The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-13
HANSON STILL BUSY.
Sues superintendent BiddIe of Topeka
Asylum for Damages.

| John Hanson, the Mcpherson lawyer,
! again went on the war path today when
ne Iled suit in the district court against
1hos. G. Biddle, superintendent of the To-
peka hospital and members of the board
of control, in which he asked for So. 600
damages for injury to his legal practice.
Further than this Hanson went before
Judge Williams. justice of the peace in
| Oakland, and demanded warrant for
the arrest of John Dawson, attorney gen
eral, and E. r. Simon, county attorney,
and James Mcguire, assistant county at
| torney. He charges these men with de-
reelection in duty.
At noon today Hanson had failed to
| land warrant for the arrest of Dawson,
Simon and Mcclure, but his civil action
Tor damages is carefully recorded in the
oHice of the clerk of the district court.
| In his petition for damages. Hanson
makes Superintendent Biddle, II. c. Bow
| man, S. g. Elliott and Charles Shukers,
members of the board of control, defend
ants in the suit Hanson alleges that Bid
die and members of the board of control
| injured his reputation as an attorney and
successful practitioner when they denied
him the right to visit inmates of the
asylum whom he was engaged to defend
for their sanity in the probate court of
| this county.
Further than this Hanson says that
in the Jillson, Ricard and Fleming cases
he should have been entitled to at
torney's fees of 5000 in each case. But
when he could not visit his clients and
discuss the case with them that his ac-
tons failed. Now he seeks recourse
When it was learned that Hanson in
tended to ask for warrants for state and
county officials, John Dawson went to
the court house. He remained there until
noon waiting for officers to arrest him.
But at noon Dawson went to lunch sadly
disappointed. Hanson declares Dawson
and Simon We're derelict in duty when
they did not prosecute Judge Schoch OF
the probate court for his action in the
trial of the insanity cases.
For several months Hanson has occu-
pied more of the valuable time of the
Shawnee county courts than is usually
allotted to an individual. When the courts
sat on Hanson's contentious or jumped
them with both feet, the court did not
apologize ask questions. 1t went mer-
rily along as though nothing had hap
pened and Hanson was wroth- He started
mandamus proceedings against Judge
Schoch in the district court. But they
failed. He dug up alleged statutes OF
which the courts had no knowledge. His
clients gave pauper's bonds for trial of
the cases and weary court clerks worked
overtime without promise OF pay.
Recently Hanson was tried for his SAN
ity in the Mcpherson county court. He
was acquitted. Immediately he returned
to Topeka. He seemed refreshed from
his vacation and entered the game with
renewed energy. No reverses seemed to
bear heavily on Hanson's mind and he
has combed the state with energy to Sc
cure names of prosecuted victims who
were confined in the asylum without
cause.
Hanson seems burdened with cases
and at present promises to keep the
courts busy through the long, hot summer
months settling his alleged difficulties.