The Iola register. [volume], August 31, 1894, SUPPLEMENT, Image 5

About The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902

Image provided by: Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, KS

                
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UPPLEMEHT
IOLA REGISTER.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 31. 1S94.
illBI
By the Wholesale Prac
ticed at the Asylum.
Eleven of the Unfortunate
Children Victims of th
Knife,
The Populist ldra of "Beform"
Fully Developsd. Castration
a Groat Saving of Ex
pense for Attendants.
rMIHES ARD FULL PARTICULARS.
fames and Addresses of the Coys Castrat
ed at the Asylum for Idiotic and Imbecile
"South, as Near as Can bo Procured:
BEBTR AM MTLIiIG AN, Smith County.
.ALBERT EATON, Wichita.
W1X.L BEADING, Great Bend.
JOHN COLLINS, Eureka.
BALI DOLAN, Paola.
CHAS. AHLTilAN, Ottawa.
AETHUK STEELE, Mound Valley.
CHAS. BILLINGS.
And Four Others, Whoso Names can not
be Procured Through Kefusal of the Su
perintendent to Furnish Same.
JVom the Wlnfleld Dally Courier, Aug. 21.
The charitable institutions of our
state ars the most sacred public
trusts. There is not a person who
reads this article but who may have
some friend or relative so unfortu
nate as to become insane or blind or
be afflicted with other of the num
berless terrible ailments to which
, humanity is subject. The rcore en.-
lightened a people the more cars is
exercised in looking after the
proper treatment of these unfortu
nate?. Tho peculiar maladies with
"which they are afflicted make it
practically impossible for them to
be cared for at home;honce enlight
ened nations and states make pro
visions for their care in central in
stitutions where large expenditures
of money are made to provide for
their comfort and treatment The
state of Kansas has spent many
millions of dollars in providing one
ef the grandest systems of charit
able institutions that any state
owns or possesses. They are a
monument to the enlightenment
and advanced ideas of our people
and Kansans have been accustomed
to point with pride to these charities,
Inaugurated with the birth of the
state and carried forward by suc
ceeding administrations, until they
stand at the bead of such institu
tions in the country. Under the
fostering care of the republican par
ty especial attention was given to
this great work. The very best and
aiost competent superintendents
were secured, the most advanced
methods of treatment sought out
and put it practice and every citi
zen of the state, without regard to
party or condition, felt satisfied that
should he or his family or friends
become afflicted, his state had pro
vided a retreat where every care
and attention that the great heart
of a splendid people could provide
would be furnished for their care
and sustenance.
These institutions are in no sense
political. A democrat Is a subject
to sudden nfflictisns of insanity as a
republican or a populist Any fam
ily in this state may have the heavy
hand of providence laid upon them
aad a child born to them afflicted
with Euch disease. In such cases
the stats has provided for the care
and sdnoatlon of such children in
the Institution located at this city
known as the Asylum for Idiotic
and Imbecile Youth. In this asy
lum are confined about a hundred
inmates, which come from all over
the state. Tho institution 13 well
located and in the neighborhood of
$200,000 have been expended in the
erection of tho buildings and their
furnishing. The inmates range from
tho agefl of ten years to twenty-four.
Many of the glrle aro bright and
their feeblo mindedness is only ex
hibited at times.
Every northern state has one of
these Imbecilo and Idiotic Asylums
and probably as much care and at
tention have been given to the edu
cation of theso unfortunate children
as to any other branch of publlo
charities. Physicians skilled in the
treatment of such disorders are
placed in charge of theso asylums.
Annual conventions of the superin
tendents of all such institutions are
hold and methods are discussed for
promoting the health and education
of the inmates by the most humane
and successful means.
