Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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CW. B. H. Anil of Mowbortr. who«o w«* frequentlx mentioned In Miriam Inreatigntlon on Saturday Monday, read (be follow- ament before the asylum in- committee: "The following appeared in the Columbia Reeord oa Saturday in the teetimoay, as reported by that news- of Or. Babcock In the matter of Jfce asylum investflMHon: ort w as made to find out whom Oorernor Blease referred to ia hla Wter—whom he, Oorernor Blease, aati he heard making the statements regarding the character of Dr. Saun ders, said Dr. Babcock, but was un able to find out anything. "When pressed oa the point Dr, Babcock said: What Oorernor Blease made reference in his letter in re gard to Dr. Saunders was to certain statements a sister of ^he governor had made while the governor wai'at trtr home. - "Oorernor Blease Interrupted Dr. Babcock before he h|d said more than that it occurred at the home of the governor's sister, with the state ment: • "That 1* false,". H. Aull was his authority. "The governor replied hotly that OoV, Aull told something which was not ^rse.” * The following is the stenographic report of D*. Babcock's testimony, as published in the Columbia State of SUnday morning on this point: "Q. I am trying to be fair with yon. The governor gave you some in formation that he heard some conver sation reflecting upon a lady. Now the point I want to know is If you naked him to disclose the name, to see what foundation there was for that rumor. A. I did not ask Gov ernor Blease, but I learned from Col. Aull exactly what it was. " Now, do you want to know? "Q. Yes. A. Well, Governor Blease was at his sister’s home at New- herry, and he heard Mrs. Elso^and Mrs. or Miss Fulmer talking about Dr. Saunders "Governor Blease: That Is false. "Dr. Babcock: That is what Col. Aull told me. Col. Aull told me that thi two the 10th thafeHjt for the Institution, and ; for (ho wxtra meot- tp*jp At. Dr. Baboocjf’a request l wont to (ho governor's mansion to see Gtororttor Blease, and I had a talk with (ha goreradr and aakod hill If bo would not oall off hit tor for this special meeting of board. toUlng him that I did not be lieve it eould do any good to hare this meeting, that 1 believed it wonld Stir up the Institution, and that I be lieved the management might get to gether. After my talk with him the gov ernor finally agreed that the letter might be held up and the special meeting not called, on condition that Dr. Cooper, who had been left off the medical staff, discontinue his visits to the Institution. I went hack and told Dr. Babcock the ultimatum of the governor and the condition. .Dr. Babcock agreed to aee to it that this condition was carried out, and ad mitted that probably it was not the proper thing for Dr. Cooper to con tinue his visits to the institution after he had been left off the medi cal staff. I have made it a rule of my life never to repeat gossip or rumors that may be floating around. In view of the many protestations of friendship whl6h Dr. Babcock had from time to time made for Governor Blease, and In view of the statements in the let ter referring to rumors which the governor bad heard, and realizing, as I thought, the. Importance that the condition laid down by the governor, that Dr. Cooper cease his visits to the institution, be carried out, I told Dr. Babcock the gist of the conversh- tlon referred fo In the letter, as it bad been told me, with the badge of absolute secrecy between us, and In the strictest confidence, the under standing being that „we were all OHAHtMAH STATE BOARD OF RB- GENTS TBBTlFUM. FilCTfflN WAS mm Dr. T. R. Carovthmp Occupies Wit ness Stand Before Investigating Committee—-Pays Tribute to Dr. Sawders’ Efficiency bat Wanted Her to Resign. the meeting, and Mr. Saund- him If ha had hot appealed to him personally to he permitted to be present whin the ohargee Pare be ing made against hid daughter and he had been excluded by the board. Dr. Garouthers Instated ha had not per sonal objection te Mr. Saunders be ing present, bat before be could put APPROPRIATION MEASURE OAR- * oBt'err |K ■* RIBS *2,801,7M TOTAL. £ than last yeah at the time, he had disappeared, ha 1 friends,, and while nothing was to be Governor Blease- "The committee then decided that It Would be hearsay evidence and the examination took another turn.” I regret exceedingly that my namq should have been brought into this investigation in this manner. I had for some time been trying to act as peacemaker, at the repeated requests oPDr Babcock, with whom I had been on torma of intimate friendship since the administration of Governor Mc- Sweeney. to whom I was private sec- retary, and I tried very hard to get the whole matter settled, because I was trying to be a friend to all par ties, as I was, and I believed that no good could come to any one—the governor, the asylum or, pr. Saun ders—or any one else—byliny strife or wrangling or disagreement. I have realized that the role of peace maker is a very difficult one, and while the Good Book saya blessings shall be his shart, he more generally gets the enmity of both sides. What I have done I have done hon estly and conscientiously, acting al ways for what I thought was for the best interests of ? the intsltutlon, of the parties connected with it and of my personal and political friend*. 