Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-07-21
WHO Is 10 BLAME!
The Needy, Sick and Dying Of
Memphis vs.. The officials.
letter from Acting Mayor Eunln.

In our issue Of yesterday morning, we
detailed the circumstances attending the
attempts Of three miserable nnfOrtunates
to gain admission into the City Hospital.
We made plain statement OF facts-at-
lacking nobody, blaming nobody in par
tieulsr, but showing that condition Of
affairs existed among US which is dis
grsce, burning shame, to any cOmmu
nifty which calls itself Christian or civil
lied. During the day We received the
following note on the subject from Gen.
J. D. RuffiB, Mayor pro tenn to which
We propose to say few words:
MEMPHIS, 4 ENN-, July 20, 1873.
Editors Memphis Appeal
Gentlemen. Ia your Monday morning
issue notice an article headed burn
ing shame-WhO is to blame.n Now,
sir, if your local would inform himself
upon city ordinances before he condemn
ed the officials, he would serve the pub
lie 9 better purpose. Many come to this
city from the country and apply for hos
Dital permits, who, when asked if they
i've in the city, they answer no, but
have been advised to come to the city
authorities. 1 send them Immediately
to the County Commissioners, to be sent
to the county hospital. No one is en-
titled to admission in the city hospital
who has lived here over twelve
months; neither can the city take
brought here by rail and boats. The
cases YOU speak of had a permit sent to
them Saturday, which was the first init
,,aFsor, he'd NJ fhAir sick
Very Respectfully, j. D. RUFFlN,
Mayor pro. TEN.
In the first place, the local mas not
condemned the cflicisls." The local
simply stated facts facts that he can
prove by every member CT the First Dis
triet Metropolitan Police, and If the off
cials are condemned, it is these facts that
condemn them. We mentioned no hos
pital, DO official, we only know that
some one is grossly and criminally at
fault, and whether city official or county
official, we neither know nOr care. The
city charges the blame on the county,
and the county no doubt will charge it
back on the city and, between them,
human beings-meD, and women, aud
children, drop and die ia our streets, IN
needed and uncared for, and when an
editor calls attention to the fact, be is
gravely told that he had better read the
City Ordinances.
Gen. Rufiin says that no one is entitled
to admittance to the City Hospital who
dss been over twelve months in the
city; and in the very next sentence he
tells us that the city cannot take care OF
psupers and strangers brought here. In
the name of common sense and hui
mainly, for whom, then, IS the hospital ?
Is it for the special benefit Of those who
are in that transient stste, between a
citizen of the city and q citizen Of the
II not for paupers, or in other
words, people too poor to psy for medi-
cal attendance, for whom is il? II it is
simply for those who are able 70 pay, it !
ceases to be 3 charitable institution.
All this, however, we leave to be dis. |
cussed another time, land We promise !
the gentleman TO come back to it and |
produce more facts and facts of differ
eat character from those that we have |
already given.l We have now simply |
to do With Gen. Raffin's note. That |
the General gave permits as soon SIS he /
heard Of the eases we cited, no one who
Knows bis humanity AMI kindness Of
leart will doubt for a moment, but
whose fault is it thar he never heard Of
he case OF the woman Mary Allen until
Saturday ? 1t was reported at his office
,r 1.-THE municipal building, on the We'd
lesday, Thursday ard Friday previous.
7or this, we have the word Of Capt.
simons and Sgt. Brown Of the LIST District
Police and we again ask JUBO was il
hat failed to let Gen. RufIl1 know ofthe
.ase until four days had elapsed. and the
,atiant was nearly at deaths door ?
Why was it that the permit for the man
ouud on Poplar street was delayed until
lie was so far gone that be was q corpse
'efore he reached the hospital? Let Us
now, in the name of humanity!
In conclusion, lf0r the present, Only,l
re thank Gen. Rufln for his suggestion
5 to the duties of the local, and beg
cave 20 assure him that if be will paw
body to do cur work for a month,
end US 8 copy Of the city ordinances,
sndsomely bound, 3 few dozen cham
Gisne q observation-disclosures, and provide
boy to keep the flies off Us, we win try
nd post ourselves in the ordinances so
hat in condemning the o6icisls here
fJer, "we can serve the public to q
stter purp0se.u