The state of Kansas established
its Asylum for Idiotic and Imbecile
Youth In the year 18S1. It was first I
located at Lawrence and maintain
od there until ISSti when, by an act
of the legislature, in was removed
to WinGeld and largo appropria
tions made for tbe erection of the
buildings and their furnishing. Dur
ing tho first three years of its loca
tion here it was under tho superin
tendence of Dr. H. M. Green, a
scholarly gentleman of great attain
ments and much enthusiasm in the
work. The institution was well
kept undor his management and
gave batisfaction to the parents ol
the children and to the citizens of
the state of all parties. But Dr.
Green was relieved as superintend
ent. We understand the Board of
Charities then in charge relieved
Dr. Green because it was his custom
to give weekly hops or dances at the
Asylum for the benefit of the in
mates, tbe brighter of whom were
much cheered and enlivened by the
musio and their faculties stimulated
thereby. Dr. Green's theory was
that the stimulation of their physi
cal condition would result in
strengthening their mental facul
ties. Tho Board, however, thought
differently. They reasoned that
these institutions were supported
by the whole people of tbe state and
that a large number of tbe people
beliovsd that dancing was immoral,
that it tended to destroy the spirit
ual inclination of tho39 who in
dulged in it, and the Board, feeling
its responsibility as representing all
the people of the state, suspended
Dr. Green and placed the institution
in charge of Dr. Wiles, of this city,
who continued as its superintendent
for a period of four years and a half.
Dr. Wiles is a gentleman of the
very highest character, the most
kindly and human disposition and
one whose hearc was in the work.
Under his care the health and com
fort of the inmates were protected
in every way. Dr. Wiles attended
every annual convention of the
superintendents of like institutions,
adopted the newest and best meth
ods of providing for tbe care of his
charges and when be resigned at
the instance of tho populist Board
of Charities he carried with him
the love and respect of every in
mate capable of evolving such a
sentiment, and the respect and con
fidence of the parents of the child
ren, as well as the people of the
whole state. During all the years
of its location at this city under re
publican administration no breath
of scandal was ever attached to it in
any way and no charge ot inhumane
treatment was ever made.
We give this prelude in order that
the people may be thoroughly in
formed as to all the conditions and
surroundings of the institution.
A year and a half ago Dr. C. K.
Wiles was retired and Dr. F. Hoyt
Pilcher, of New Salem, this county,
was annotated RiinorfntonoTif nf!
sitiun. He was a populist politician J This paper had hoped that the
of some note, having been a demo- publication of these former indes
cratand joining the movement in Its cretions would incline Dr. Pilchor
early stages. He is a man of very
large physique, strong and robust
and powerful in constitution, but of
Bluggish brain power, and regarded
by physicians as only ordinary in
his profession. He is excessively
profane In I1I3 conversation and
adlcted to tho use of liquor, was,and
we understand still is, intemperate
to conservatism and care in the
treatment of tbe inmates, whether
he possessed tho natural qualifl
cations or not. Wo presurhed that
he possessed sufficient of that dis
cretion with which individuals are
usually endowed, to convince him
that the people of Kansas would not
stand any tampering with the health
in bis habits. All of these factdlor morals of tho inmates of its
were within the reach of the board charitable institutions. But recent
which appointed him and while developments indicate that wo were
these things might not disqualify
him tor the ordinary avocations of
life, yet it certainly makes him
most unworthy to fill a position
of such high trust and responsibil
ity as that involved in tho care of
these poor, helpless, idiotic chil
dren, j
But the board either overlooked
the matter of his habit?, or knowing
thorn, thought such traits did dis
qualify him for their purposes. He
was appointed, nnd immediately af
ter his appointment, began to dis
charge the trained nurses In charge
of tho inmate?, many of whom had
been In charge of classes in the
institution from its inception, were
thoroughly qualified aud familiar,
not only with tho personal peculiar
ities of the children, but with the
most improved methods of caring
for thoir health, comfort, and mor
als. These teachers wore women
and therefore not politicians, and
could not have been removed for
political reasons. But they wero re
moved and others without exper
ience in such work put in their
places. This was the first official
evidence of tho incompetency of Dr.
