Buzz
Founded in 1872, the Topeka State Hospital, commonly known as the Topeka Insane Asylum, was established to house individuals deemed medically and criminally insane. Over its century-long operation, the institution became notorious for widespread abuse and murder, ultimately leading to its closure in 1997 due to severe overcrowding and mistreatment.
Throughout its history, the hospital gained notoriety for its controversial practices, including forced sterilization, hydrotherapy, and castration, all employed as treatments for mental illness. Countless accounts highlighted patient neglect, physical abuse, and sexual assault. Shockingly, the staff and physicians were shielded from accountability by the Kansas state government, allowing these atrocities to persist unchecked.
Today, no trace of the original structure remains. Although many believed the building to be haunted, it was demolished in 2010, with crews even removing the concrete foundations to ensure no evidence of the hospital's existence was left behind.
10. The Infamous Room 18 at Topeka State Hospital
During the late 19th century, newspapers frequently highlighted the horrific abuses occurring within the Topeka State Hospital's insane asylum. One notable account involved a whistleblower who provided details about an inmate named Dodd.
According to the witness, Dodd was repeatedly subjected to brutal treatment by an attendant, who would kick him and knock him to the ground. The attendant would then stomp on Dodd's chest and, at times, choke him.
During his last beating, Dodd was reportedly dragged into room 18 after being knocked unconscious. The witness described hearing sounds of a struggle, followed by a groan. Dodd was later carried out of the room, lifeless, with no explanation of what transpired inside.
Despite efforts by a county attorney to hold the attendant accountable, the Kansas governor declined to investigate the incident, and the case was ultimately dismissed.
9. Eliminating Elderly Soldiers
In 1896, shocking revelations emerged about the deaths of elderly soldiers in Kansas state asylums. While this should have sparked a major scandal, the incidents were deliberately concealed, and no investigations were conducted.
A newspaper account detailed the case of Gust Mauer, a patient at the Topeka State Hospital, who was sent home with severe injuries, including two black eyes, a broken nose, and a fractured neck. Despite a death certificate attributing his demise to apoplexy, no action was taken to address the injustice, and the superintendent remained in his position.
8. Death by Starvation
In the spring of 1911, allegations were brought against the Topeka State Hospital, prompting calls for an investigation. These accusations, made by both former and current staff, highlighted the appalling conditions and mistreatment of patients within the facility.
A local newspaper published an excerpt from a letter submitted to the hospital board:
I wish to report that John Green, a patient in Ward E, 2, remained bedridden and untreated for eight days before passing away. Despite daily reports of his deteriorating condition, no food or medication was provided, and no action was taken.
Green's body was transported to the dissection room, where his brain was removed and used by Dr. T. C. Biddle for a demonstration in the chapel the following day. This was done without the consent of Green’s family. Biddle utilized the brain to illustrate the effects of a congested brain. Attendants Roberts and Johnson remained unconvinced, as they were certain that Green’s death resulted from starvation.
7. Treated Like an Animal
A witness to the abuses at the state hospital recounted the story of Mr. Smith, a former banker. While the reason for his hospitalization was unclear, the treatment he endured was undeniably inhumane.
Smith was frequently restrained with handcuffs and led around the grounds with a rope tied around his neck. On occasions, his attendant, often intoxicated, would subject him to brutal beatings. In one instance, Smith was tied to a tree and left there for hours.
In a particularly cruel act, the attendant threw the rope over a door and hoisted Smith’s head to the top, strangling him as a form of punishment.
6. Limited Access to Visitors
Individuals admitted to the Topeka State Hospital often vanished from public view, making it easy for families and spouses to forget about them once they were institutionalized.
Visitation rights for loved ones were heavily restricted. Out of the hospital's 29 wards, only four were accessible to visitors. Parents were barred from seeing their children, and friends of patients were denied any visitation privileges whatsoever.
Dr. Biddle, the hospital’s supervisor, argued that allowing visits would disrupt the patients’ treatment.
5. Confiscate Your Belongings After Confinement
In 1911, it was revealed that a claims adjuster was investigating the financial status of all state hospital patients and their legally obligated relatives. The Topeka hospital sought additional funding beyond what the state provided. They had already initiated legal proceedings against families, securing a victory the prior year when the supreme court ruled they could claim reimbursement for patient care from admission until death.
The hospital aimed to adopt a policy similar to Ontario’s lunacy act, which would allow the asylum to seize control of a patient’s estate and use its funds to cover the costs of their “care.”
4. Discredited Lawyer
It would be inaccurate to claim that no one attempted to challenge the abuses at the hospital. Numerous lawyers sought to pursue cases or launch investigations into the allegations of mistreatment, but they were consistently obstructed.
Mr. Hanson, an attorney, made efforts to secure the release of multiple patients from the Topeka hospital. Despite his attempts, his clients were sent back into confinement without undergoing any examination or hearing. To make matters worse, the attorney general sued Hanson, accusing him of “harassing state officials overseeing the Topeka State Hospital and disrupting the patients.”
3. Wrongfully Imprisoned
John Crabb, a Danish immigrant with limited English proficiency, worked as a dishwasher in Topeka and was known for his short temper. In 1931, a coworker flirted with Crabb’s girlfriend, prompting him to issue verbal threats. This led to his arrest and subsequent jailing.
While incarcerated, Crabb became despondent and stopped eating. A so-called expert declared him insane, resulting in his transfer to the Topeka State Hospital. There, he was classified as incurable and confined for nearly two decades.
During his confinement, Crabb persistently attempted to prove his sanity. Ironically, his efforts to convince the staff of his mental stability were interpreted as further evidence of his insanity. Frustrated, Crabb stopped cooperating with the staff and refused to participate in any work.
Crabb might have spent his entire life in the hospital if not for the intervention of a group of Danish insurance agents who discovered his case. They contacted the authorities, leading to a reevaluation of his condition. Although he was deemed sane, it took an additional ten months before the hospital finally released him in 1950.
2. Declared Incurable, Then Freed
Several decades later, the hospital continued to face significant issues. In 1932, a 55-year-old woman was admitted to the Topeka State Hospital. She was said to suffer from delusions, believing her husband wanted to kill her, which led her to attempt to take his life.
After a year, her doctor noted some improvement but maintained that her delusions persisted. Four years later, she was deemed a danger to others and ineligible for parole. By the ninth year, she was classified as “incurably insane.”
This might have been the end for “Mrs. X,” but a new doctor took an interest in her case. After 17 years in the hospital, she remained lively. The doctor began spending 30 minutes with her weekly, and this small gesture helped her become more composed.
Following five months of this approach, Mrs. X, now 72, was paroled and began working as a practical nurse and housekeeper. While the doctor didn’t claim this method would work for all patients, he urged his colleagues to reduce their reliance on brain surgeries and shock treatments for often neglected individuals.
1. Rising Cases of Insanity
In 1916, reports indicated a surge in insanity cases across Kansas, with 4,311 documented instances. Of these, 1,565 individuals were housed at the Topeka State Hospital.
Declaring someone insane was a lucrative practice, particularly when the state could seize the patient’s assets. A notable case in 1918 involved a Pottawatomie Native American woman deemed “mentally ill” and confined to the Topeka State Hospital. She owned significant property in Oklahoma, managed by her guardian. Kansas sought control of her estate to fund her “care.”
Through legal proceedings and media campaigns, the woman’s guardian was publicly discredited, accused of “plundering” her estate. Meanwhile, Kansas argued that it should be permitted to assume control and benefit financially from the property.
