Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-02-19
What Norman Sanitarium
Has Done FOR the
State.
PROBE BADLY NEEDED
Proposed Investigation Has
Already Accomplished
One Purpose.
BY GLENN CONDOR.
(Staff COTrespOndentl

OKLAHOMA CITY, Feb. lS.-In
regard to the purpose Of his Norman
sanltarium investigation resolution,
Amos Ewing, representative from Lo-
gan county, today made the follow
ing remarkable statement:
Some years ago the Capitol Ma
tional bank Of Guthrie failed. The de-
positors and creditors Of the bank
are largely Guthrie people. At the
time of the failure the bank held be-
tween thirty-fiVe and forty thousand
dollars out Of a total Of fifty thou
sand dollars OF the capital stock of the
Norman sanitarium. This stock passed
into the hands of the receiver Of the
bank and the sanitarium was operated
by the receiver and other stOckhold
ers. The dividends on the sanitarium
stock and the other assets Of the bank
have now about paid the depostors
In tull and II the sanitarium could
have been operated for another year it
would pay the depOsitors in full and
leave this sanitarium stock to go back
to the stockholders OF the failed bank
who lost everything they had invested
in the bank.
How 1t Was Done.
while the profits OF the sanitarium
have been largely paid to the schem-
ers operating the same and they have
reaped large sums of money from its
operation, the time having arrived
when the debts of the bank were
about paid, the schemers induced the
comptroller OF currency to offer the
same for sale, these schemers expect
ing to buy the assets Of the bank, in
cluding this stock, for a grossly in
adequate price
This resolution was introduced for
the purpose Of calling attention to the
situation and on its introduction the
facts becoming known, kilograms were
sent to our United States senators in
Washington, whereupOn, by prompt
action, Senator Gors and Senator
owen secured the comptroller of cur
rency to make an order that the as
sets of the bank must be sold for
1892, 200, that sum being sufficient to
pay the debts OF the bank, and that
the state should have an opportunity
to buy at the price bid for the san
itarlum stock. This prompt action on
the part Of Senator core and Senator
owen saved to the depostors of the
bank what they otherwise would have
lost and stopped the scheme to ac-
quire for practically nothing this val
liable asset, which it was intended to
sell to the state at s35o,000, thereby
not only defrauding the depositors in
the bank, but also taking $35O,00O
from the state for property which
they expected to buy with a S63, 900
claim against the state for services
rendered in the care of the insane
under their contract, and thus filch
from the treasury of the state at
least S35O,O00.
scheme Was stopped.
This scheme has been prevented
by this resolution and 1t is the pur-
pose of the resolution now ID investi
gate the affairs of the sanitarum to
determine whether or not under all
the circumstances the state owes this
scheming bunch $63,000 or whether il
In equity owes them nothing. So long
as | have anything to do with the mat
ter | want the people OF this state to
understand the scheme for fllching
from the public treasury by this bunch
of looters.
This resolution, If 1t stops now,
has saved the depositOrs of the Cap
itol National bank from loss, 1t has
saved the opportunity Of the state to
acquire this property; 1t has prevent
ed filching from the public treasury
$3.50, 600 by the use of state funds, and
it viii determine whether or not this
bunch can continue to grow fat by
this pretended contract with the state.
AN investigation, l believe. will
disclose that through the manipula-
ton of these schemers, there has been
kept at the Norman sanitarium, at the
expense Of the state, from two hun
dred to three hundred patients that
are not insane-habltual drunkards,
cocaine fiends and the like, that
should be cared for outside of state
institutions.