Pilcher.
Soon rumors began to float about
rolative to his treatment of some of
tho female inmates. Several young
girls ranging in ages from seveteen
to twenty-one mado complaint to
their teachers and female employes
of the institution that Dr. Pilcher
bad taken them into his room and
there taken liberties with their per
sons. These rumers became so prev
alent that the Coukieh felt It nec
essary to obtain statements of the
parties to whom these girls com
plained. Such statements were tak
3n and tho whole matter was print
ed in tho Courier about eight
months ago. In this publication,
Mrs Murray, a populist woman, who
had been employed by Dr. Pilcher
in some capacity about the institu
tion, testified that two of the girls,
wrong and that Dr. Pilcher, instead
of reforming his methods, has since
committed one of the greatest out
rages known to mankind, or ever
before pructlcod in this or any
other charitable institution.
In the succeedingintorviews Is de
veloped tho fact that Dr. Pilcher
has committed the most astrociouc
mutilations upon elevon of tho in
mates of the Asylum. A mutilation
which is regarded in law and pub
lic conscionco as tne mosc horrible
that can befall a human being; a
mutilation which, while it has been
discussed in public prints, and in
law and medical journals for years,
as the most effective remedy for
criminal practice?, no legislature
has yet boon so inhumane as to en
act it into a law; still this man, ap
pointed by the populist administra
tion as superintendent of these
poor, helpless children, his visited
upon eleven of them this most atro
cious and terrible treatment
This article Is not written for
political effect. Thi3 institution is
not a political institution. It be
longs to all the people. It is for the
unfortunate of every party, and
every man, wotnon and child In the
state is interested personally in its
proper conduct and in the character
of its administration. These pubii
cations aro made in tho interest of
the people of the wholo stato and of
public decency, and not in the in
terest of any political party. If,
when tho former charges were made,
the present populist administration
had sought to do justice to the peo
ple and removed the superintendent
upon tho clearly criminating
evidence then presented, wo would
not now have to publish this mat
ter. A3 a prolude to the interviews
contained we publish a letter writ
ten by Dr. Pilcher to the Advocate,
the populist stato organ. Humors
had reached Topeka of the mutula
tion of the inmates of this instution
and making chargea against my manage
ment of that Institution and the treatment
of the Inmates. I Lava to say that all lueh
charees are absolutely and unqualifiedly
false In every particular. The surgical op
erations, which aro tbe one? referred to,
were performed by mysIt and three reput
able physicians and snrgeons to-wlt: Dr.
George Emerson, of Wlnfleld, Krs., Dr. F.
M. l'lckens, of Wlnfleld, Khs., and Dr,
Cooper, of Dexter, Kas. ; and each of the op
erations wero performed alter consultation
with these physicians, and after due exami
nation of each patient, and after It was ad
lsed to be necessary on account of tho
diseases and maladies with which they were
afflicted, and that such operations were
skillfully perfrnied and wero in the opin
ion of the physicians making the same
necessary and proper.
Before any mch operations were per
formed, In order to determine whether the
Mine was necessary or mlvlsab'e, I called
theo doctors In consultation, and such op
erations were performed only after careful
examination of the condition of each in
mate, and when it was decided that it was
necessary and proper for the skillful treat
ment, health and preservation of llfooflhe
Inmates, that such operations b performed.
I Invite the fullest examination into
everything that waa done, and refer any
body Uwt desires to Inquire, to the above
named gentlemen, who aro eminent In their
profession aril thorongbly understand the
reasons for my coarse in this repct.
The Fcnrrillous and Infamous articles
which I hao seen In tho papers regarding
iuyslfhave bsea pubMshed for vo other
piirpotf than political elfect, and atso utely
without foaudntlon, and aie made without
any Investigation orappllcation to myself or
any other person Informed as to tbe facts
concerning the minagsment or this Institu
tion, nnd I brand tbem now and here ns ma
licious, republican, political lies.
