The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-08-27
Mrs. de Months Charge

Or. r. w. southworth.
pr. @. NJ. steele.
The Pierce County Medical Society.
All Of Tacoma
Gentlemen: Having receivef tnvs'
sations 10 can at the office of Drs.
sou,hworth and Steele. simulAn'
cousiy. both written iazt Saturday.
aud believing what have 20 say also
may be 81 tnter-r, 10 the Pierce
County Medical society. am taking
tho liberty Of writing this or~n letter
instead OF making the calls in per.
son.
/ nudge fheee invitations 70 be due
20 the rrcrn, extensive publication
given 20 my case. all over America.
ana I feel that some explanation OF
this 4. forthcoming from me. The
matter having become one Of public
interest, I dispense with privacy In
this Communication. regret the
necessity Of this potcrtety. II has
been entirely brought about BY the
attitude Of DR.. VIM. y. Keller. su'
persntendent OF stcsiacoom. and By
The action OF committee Of the
pierce County Medical society. which
came out in the press In q state
rnent unfolding him aud his admin
| is;ration at the asylum. III there be
any dlspleasurc over. or objection 10
the recent publicity. the medics OF
Pierce county alone have themselves
10 blame for ~
In October, 1916. when obtained
freedom from the asylum on a
habeas corpus suit. brought about
that action with the sole purpose Of
going to discuss conditions AZ the
as, ium with the officials there and
being a free agent IN 20 doing. !
had seen woman by the name Of
Mrs. Leone G. Peck. cf Mabton. mos,
bru,aIly killed IN stcilacoom. The
following week after my habeas cor.
rua suit. went out TO tho asylum
10 lay the matter OF this killing Of
Mrs. Peck before the asylum author
tiles. In nice. ihdyiIke way. Dr.
Keller inauIted me grossly for dsr
ing to try TO talk 70 him about any.
thing in connection with the asylum.
ana ordered me from hts office. He
wound not hear what I had TO say.
This Insult was entirely unprovoked
by mo. as approached him In re
fined. gentle manner. being psrticu.
larry careful not TO give offense.
realizing the seriousness OF my
charges.
That brutal killing has been
hushed up, but stili stands a matter
OF absolute record which cannot be
discredlted. nor denied. Ncverthe.
less a committee OF the Pierce County
Medical society took II upon them.
selves 10 go out TO Steilacoom and
rive Keller and his administration
a public coat of white. wash. as late
as last year. while Dr. Keller In an
open law breaker in his tenure OF
OFFICE. another fact which cannot be
denied.
A protest against this action OF
the PIERCE County Medical society
reached Jim Jam Jcms. "rand they
featured my story IN the May issue
OF their magazine. Knowing the
article was TO appear, | wrote them
1 had mo bones to pick" with the
committing physicians in the case.
/ hHd cefhinly D'tn SIGN anu uc-
lirlous at the time of my commit
ment 70 steilacoom. But what ]
did object 10 was the barbarous
methods used by the medical pro
feesion in general In being instru-
mental In gendine people TO the
asylums without giving the accused
any knowledge OF what was tran
spring and in basing their findings
on the unrcfuted testimony OF wit
nesscs, more often than not, actu-
ated by Interior motives In getting
the accused committed, and who
generally reap substantial benefit
themselves from such commitment.
stated I held Drs. Steele and
southworth botb in high personal
regard. aside from their connection
with my commitment, which was
only Incidental fully appreciate
their gentlemanly conduct In the
habeas corpus and the yacating pro.