1 have had no selfish motive. I had ■o hope of any reward. I had no personal ends to serve, and It was pot voluntary. I had no desire to meddle with anybody’s business, but what I did was largely at the request oPDr. Babcock, and I did It because I thought that In doing so I could serve men whom I believed to be my friends, and at the same time I be lieved and hoped that what I was do ing was for the best interests of the institution and of the State. The statement that the references In the letter were to ststemsnta made by a sister of Governor Blease is, so far as my Information goes,not true. X certainly have never heard any sis ter of Governor Blease make any •tatement of any character that In Mi* remotest degree referred to the asyjUun or its management, or any "to Dr. Saunders. And never (old Dr. Babeeck so. Nor I heard any one else say that of Governor'* Blease hi about tho covered, It could do no good pub licly to repeat rumors about any one, and especially a young woman. I do not think I stated at whose house I had heard that this conver sation took place—as matter of fact, I do not recall that It was stated to me at whose house this conversation was heard—I will not say definitely about that—and certainly I did not ♦ell him the ’ any sister of tje gov ernor said anything about the mat ter, because I had never heard any thing to that effect. That Is all there ia to it, and I am surprised, that Dr. Babcock should have brought toe in r his testimony as he did. What I 4id may haVo the appear ance of a violation of a confidence reposed In me by the governor, and I regret now that I told Dr. Babcock anything, but I felt that we were all friends, and I had Dr. Babcock's as surance to that effect, and my, pur pose was to Impress upon him the Importance of carrying out the con dition laid down by the governor, so that there might be peace, and I felt and hoped the whole thing was at an end. Dr. Babcock even went so far as to tell me that I could burn the letters written him by the governor if I desired. y As to my stating that the regents had a ’’slate” for all the offices, and that Dr. Bqbcock was to be cut out, Dr. Babcock Is mistaken. I may have given it as my opinion that I thought such a thing was contemplated by' some who might be wanting Dr. Bab cock’s position, but as to my knowing anything about it, Dr. Babcock is mistaken. I have never had a talk with the regents about the Institution. I did talk some with Dr. Carouthers, and when he spoke about the friction I suggested that the regents and the superintendent and the staff have a meeting together and .have a heart- to-heart talk about conditions and try to get together, as the institution could not be run successfully with In ternal differences, and that possibly by getting together the differences could be adjusted and the whole mat ter kept down and peace and har mony restored. r Dr. Carouthers said there was fric tion, and that ha regretted it and wanted to know what to do, and 1 made the suggestion above stated. I have had nothing to do with the management of the aaylnm. and have not tried to have anything to do with It; in fact. I have been in the insti tution but a few times during my con nection with the State hospital com mission. . I have known Governor Blease all his life—I war Ms-school teacher at one time—and my sole purpose in this whole matter In every move 1 have made was to do anything that 1 might be ablevto do In the Interests of ths Institution, and In the interest of my friend*, because I felt that any public thvuUtlgatlon might lead to bringing til* affairs of ths Institu tion into politic*. \ I have observed a good many tu' Chairman T. R. Carouthers, of the board of regents of. the State Hospi tal for the Insane, occupied the en tire time on the stand before the Asy lum probers Tuesday afternoon and corroborated largely the testimony hitherto brought out, to the effect that friction existed at the Asylum between the medical staff before he went on the board, as he found when he got there, and that the regents bad done their best to put down the fric tion and bring about harmony. He paid a tribute to the efficiency and earnestness of Dr. Saunders, the lady physician, but Insisted that he thought from the complalpts of the other members of the staff that she had superceded her duties and inter fered with the duties of others. He Said there was not one word of com plaint against her moral character. Dr. Saunders cross-examined Dr. Carouthers closely about complaints against her by other members of the medical staff and especially about the action of the regents in passing; con demnatory resolutions against her in executive session, when her father^ Was not allowed to be present at the meeting. Under hex questioning Dr. Carouthers admitted that he thought Dr. Saunders a very competent and efficient woman and physician and that she did her work so efficiently at the Asylum that he praised it. Re garding any instances against her of intereference, the witness admitted that all he knew came from