I do not mafco thU explanation upon the
theory tbat any sensible person will be mis
led by anything that has been snld In the
papers, but I do it that ths people of Kansas
may un Jet stand tho character ot campaign
work now carried on by a lot of republican
Ro-called morally inclined, nnd educational
newspapers.
F, Hott Pilcher, M. D.,
Superintendent, .dlotlc and Imbecile Asy-lum.
to see that they wers performed in a
careful and proper manner, which I did.
Dr. F. M Pickens has been a resi
dent of Winfieid for about 12 years.
He is prominent in his profession
and his statements aro entitled to
the fullest credence. Dosiring to se
cure bis statement tho Courier in
tervied him as follows:
Q. Dr. Pickens, I undorstand yon as
sisted Br. Pilcher in the castration ot
several of the inmates of the Idlotio
and imbecile asylum?
A. Yes. sir; I did.
Q. Under what circumstances were
these operations performed?
A. Dr. Pilcher called on me and told
me that he bad decided to castrate an
inmate to suppress indnlgence of certain
practices, which in bis opinion, were
tending to injure the patient and asked
me to assist in the operation. He told
me tbat tho atate board of charlslss bad
been consulted in the matter and also
the parents of tho inmate. I, with Dr.
Emerson assisted in performing a num-
bar of these operations.
Q. How many ot the bojs have been
castrated?
A. About ton or eleven. ,,
Q. Di you know their namo3?
A. No, sir: I did not learn of their
naTiGR.
Q. When were those oparatioas per
formed? A. At different times slnoo Mtrch or
April last, wbon the first oporation took:
place.
Q. Were thee operations nocpsary
to preserve the lives of thspitiem ?
A. No. They were calculated to im
prove their qenoral health nnd prevent
theso practices.
Dr. Pilcher called at the office of
the Courier this morning in re
sponse to a request and, upon being
told that an interview, relative to
this matter, was do?ired, replied:
Dr. George Emerson, of this city, Voll I huvenothiug t3 say on tho
Ift nnn nf IhQ nhvolf.inna rchrk naaiatori I .
one by the name of Alice and an
other by tho namo of Nora, came to
her crying and informed her that
Dr. Pilcher had taken them in
to his private office, and locked
the door and then taken liberties
with their persons. Theso stories
wero further substantiated by Miss
Johnson, who was a teacher in tbe
school, and to whom these two girls
made similar complaints. Dr. Pilch
er claimed that tho stories told by
Alice and Nora were untrue and
ttat these imbecile girls were likely
to tell any 6tory which they might
think of, whether founded on truth
or not; but tho fact remains that at
no time beforo in the history of this
institution (of which theso girls
had been inmates for many years)
had any of them made a like com
plaint against tho superintendent or
anyone connected with the manage
ment. If the possessed this dispo
sition under Dr. Pilcher they cer
tainly possessed it under former
superintendents, hence Dr. Pilcher's
defense falls to the gronnd.
We have been informed by a
member of the State Board of Chari
ties who made a partial investiga
tion of theso charges tbat the Board
which rumors wero published in the
Topeka State Journal of recent date.
Tho letter given below was written
by Dr. Pilcher in answer to this
publication. It was accompanied by
letters from Drs. Emerson and Pick
ens, reputable physicians of this
city, stating that they had assisted
In a number of these "surgical op-
orations" and that, according to
their opinion, these operations were
necessary and were properly and
skillfully made. It will be observed
in ur. metiers letters that ne ac
knowledged that ''operations" wero
made. This was tbe first definite in
formation wo had had respecting
the matter. Humors have been
heard for three months tbat such
operations were being committed at
the asylum but they were bo im
probable and incredible that hardly
any one believed them, but upon
the publication of these rumors Dr.
