The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-11-15

peka, according to county offlclals-
There May Be Others.
The colored girls named in the al
| legged scandal are Alberta Hadley age
| II: Thelma Grant age IS, and Ina
| Grant, age IA. The former two girls
are named in the warrants as being
those against whom the alleged statu-
tory crimes were committed. The
oldest Grant girl is facing complaint,
| in the probate court, of being incorr1-
gible as is her sister, Thelma- The
trial of the two girls was scheduled TO
come up in the probate court this af-
ternoon. At this hearing officials ex-
pected to disclose the names of other
men and women involved in the
scandal.
According to evidence and Informal
ton that has come to light since the
raid on the hospital Saturday, orgies
at the hospital, unknown to the lnStl-
tuition officials, have been going on all
summer. Davenwort, alias Harry
Gordon, who is under arrest at Hast
ings, owned an auto, according to the
Grant girl. Wild joy rides over the
city in broad daylight were told about
by the Grant girl in the county attor-
ney's and probate judges offices. The
raid on the attendants quarters was
long overdue. For seevral weeks it
had been common gossip that there
was something wrong N the actions
Of certain attendants. The mothers
of the three girls appeared at the
court house more than two weeks ago
and reported their daughters missing
and made charges against the lnstltu-
ton employees.
Dr. BiddIe Not Blamed.
The girls were found last Thursday
evening, but no complaints were issued
until late Saturday afternoon. Shaw
nee county officials, without an excep-
ton, insist that DR.. Biddle and other
heads of the institution were unaware
of the alleged proceedings. With the
exception of Turner, who, it is admit
ted, was not deeply implicated in the
affair if at all, all those accused had
either been discharged by DR.. Biddle
or had drawn their pay and left for
parts unknown.
package of a dozen letters, adj
dressed to the two Grant girls from
a man who signed himself Harry Cor
don and who county officials claim is
really Davenport, are in the posses
sion of Robert Carver, assistant county
attorney.
Sweet Words by Mail.
Dear little store doll, hon. bye
bye, sweet one, dearest girl in the
west, and dearest baby DOLL are some
of the ways in which the man adj
dresses the colored girl. In one or two
of the miSsiveS a number of crosses
indicating kisses, were at the end OF
the signature. "If they only were
real" is the memorandum at the end.
Il believe your love for me is as great
as is mine for YOU, is another extract.
will be held in the court of Topeka
tomorrow.
Davenport, according to county Of
ficials, is a married man. His wife
left him sometime ago, it is alleged, |
because of his intimacy with the col
ored girls.
DIR .BiddIe Is Ashamed.
cit is situation of which am
heartily ashamed" was the comment |
today of Dr. T. C. Biddle in discussing |
the revelations at the state hospital !
my first intimation of the situation |
came through the county attorneys I
office and 1 have been trying to work |
with the officers in seeing that the |
cases are prosecuted and the matter
fully investigated.
when the trouble was first re-
ported, 1 did not deem it wise at once
to discharge the men under suspicion.
Such action would have doubtless de-
stroyed any opportunity to gather evil
dence and 1 wanted the officers to I
nave every opportunity 20 do their
work. Because the case was in the
hands of the county attorney, felt
hat the matter should be handled by
county officials rather than by myself
md have tried to aid them in every
possible manner"