state ments of the other members of the medical staff, made before the board before the resolutions were adopted. He Insisted, when asked If he thought she had been treated right when her father was excluded from the hearing and his petition for a rehearing refused, that he thought It best for dF. Saunders and for the in stitution for the matter to bevclosed. Dr. Saunders grilled the witness as to whether he thought It right for her to close the matter after certain com plaints had-been mad* and the inves tigation masked for by her father re fused. Dr. Carouthers in hig testimony in sisted that his efforts and those of J. D, Bivens and W. L. Settlemeyer, the other two regents, in their meeting with the subordinates at the. St. John Hotel last September, when they did not notify Dr. Babcock hr Dr. Julius H. Taylor, another member 'of, the board of regents, were with thjb idea and the purpose of finding odt what was wrong and trying to bring about harmony. He said they did not mean to ignore Dr. Taylor, but they felt that because oLhls friendship with Df. SaumJers to have bad him pres ent would have acted as a damper in getting full statements from the sub ordinates who were making com plaints about Dr. Saunder’s interfer ence. This was brought out when Dr. Taylor asked the witness If the meet ing was for the purpose of harmony when he hadn't been netlfled. He said the charges against Dr. Saunders were acts of professional discourtesy, lodged by other subordinates of the medical staff, namely, ,Dr. Thompson, Dr. Blackburn and Dr. Griffin. He said Dr. Thompson stated in a letter and before the board that Dr. Saund ers Interfered so much with his du ties that he was left with nothing but the name of-first assistant physician. It was brought out from the wit ness, through questions from Repre sentative Stevenaon, that the places were filled by the Asylum regents last July at the salaries named In the ad vertisements, except that of chaplain, when they had advertised for one at a salary of twenty-five dollars per month and they elected one at a sal ary of seventy-five dollars per month. Dr. Oaronthers was grilled by mem bers of the committee and by Dr. Sannders about the executive meet ing of the regents, when after com plaints from certain members of the medical staff resolutions condemning Dr. Saunders were passed, over the protest of Dr. Tayloti as was stated beforehand. Dr. Carouthers said he had not prevented 0. L. Saunders. ftti „ Dr. Sannders qnsatloned Dr. Ca- ronthers at some length regarding u reply said to have been made by Dr. Griffin to a question asked of him by Governor Blease, calling the execu tive meeting of the board when the condemnatory resolutions were pass ed. According to the testimony Dr. Griffin had replied to a question that Dir. Saunders was "supposed to he a single woman,’’ and Dr. Carouthers said upon Dr. Saunders saying she took exception to the reply. Dr. Grif fin had promptly apologized and dis claimed any Intention of reflecting on her. The chairman of the board said be did not think the remarks offen sive or he would not have' stood, for It. Dr. Saunders, with flashing eyes, dnbbed the remark attributed to Dr. Griffin, “a most unfortunate slip,” as Dr. Carouthers said he considered it only a slip. Dr. 'Ckrouthers said the relations between him and Dr. Babcock had been friendly and there had been per fect harmony between Dr. Babcock the regents until recently, when ire was not apparent Just that feel- liTg there ought to be. He said it was necessary for the institution to have harmony and co-operation between all the officials and subordinates. He gave it as his opinion that there wopld have been peace Jf Dr. Saund ers had resigned. That Dr. Babcock and the regents have co-ordinate authority and that a dual head of the Asylum exists is the dplffioTT orm' Carou there. Df. TSyiBr had asked Dr. Carouthers If Dr. Set tlemeyer, a member of the board of regents, had not denied knowledge of any meeting at the St. John Hotel with the subordinates when Dr. Tay lor was absent, and Chairman Ca routhers said Dr. Settlemeyer would have to answer that himself. The lat ter wanted to make a statement, hut waited when the committee told him he would be given an opportunity to testify. - Under questions from Dr. Babeock it was brought out from Dr. Carouth- ers that he had said the Asylum fric tion ought not to be agitated just on the eve of the Legislature’s meeting, and that he had been afraid last Sep tember the trouble was coming and that he would like to have resigned except he would hot do sp under fire. Hr:Carouthers said he did not think the investigation^would do any good, as it only made the friction worse to have it agitated. He was not opposed to the General Assembly knowing ev erything, only he could hot see where it would be $ny good for the insti tution for the friction between the medical staff to be further agitated. He said he stood right behind the board of regents and in passage with Dr. Babcock said he thought the whole trouble woul(hhave been avert ed if Dr. Saunders had resigned. Dr. Babcock said he did not propose to fold his hands and let the young lady be driven out of the institution when she had been