Pilcher publishes this letter in
which ho acknowledges they were
made. To say we were astonished
upon reading his letter, is putting
it mildly. We immediately began
an investigation of the matter, have
intervied the former superintendent
and have sought in every way to as-
found that Dr. Pilcher had madelcerta,n and Present to the public
what he called "an examination" of
the girls; tbat his statement was
the exact facts in relation thereto
without bids and without a desire to
that tho former superintendent was !do other than let the people of this
this institution by the populist
board of state charities. Dr. Piicher
had been a practicing physician at
not abovo suspicion, and that, on
taking charge of the institution, he
wanted to satisfy himself that none
of the inmates had been "tampered
with" hence made this "examina
tion." If it Is true that Dr. Pilcher
state, regardless of party, have all
the evidence and form their own
conclusions. Pilchei's letter to the
Advocate was as follow?, omitting a
portion, which is not pertinent to
tbe matter:
Wisfisld. Kas., July 23, 1S01.
did make such an admission to the
8tato Board and they still left him
in charge, then indeed has this in.
the country hamlet of New Salem stitution been sunk to the lowest Kansas.antl regarding the treatmentof cer
.o,.i tt 1 j .,.. . . . .... lam 01 me iuinaies,anu certain surgical op-
f or eeveral years. Ho had nothing, level of political uses and the men eraUons that have been performed upon
either personally or professionally comprising that Board as culpable
icwuiwuiu mm iu buiui a po- as .Doctor xncner.
I notice statements in certain republican
papers relative to the conduct of tbe asylum
for idiotic and imbecile youth at Wlnfleld,
tome of the inmates and tbe statements
Dr. Pilcher in performing the opera
tions. He is a skilled surgeon and
understood by his profession, to be
one of tbo leading physicians and
surgeons of the Ftato. A reporter
called upon Dr. Emerson and the
following interview ensued:
Q. Doctor, I see by a letter olgnod by
you and published in the Topeka Advo
cate, that you assisted Dr. Pilcher in tbe
castration of a number of boys at the
Imbecile Asylum.
A. Yes, I assisted Dr. Pilchor on
several occasions.
Q. Dictor, how many boys in this
institute have been castratod?
A. Kieven.
Q. Can you give their names?
A. No, I don't know their nameo. In
fact, their namos wore never given .0
me.
Q. How did you coxe to assist in per
forming these operations?
A. Dr. i'ilcher asked mo to assist. I
was given to understand that tbe mat
ter bad been talked over with tbe Gov
ernor, tho Stato Board of Charities and
the Attorney General, but paid little at
tention to it myself, blmply assisted
in the operations; saw that they were
properly done with as little pain and
inconvenience to tho patient as pos
sible.
Q. Did any of tbo patients die of tbe
cfiects of tbe operations?
A. No. They all recovered and ero
doing well. I undorstand 020 of the
patients has sinco died lrom dysentery,
but that was iu no way connected with
the oporation and occui red after he was
completely well.
Q. When was tbe first operation per
formed and under what circumstances?
A. The first operation was performed
in March or April, 1S91. The boy's
father and family physician were pres
ent. I beiiovo the father and tbo phy
siclan came from Oklahoma City, where
they n sidod
Dr. Pilchor, it 8eem3, had written to
blm stating an operation waa neces
sary to prevent certain practices to
which tbe boy wps addicted and asked
tbo father to como up and bring a phy
sician. Ho did po and tbo physician
concurred with Dr. Pilcber in the opin
ion that the operation was nec6ssry to
prevent thtt practices. I wascallod in to
assist in the operation and it was made
by tbe lamiiy physician in tho presence
of tbe by's father. The boy was about
twenty-one years nlJ.
Q. What was the result of the opera
tion? A. The boy impioved was noon well
and tho operation seemed to improve
his general health. He afterwards left
tbe institution and went to work: on a
farm and worked tbero quite a wbilo
but ibo farmer's people finally learning
he bad been an inmato of the asylum
became alarmed and discharged bim
and bo having no place to go, came back
to the institution and, I understand, is
now there.
