A State Medical Examiner Accused of Faking a Fracture to Bilk the County
M. D. Minkler of Centralia faces charges of obtaining money under false pretenses after county commissioners say his claimed treatment for a pauper patient was a fabrication.
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Charges were preferred before Justice Rathbun today against M. D. Minkler, of Centralia, the physio-medico-freak of the state board of medical examiners, for obtaining money under false pretenses.
B. Smith, for the board of county commissioners, made the complaint, in which he states that during the months of July and August, 1890, Matthias Jeffrey, a pauper, was suffering from a dislocation of the hip and Dr. Minkler made the statement to the commissioners that he had performed valuable services in reducing the fracture and that said services were worth $320. In addition to this, he claims to have paid $100 to Drs. Francis and Dumont for assistance, making $420, which was due him by the county, in addition to which was a separate charge of $25 for livery hire.
The county commissioners swear that these statements are wrong; that Minkler had not paid Drs. Francis and Dumont $100 and that the patient was not suffering with a fracture of the intra-capsular of the neck of the femur as claimed by Minkler. On the strength of Minkler's statements, the county commissioners ordered a warrant for $125 to be drawn, which amount was forwarded to Minkler and receipted for.
“The county commissioners swear that these statements are wrong; that Minkler had not paid Drs. Francis and Dumont $100 and that the patient was not suffering with a fracture of the intra-capsular of the neck of the femur as claimed by Minkler.”
Medical fraud against public coffers is an old story; then as now, the question is who watches the watchmen. Minkler sat on the state board of medical examiners — a reminder that credentials alone don't guarantee honesty.
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