doing h^rdutj^aftdjfas such a faithful and efficient official. The committee recessed at a late hour until Thursday afternoon at 3:« 30 o’clock. The sessions were held In the hall of‘the House and a large crowd listened to Dr. Carouthers’ tes timony. Bill la Reported by Chairman of the Way* Figures Stand Tax Levy Will be 7 Mills, an Increase of Threo-Quar* ter* of • Min. ’ The general appropriation bill was presented to the House Thursday night by Chairman Geo. W. Dick, on the part of the ways and means com mittee. The committee has had a prodigions task to keep pace with s fast growing State and at the same time not to make a heavy increase in the aggregate of the appropriation*. The committee has many hearings and has been faithful in its work. It has gone over the bill time and time again, pruning here and revis ing there. The bill presented Thurs day night by Chairman Dick Is con sidered complete in every detail, and while showing an jncrease In dollars and cents is npt really so much so |n view of the heavy Increases In de mands for the growing State and In creases necessarily'all along the line. The chief difference that apparent ly has to be provided for is that last year there was a special Act carrying a one-mill direct tax that was used for the Garris-Nlcholson Hlgn School Extension and Library Act that in-' volved about $200,000. This year’s bill carries this $200,000 directly, as it has npt been provided for in.a spec ial Act, as was done IftSt year: there fore, tn -tire -apparent Increase of $532,718 ty the bill over the amount carried in t^e bill of 1P13, at, least $200,000 is to be credited to the school Items that were provided for In the special one-mill tax. If the bill la passed aa reported It will mean a seven-mill State tax levy. Last year the levy was slightly less, and including the school fend there will be an increase of threo-quarters of a mill. In other words, the total tax for 1914 will be seven mills, and this will include the fund necessary Tor the various school items that were provided for last year In the special levy of one mill. The miscellaneous schedule In the Act of 1913'carried $90,589, while this year It aggregates $366,892, most of which is to be cred ited to the school Items that were otherwise provided for-last-year. There are a number of Items in the EARTHQUAKE IN U. S. TrCmor Is Felt in Northern States and Lower Canada. An earthquake lasting from fifteen to thirty seconds and disturbing par ticularly what are geologically known -as the Devonian and Silurian sections of the northeastern parts of the Unit ed States took place shortly after 1:30 o’clock p. m. Tuesday. It was especially severe in the central and northern parta of New Tork State, Ifr eluding New York city, felt the shock, and New England generally, lower Eastern Canada and parts \of New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania were shaken. Tremors were recorded as far south as Washington and as far west as SL Louis. At Albany, N. Y., the Shock was enough to shake pictures from the walls of the capitol, and at Bingham ton a laborer was killed by the caw ing in of a trendh in which he waa working. At Fort Plain the heavy doors of a hank vault shook under the the Act for 1914 that show decreases In the biiyvof last year. The Insurance commissioner’s office is provided with $510 less than In 1913. The Attorney General’s office $2,000 less, public buildings less, the tax department nearly $2,000 less. The University of South Carolina gets $2,105 less than the total for 1913. The Interest on the State debt is cut $30,000. The legislative expenses are reduced $3,- 000. The total reductions, aggregate $41,334 and the increases $^74,006, the largest Increase being at the Deaf, Dumb and Blind Institution, for which $43,948 la added, and of this $■$ 5,6 0 6 is iorrnprhuniisr' r ^ Wlnthrop jCollege is allowed $30,- 000 for the erection of a gymnasium provided $3,5,000 is raised by Wln throp from other sources. The appro priation for Wlnthrop ghows ah In crease of $20,840, Including this gym nasium Item' Tire Hospital for the Insane 1s al lowed an increase of $60,000 on ac count of its increasing population. There Is not a cent provided for the development of the new State Hospi tal for the Insane at State Park. The Health department shows an Increase of $36,000, and there Is a provision of $25,000 for the estab lishment of a tuebrculosls hospital. There is no provision as to ^rhere OOL. AULL SAYS HE TOLD AIL COULD REMEMBER. Mu Does Not Deny Dr. Babcock's Rcu- olieetiow. Not Dr. J. W. Babcock kept iualstlaf ors Hou- befor* the asylum investigators day that what hu says waa a vital pan of a confidential conversation to had with Col. E. H. Aull, had been told by the latter and Col. Aull Stated ho did,not recollect anything more than he told. However, after Ifae committee adjourned Col. Aull saw, Dr. Babcock and the latter told him* what he meant and Col. Anil requested Chairman Mauldin to per mit him to go back on the stead. - However, the committee did not get to hear him, and Titerday night Col. Anil rave out a statement con cerning the matter and he will ask the committee to put it in the record. Hla dictated statement