Q. "Were these operations necessary
to proservo tbe lives of tho patients?
A. No.
Q. Was tbe general health of tbe
boya operated upon any worse than
usualat the time of tbe operations?
A. No, I think not. The physical ef
fects of the practices they were indulg
ing in were Injurious to their general
health and tbe stopping of such practi
ces by surgical operations must cer
tainly result in an improved state of
general health and also of the mind if
such were possible.
Q. Have you anything farther to say
relative to tbi matter, Doctor?
A. Nothintr at ail. I waa slmnlv
called in to assist in certain operational
that had been agreed upon, and, in
professional capacity did so. I supposed
tbe proper officials had looked into tbe
matter at all."
Q" Will you not give a statninont of
tbe facts?
A. No, sir; I will not bo interviewed
on tbeautijict.
Q. Will you give the names of the
boj 8 operated upon?
A. No, sir; 1 won't do anything of tho
kind.
Q. Will yon allow ua to send a
photographer out to tbe atylum and
take a picture of the bjys?
A. No.
Q. Is it not a fact tbat operations
have been performed?
A. Yes. I am mating arrangements
now to have their pictures taken again
to show tbe improvements made.
Q. Is it not a fast that Will Reading,
John Collins, Sam D lan, Charles Alton
and Arthur Steele have been castrated?
A. I don't rocoliest now. I have
nothing to sat !
Q. How many in all have bson oper
ated upon?
A. I don't recollect.
Q. Isjt not a fact that oporations
bave taken place?
A. Some operations bave taken place
yes sir, and n itbrvery satisfactory re
sults. Q. Isn't it true tbat eleven of the
boys bave baen castrated?
A. No.
Q. Dr. Eiieroon so states?
A. Urn, bun. !
Dr. Pilcher: Well, was this what yen
called mo up for?
A. Yes. We would like for you to
give us tho facts juta they are in tbi
matter. There aro reasons for every
thing Dr. Pilcher: CertalDiy arei
Q. Kow then, won't you give us tbe
names of tbo boys operated upon and
all tho facts? Dr. Emerson states that
he understood tno Governor, the State
Board of Charities and the Attorney
General bad bsen consulted relative to
theie
A. I haven't anything to say on the
matter at all. ,
Q. Than you refuse to be interview
ed at all?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Well, Djctor, I am sorry you have
taken this position. I 890 in your ar
ticle published la the Advocate that.you
invite "the fullest examination into ev
erything that was done." We want to
give you tho benefit of every doubt in
this matter, publish your statement and
your reasons tor castrating these boys
and desire to be absolutely fair In its
publication and to give nothing but the
fact3 and let the public draw their oun
conclusions. Will you not give ua a
statement of your reasona for these
operations and whether tho parents and
tbe stato authorities were consulted In
relation thereto?
A. No, sir; I will not be interviewed'
on this subject at all.
Q. All right. Doctor, but I am corry
you bave taken this position.; You are
a public officer, this asylum ia a publlo
institution, tbo method of its conduct a
public affair and tbe people haye aright
to know the facts in the caso.
A. Ye, air; that's all very true, but I
will not be iutervieved by you in this
matter.
Q. And why not, Doctor? You would
be allowed to
A. Because I don't think I have to
answeryour questions!
Q. Well, won't you let me send a man
out and take the pictures of tbe boya?
A. No, sir; I will not. I am going to
have some pictures taken and will give
you some.
Q. How eoon can I get the pictures?
By Monday or Tuesday?
A. No, sir; not that soon.
Here the interview ended by the witn
dravel of Dr. Pilcher from the room.
made In regard to such operaUons as being (matter, considered the operations nee-
appalling, cruel and unfit for publication, essary and as a surgeon, It was my duty
Dr. C. K. Wiles was appointed
superintendent of the Asylum for
Idiotic and Imbecile youth in Octo-
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