The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-21
Testimony Indicates That John
Green Wasn't Starved.
HE HAD APOPLEXY.
Given Food So Long as He
Would Take 1t.
Roberts Himself Gave the Man
Milk.

Dr. L. G. 'Biddle, superintendent of
the Topeka state hospital, is having his
innings now in tie investigation by the
board of control into the charges of
cruelty to patients at the hospital All
CT this mornings session and all of
yesterdays session were devoted entire
ly to taking the testimony of hospital
physicians and attendants relative to
the charges of cruelty.
Yesterday afternoon the testimony
related to the treatment of John Green.
H. ]. Roberts. a discharged employee,
has told on the witness stand how John
Green had lain on his death bed for
several days without food or medicine.
The hospital records show that Green
was sick only five days to start with
and that on three of these Gays he was
given nourishment and that on one OF
these days Roberts himself had given
the insane man some milk. The ward
attendants and physicians were on the
witness stand and fatty denied prac-
tically all Of the Roberts statements
relative to John Green.
The session this morning related to
the charges of cruelty to Bert McKib-
ben, Topeka man who died at the
hospital. An employee named GrubbS
had made an affidavit that he saw
man kicked while On the lawn one day
and that the patient died the next
morning. On looking the matter UP
Grubbs said that he found that Nc
Kibben was the man whom an attend
ant had kicked in the stomach one
afternoon and who died next morning
DR.. J. H. Cooper physician at tho
Topeka hospital for six years, was the
first witness called during the after
noon. He was called to refute the
testimony of H. ]. Roberts regarding
the condition of John Green Roberts
had said that Green was allowed to go
seven daYs without food or medicine.
DR.. Cooper said the last illness of Green
lasted only five days.
Did John Green take nourishment
during these five days?'
Yes. milk
From the reports of the attend
ants"
i.What was Green's ilIness?"
Cerebral hemorphage.'
Did you give any medicine?"
mo. There is no medicine that will
stop a ruptured blood vessel
What care was given Green?'
He was to be kept quiet and an
ice bag kept at his head and he was
to lie on his right side.'
did Roberts ever tell you that Green
had taken no nourishment?"
mo. He made no such report"
did Roberts tell you he had given
Green nourtshment?"
Yes. He ana the ward attendant
reported that nourishment was given
for three days during Green's last ILL
ness
Did Green have any chance of liv-
ing after that stroke?'
Not much
What was Green given?"
Milk. One day he drank from a
cup
Dr.. Cooper never had heard of any
cruel treatment or complaint that
Green had not had the proper food or
treatment, and he said that Roberts
had never made any reports of i'll treat
ment Or lack of care of Green.
He had seen DR.. Riddle discharge
attendants who were cruel to patients
and had never heard of the superin-
tendent allowing patients to be mis-
treated. Also he had never known OF
an employee who had a grievance who
could not go to DR.. Biddle and get il
Strengthened out.
Dr. Cooper denied that Green's brain
had been removed and used by DR.. Bid
die as a demonstration before a class
in chapel the next day, as was stated
in some Of the charges. He also denied