The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-27

ms9 nSd not ehe!r Captains order; witness oa0
the second day alter their arrival IN port
TESTIMONY OF NJ rOMPKHs.
dletown, staten Island; thought that portion Of
sse PROPERTY should be sold the water front could
institution any der%e.S % Is se toWn Of MdSe
t Town; thought that Y two roads opened
"se W 'ne Locality as well as to the Institution.
~ ma, TESTIMONY OF Dr. ANDERSON.
Dr. william ANDERSON testified that he hal been
eight years. the daily average Of patients 10 ls44 and
1S45 was 160; the expenses for the latter wear were
time the Institution was self-su staininw and had
surplus OF $40, 600; mad q boarI then of twelve
&C.; the salary OF witness was $5yO as heal ME-
cirn and had house to live I'M the Officers were An
pointed by the trustees; there was then
NO PARTISAN INFLUENCE
exercised in the institution to control The votes Of
the patients parties connected with the institu-
ton lnterfered 70 control the elections In the tow
against its local interests; Thought that the OLD
management should be resumed, as it was at pres
were sufficient ior the purposes OF the Retreat
and that the tax imposed upon seamen was unjuss
on the part of the state as the United States gov
eminent exacted in all It's waters twenty cents De,-
capita; Commodore Vanderbilt once refused to
pay the State tax and was sued ne carried the
case to the United States Supreme Court, where IL
was decided In his favor,
THE LAW BEING UNCONSTITUTIONAL;
and the institution was compelled to pay the costs
OF the SUIT the government OF the United States
should provide TOR its seamen; witness recommended
care OF the sick seamen should DO entirely under
'"' TESTIMONY OF CLARKsoN cRoLrus.
Mr.. GARRISON CrolIus, President OF the Board or
Trustees OF the Seamens Retreat, testified that no
had been IN the board Tor peri OF years;
the Institution as at present conducted was generally
satisfactory to him; 1t had not been selr-suppOrtng
owing to the fact that the law was considered
unconstitutional and the merchants refused to pay:
some OF the merchants. paid. but others refused TO
do so; If all raid 1t would be selfsustalning the de-
clsion IN the case OF Mr.. Vanderbilt had
the deficit had been met by mortgage OF $50 600:
the money was raised In March, 1871; witness con-
sdered that II the Retreat was not carried more
successfully 1t would be better to abolish IT. six or
eight acres only were necessary; thought the re-
would bring $685. 900 or $4,000; 1t was better to sell
the property than to havei 1t
GRADUALLY EATEN AWAY;
did not consider thai q tax should be imposed on
the people to clear the deficit; did not think that
the officers or the institution ever exercised any
political influences over the patients, nor had the
Board any political complexion; law was passed
to dispose OF the property but 1t required the trus
tees 70 qualify IN heavy bonds to return the pro-
MONEY BELONGED TO THE SAILORS.
and steps were taken III the matter; was OF 0pfn-
ion that commissioners should be appointed with
bonds Of $4,000 TO all the property and that they
should receive two thousand or twenty-five hundred
dollars per annum; considered that the investment
of the surplus In the OLD LADIES' Home was
sion JUST the ApfI Increased Prices Of supplies.
the Institution was conducted as economically IS
sailor had not paid MS TAX and, although the dOubS
was slim, the Secretary vas instructed 10 lean on
the side Of charity and send the sailor down TO Inc
hospital.
resident of Brooklyn ana had been connected with
the Board since 1873; became trustee because ne
was president OF the Shlpmaslers Association; was
thoroughly satisfied with the manner IN winch the
United States had the means to take care OF all the
seamen VINO arrived at this port IN the course Of
the year; was OF opinion that
THE RETREAT SHOULD BE CONTINUED
until the United states government was prepared
to take Of all the sailors at the United states
Naval Hospital, which, he understood, had
been discontinued; the present management OF the
Retreat nad his approval; the ocers nad 5eem very
treat were abolished, as the general government
would provide Tor them when it had the requisite
DR.. Hebcr Smith was next examined. He stated
that he superintendent OF the Marine Hospitals
Seamen's Retrea. Brooklyn Hospital and Bellevue,
10r which was paid ninety cents per capita per DAY;
those whom the government sent were all persons
who paid the United States Marine Hospital tax; all
sailors who sailed in United States vessels PAID this
tax and the government les bound 70 2rovide 1or
tageous, in his opinion SO lar as 1t accommodated
seamen who arrived In foreign vessels; the tax per
twenty'tO forty cents month, and was collected
every time vessel not coaster entered the port;
that many instances had occurred where the cap,
taIns OF vessels mad
APPROPRIATED TO THEIR OWN USE
the hospital tax collected from the sailors, and th8e
was probably the reason why the sailors were
marked as delinquent on these books OF the Sea-
mems Retreat; thought that II the Retreat were
abolished the United states Marine Hospital could
provide for those entitled to treatment.
CORROBORATIvE TESTIMONY.
Mr.. Robinson, another trustee, was next exam
1ned and gave cOrrODOralive testimony. He thought
the Legislature should pass law for the sale OF
the Retreat property. excepting the Old LADIES'
Home, and that the money should be appropriated
to pay for the board Of sick nrm sailors AZ other
hospitals where they could obtain good treatment.
Other witnesses were then called, including MesSrx-
II. Wood Abrahams, u. l.. Ciausen and Samuel H.
Hopkins, all OF whom cOncurred In the opinions ex-
pressed by the President OF the Board Of Trustees
In reference TO tho sale OF the properly
Captain Perkins, Secretary OF the Seamen's Re-
treat, testified that he received his appointment
four years ago; considered that all the items OF eX-
penditure were just In regard to the charges made
against him concerning his refusal to admit the two
that II the back dues of the vessel were paid ne
would admit them to the institution, or II they
would get written certificate from the owners thag
they refused to pay the amount he would give tnem
David A. Edgar, Superintendent, was then ex-
ahmed In reference to the expenditures and the
mode OF conducting business generally.
ID. L. Webster, OF 68 Front street, said ne wa8
stOrekeeper OF the United States bonded warehOuses
mad been connected with the Retreat for six years.
OF contagious disease had been IN the Retreat
DIR. MOifatt died OF infectious disease contracted
there; never knew OF any political influence having
been exercised to obtain votes.
Alter some further evidence relative TO the WORK.
ing OF the institution the investigation was brought
to close shortly after four O'clock The committee
lett for Albany last evening.
SUSPICIOUS CASE
au.-.S nv.Iu-oct;c. hv Z. phvsyc,.u.