The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1913-03-07
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DR. MAHR
UNFIT SAYS
THE REPORT
House Committee Files Serious
Charges Against Head Of fhe
State Health Dept. Mi
nority Report Disagrees

e----~--e
Oklahoma City, Okla, March q.
That Dr. j. c, MahI is an improper
person to head the department Of pub
lie health, pure food ana drugs, and
that his personal habits "incapacitate
him for the duties Of the position Is
the findings OF Representatives J. Roy
Williams and w a. Chase, a majority
or The membership of the Williams
subdivision Of the Emanuel investigat.
ing committee, a copy Of whose re-
port was filed with the house Of rep
resentatives Thursday afternoon.
The report charges that Dr. Mahr
trusts the business Of the department
to Others, and thar he is very unfor-
tunate IN the selection Of his assist
ants. Pernicloas political activity is
also alleged, especially in the campaign
for the governorship two years ago.
Violation Of nepotism laws also is al.
legged in employment Of Caswell Ben
nett related to Gov Cruce
The subcommittee also submits the
evidence Of a number Of witnesses,
which implicate DR.. Mahr in charges
Of padded expense accounts, colluslon
with a disinfectant company, making
his employees repay him portion Of
their salary from the state, and other
matters.
The WilliamsChase report states
that existing laws relative to food and
drugs and public health are good
enough if they were only properly en-.
forced that the state department Of
health has only instituted two prosecu-
tions for violations Of the laws since
statehood. and that not single dollar
has come into the state treasury from
fines, although ather states make such
departments almost self-suataining
from this source.
The report charges the department
with making a favorite Of Wholesale
drug companies and says ut appears
70 be tAe policy Of the department not
to prosecute vit,lators OF the law in
Oklahoma city,
The report believes the employment
OF Charles b, Bellamy, brother OF form
er Lieut. Gov. George w. Bellamy, was
also a violation OF the anti.nepot IN
laws Bellamy was ole Of the chief
witnesses before the committee, ac-
oordng to the report. He is shown to
have testified that he padded his ex-
pense account with an item for auto
mobile hire at the request OF DR. Mahr,
and that he repeaced this padding at
different times, paying Dr. Mahr there.
from approximately $500 The alleged
item OF automobile hire, he said, real
Is went to coger trip by Dr. Mahr
to Muskogee. This witness also ties.
titled that he had lobbied around the
second legislature for three months at
the expense Of tie state, working for
bills Dr. Mahr was endeavoring to
push through.
A. J Emery. for two years with the
state department OF health, testified
that he paid TO Df Mahr ont Of his
salary something like $500, for which
he received no return
u. p. Jenner is shown to have told
the committee that he had received
only about $50 Of a sloO warrant for
salary for the month OF April he had
quit work for the state April 10.
I. T. Allen IS shown to have testi-
fled that while acting as sanitary in
spector for the department. he had
pursued the policy Of recommending
a disinfectant manufactured by Germo
Manufacturing company Of sedalia,
Mo. and that lie condemned and de.
sroyed other iisinfectants that upon
one occasion. he net DR.. Mahr and q
Mr. Kidd. the president Of the Germo