle, as super
lntendent of the institution and have
urged the board of control to inyesti-
gate the trouble zone. In the last few
days several new criminal charges
We're preferred against employees who
We're under Biddle's supervision. These
statements aroused the ire of the SUI
perintendent and he has himself gone
into training and promises to slap
back
When a representative of the state
journal went to the asylum Wednes-
day afternoon. he was shown through
every ward, nook and corner of the
hospital With the utmost courtesy. No
advance notices had been sent that he
was coming. 1t was not visitors day.
therefore, things were probably found
Just as they really are. The entire
afternoon was spent in the buildings.
Not an evidence was found in the q
wards OF miStreatmeut of patients, Not
a word OF complaint was uttered by
inmates. DR.. Biddle was absent
New Charges Filed
Several new charges were filed
against Blddle this morning. One of
tnem was by F. l.. Phelps, a former
employee. Who made the following
sworn statement
was an employee on ward E. G..
ano one Monday as we were bathing
the patients we noticed that a patient,
William McNoun by name, had from
10 to 10 round marks on his body. On
close examination we saw they were
caused by the hot end of a lantern be-
ing pressed to his skin so we could
read 'L4amy Co.. on several of the
burns"
When DR.. Biddle was called over the
telephone today, he was asked in detail
about the more serious charges Many
or them he branded as Lies of whole
cloth" When asked about the charges
that Peter Smith, an inmate, had been
handcuffed and tied to a tree in burn
ing sun, Biddle said:
1t is true that / permitted the at
tendant to lead Smith with rope tied
to his belt. 1t was almost impossible
to get Smith to leave his bed and we
could not get him to take exercise Then
the attendant used the rope with good
results. He did not act cruelty, as is
claimed. Once, however, he tied Smith
to q tree with a long rope while he
went to another building to see some
Of the workmen. The attendant was
never drunk to my knowledge and after
I learned that Smith had been tied
to tree. 1 ordered the rope practice
stopped
In explaining the McKibben case,
Blddle said that the man died of tuber-
made in the laboratory with the mans
brain.
This report is an absolute Iie.'' de-
clareo Bfddle, and I want to deny
emphaticalIy that the man died of
miStreatmSnt or was starved to death
He had not left his bed for three weeks
before he died. His death was due to
tuberculosis followed by apoplexy and
hemorrhageS.'
Biddle declared that the Topeka
hospital was on a higher standard
than almost any state institution in
the country and that any person who
had worked here year could secure
employment in any other institution
in the west. He branded the persons
making the charges as ineffieients and
persons who had no regard for the
high standing of the hospital. He de-
ciared that every case which came to
| him was. investigated thoroughly and
| any person suspected of mistreatment
| of patients was discharged without
warning. BiddIe said a close observa-
To- r11r, IL 81 - e
there was evidence of cruelty and that
| on bath day every patients was care
fully examined for evidence of abuse.
'"These charges" declared the SUI
perintendent, "have come from per-
sons who are financially irresponsible
for the harm they do, and who believe
| that they are criminally immune. As
soon as Mr.. Bowman returns 1 will
take this matter up with him and ex-
pect to commence several criminal
actions to compel these parties to
prove their assertions.
ION several occasions" continued
Fiddle, II have sworn to complaints
for persons who were known to have
been cruel to patients. These per-
sons have always suffered severely.
My actions in this regard are matter
of record"
BiddIe did not hesitate in the least
to apply the lie to innumerable
charges preferred against the asylum
and it's head. He declared that of all
the charges made, not one of them
was presented at the time the persons
were in the employ of the institu-
ton; and that they were the result of
an overwrought mind of persons who
| lost their jobs.
| Persons who have filed the COM
plants declare they will push the in
lvestigation regardless of Biddle's state
ments and that they are willing to
make their charges under oath. Sew
eral affidavits have already been pre-
pared.
Gilt Tn kNNlll RIlI