follows: "I have had a talk with Dr. Bab cock since the adjournment of the committee yesterday afternoon aud he has informed me of what was the ’vital' thing that I said to him in connection with the two letters ef Governor Blease at. the time I waa endeavoring to withhold the demand of Governor Please for a special meeting of the regents." "Inasmuch as he seemed to think that what I said waa of such vital Importance. to this investigation, I want to state what he says I said. I do not recall having made the re mark, but If I did I do not see that It is ‘vital’ to this investigation, nor do I see where it is germane to the Inquiry which the committee is now making, however, I have qo desire to withhold anything that nrey-help to clarify the situation. i "He says that I said that the State newspaper would give a good sum for possession of the two letters, and if they were published they would de feat Governor Blease for the Senate and elect Smith. I do not deny hie recollection, bat I do not recall the remark. If I said it, it would only be an opinion and could have *o connection that T can aee with the management of the institution, *T do not recall now that I remark ed when I read the letters whether ope of them at least reflected upon" Dr. Saunders, or it did not, it was * unfortunately worried, and I mad* this remark to Governor Blease. "He said he had no intention of reflecting upon Dr. Saunders. I have had a great many 1 conversations with Dr.' Bahcack during the three years that I have been coming to Colum bia. I have been here at least once a week during that time and have been with him each timp and we have talked about. State park and the asy lum, and it would be impossible for me to recall all of those conversa tions. I have been his friend and have tried to do what I could do to serve his interests and would not now do him an Injustice if I knew it. *T have asked the committee to permit me to make this- statement because it Seemed to me that Dr. Bab cock in thq ’grilling’ which he gave me as one of the newspapers stated, waa endeavoring to make it appear that I have a convenient memory. I have nothing to conceal. What I did I thought waa ,ln the interest of harmony and for the good of all oon- cerqed.” PUT TOWN IN DARKNESS. Unknown Miscreants Cause Trouble in Hone* Path. ‘quake, and" ffdin itions In this say that my years, retarded. I had no personal feelings in the matter—have had none, and have none now. I knew that Governor Blease waa my friend. I knew that I was hla friend. Oth ers knew that, the governor was my friend, and baked me to see the gov ernor in regard to certain matter*. Influence of other parts of the State the falling [ chimneys, swaying of houses and destruction of fragile objects was re ported. J ’ ' - • this hospital is to be located. There is an increase of $2,200 for the office of tire railroad commission ers. The Catawba Indian item shows an increase of $2,200. The commis sioner of agriculture la allowed' an increase of $2,800 for his office. The Adjutant General’s office ia allowed an Jncrease of $8,600. The industrial school at Florence is allowed $44,- 000. The pension fund is Increased $7,000, and then elections have to be porrided tor thl> year at an addi tional cost of $36,436. There is an Increase of $$4,800 in the appropriation for the Medical College of the State at Charleston. The total of the bill presented ia $2,- 391,795 as against $1,859,077 for last year. The total net Increase is Hones Path waa In total darkness Sunday night due to damage done to the electric light plapj by some mis creants unknown as yet to the au thorities. When the engineer went in the afternoon to start the machinery for the night he found that some one had gotten access to the machinery room, by a window and had cut the* belts Into short pieces, and damaged the machinery In other ways amount ing to perhaps $100. While the guilty parties are not known the com missioners haver a clue which tiunr believe will lead to their apprehen sion and punishment It .is supposed that the cowardly deed grew nut of malice toward the superintendent and engineer of the plant Faint Proves Fatal. Charles H. Lord, floor walker IB a New York department store, tainted about $260,000, the difference being In the amonnt raised by the'Special one-mill tea tor school jiarposes. In the miscellaneous Items is In cluded $30,000 tor tick eradication, and provision ia made for an appro priation M $10,000 tor a mlHtla manoeuvre camp,, aud the eneamh- Drops Dead in Fireplace. Yesterday morning about sight o’clock Henrietta, the wife of I. it Mitchell, a colored farmer In the Fork ♦ *ew ■nwi** from waogeourg, dropp- ' ed dead from heart trouble, and fell' In the fireplace. Their little child, sev en years old, pulled the body out, sad after throwing water on tt, called lei; help. Neighbors soon arrived; but found the woman alreadrdeart Heart trouble tensed the death as aha not severely bunted. that pollttoa which .LdhL J •t** r *| hte -tteoei . aud h* «*tokly Watt I feel that I have, beau placed Thursday and pitched head first Into a allow case. The' broken gjaaa cut I ” ent “ iBf. 0 * thu eondltion .city friends. an Is a have not Ji ■Ion the 'i avat*.