The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-11
Former ROsedaIe Superintend-
ent Is Under Fire.
Investigation Revealed Short
age More Than $500.
HOSPITAL RECORDS DESTROYED
May Charge COncealment o.
State Accounts.
Physician Turned Over Prop
erty to Cover Shortage.

Collections of hospital claims
amounting to several thousand dollars
were made by Claude A. Doty, former
superintendent of the Rosedale state
hospital. Many of these collections
wer not accounted for, according to
statements today of state officials. As
a result, the first announcement of
state officials that Doty would not be
prosecuted has been reversed. The
case is now being investigated with a
prospect that Doty may be arrested on
a criminal charge.
GlarinS discrepancies in the DOty
accounts were announced today by j.
E Cation, state accountant Not only
did the state find irregularities in the
Doty accounts, but records of charges
against various counties of the state
were missing and a record of Doty' S
operations was not secured until after
weeks of investigation.
Records Are Muddled.
That Doty might be held on a
charge of concealing facts concerning
the financial transactions of the in
stituton, was indicated in state house
circles today. The case against the
former state hospital head is being
investigated by Wyandotte county Of
ficials. Governor Capper has also ask
ed S. M. Brewster, attorney general, to
look into the affairs of the medical
school.
Nearly 1000 patients are cared for
at the Rosedale hospital each year.
The daily records of the hospital show
from SO to rs patients. Some of the
bills for the care of these patients are
paid by relatives. In other instances,
the bills are paid by the counties
Charge accounts against both indivi-
dualS and the counties are carried by
the state and are in charge of the
superintendent of the institution. 1t
was in this manner, it is claimed that
Doty secured a large sum of money.
Doty's shortage with the state
amounted to more than $500. Ir-
regularities in his collections are said
to have totalled nearly $4,000.
THE cards, showing accounts of
various patients were removed from
records of the hospital" Accountant
Cation said today. we don't know
that Doty destroyed these records.
We only know they were missing. In
vestigation of accounts with counties,
however, showed that in a number of
instances claims were paid and the
warrants sent to the hospital by the
various boards OF county commission
ers. Some of these funds were never
turned over to the state"
A few days ago Doty made settle
ment with the state for his shorta ges.
He turned over $4,000 in cash in adj
dition. to his valuable medical library,
household furniture and other per-
sonal property. When the report of
liz AiNSSllss1IAOil was SEM " lIIe gov
ernor, it was announced from the Of
| fices of the state board of administra-
ton that Doty would not be prosecuted
criminally. Later, when full facts
were known concerning Doty's alleged
Irregularities in handling the states
business, an order for a legal probe
was made. Now, it is declared, there
is probability that Doty may be pros
ecuted criminally for his shortages.
The investigation of the RosedaIe
hospital accounts covered a period OF
two years. Doty left the institution in
May, 1915, when the first knowledge
of financial irregularities became
known to state officials. The former
hospital head is now in Omaha