TOOK TEETH FROM
HIS PATIENT'S MOUTH.
DENTIST CLAIMED MRS. L. H.
WATKINS OWED HIM $5.
Forced Her Into Chair and Drilled
Out Gold Crowns and Fillings.
He is Fined $25
in Police court.
A remarkable experience with a dental firm was narrated in police court yesterday by Mrs. L. H. Watkins of 928 Penn stret. Her story was told in connection with the arrest of Dr. James Farrell, who said he was an operator with the Union Dental Company, 1019 Main street.
According to Mrs. Watkins the firm, some time ago, contracted to fix her teeth for $30, the money to be paid on payments -- the last one to be paid on the day the work was finished. When she went to the office Thursday afternoon to have a bridge set on two teeth she paid Dr. Farrell $5, having previously paid $20.
"He demanded the other $5," said Mrs. Watkins., "As a crown was loose on one tooth and there was other work to be done, I hadn't considered the work on my teeth completed and did not bring the balance."
Mrs. Watkins said the dentist insisted on having all of the money then and there. She told the doctor to call her husband, who was at the bottom of the stairs, and that he would settle the bill. Farrell, however, according to Mrs. Watkins, called in another man, forced her to get into a chair and, with instruments and drills, took out most of the work which had been put in. She said the pain was excruciating. Her mouth was still very sore yesterday.
Farrell admitted taking out two crowns, a saddle plate and a filling or two. He said he was held responsible for the work and must be paid for it. He said Mrs, Watkins consented to have the bridge work taken out. When asked why he didn't call Mr. Watkins, the dentist said he didn't know he was downstairs, and didn't know he would pay the $5 if he was.
Mr. Watkins said he had $30 with him and gladly would have paid the bill twice over rather than have his wife subjected to such treatment. Mrs. Watkins is 50 years old.
Justice Festus O. Miller, sitting for Judge Harry G. Kyle, fined Dr. Farrell only $25. The fine was quickly paid.
Mrs. Watkins said that the firm kept the $0 she had originally paid on the contract. Dr. H. H. Hall, manager of the concern, admitted that the money had been kept, as work to cover that sum had already been done and was left in the woman's mouth. This she denied.
Justice Miller scorned the firm for the manner of treating its patients. He advised that when such cases arise in the future to take the matter to the civil courts. Clif Langsdale, city attorney, said that other complaints had been made against the same firm.
