Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-01-30
THE ESOULAPIAN WAR.


view of the report of the Asylum Inves-
tigating Committee; remarkable for the
manner in which the doctor chooses to
treat the subject.
The Committee made no charges
against DIR. Hemenway, but simply left
him where it fonnd him, and to all in
tents and purposes he occupies the same
position still; for, though he struggle
vigorously, he utterly fails to extricate
himself. If time and patience per-
mitted, it would be more amusing than
instructive to closely follow the doctor
through his review, and enable him to
"see himself as others see him" Evil
IDENTIFY he finds it "hard road to trav-
ell" and muddy one withal, Take it
easy, doctor, and don't founder so; you
have the mud to yourself, and can take
you own time; " there is tide in the
affairs of men," sc. Seriously, doctor,
there is one fact which newcomers, al
most invariably, are slow and reluctant
in recognizing-an important fact, and
one probably which you may have some
what neglected, viz: that there were
people here before your arrival, and
that perchance there may he some few
left when you have gone.
It is still time, as the doctor admits
in his review, that certain statements
made in his affidavit, of offences alleged
to have been committed prior to his re-
port of 1878, are at direct variance with
the letter and spirit of that report; but
the doctor says that he was fully aware
that if he had preferred charges and
entered complaint against Mr.. Harmon,
or any of his attendants, he possessed
the power, and would speedily use it,
to crush it out" If the doctor is sat-
isfed with that, as reason for keeping
the facts to himself, all right; but we
opine that the public will view it diff
ferently.
In one thing the doctor states truly,
and he shall have the full benefit of it,
that he was not present during most
of their sittings." The connection in
which that sentence occurs in the report,
will clearly show that DR.. Wilson, and
not DIR. Hemenway was intended, the
printer substituted gentlemen for gen.
tleman; this, Dr. Hemenway must have
observed, and his course hero can but be
regarded as the veriest quibbling. But
the pertinent question is, why was the
doctor not present? He knew that the
Committee was in session and waiting
for him he had notice from the Com
mittee, through DR.. Wilson; was near
ut hand a good portion of the time;
was called for repeatedly by the Com
,,,;ttaa. o,,,aoroJ onoa IN fbo Hon, p,;ffaa
room for about two minutes during the
examination of q witness, and then alb
sented himself altogether, until the
Committee had adjourned. And al
though the Committee adjourned to
Steilacoom, to give the gentleman and
others an opportunity to testify, he
kept himself aloof until after the final
adjournment. Then the gentleman
made himself visible, and seemed to
have time and inclination to talk. Did
he, as was suggested by one at the time,
"throw off" on DR.. Wilson?
Now, sincerely hope that the doc
tors conduct upon that occasion may
be perfectly satisfactory to, himself; but
I must say that I wish he had acted
otherwise, for certainly more manly
course would have been largely to his
credit.
With the present system of keeping
the insane, as compared with some
other system, the Committee had Moth
ing to do; therefore what the doctor
has to say upon that subject is entirely
out of place and uncalled for; indeed,
much of his review is froth and foam
evidently the vaporings of mind i'll at
ease, and intended to divert attention
ftom the facts. Some of the state
ments, are however, ridiculously false,
but to the doctors credit it must be said
that most of these statements, by his
own admission, were derived from other
persons. Now the fact is, and doctor
Hemenway will not deny it, ample time
and opportunity was afforded him, and
all others, to testify. The Committee
was in waiting nearly two days for wit
nesses ON the part of the prosecution,
when some of those witnesses were
within hearing distance much of the
time, the doctor included. DR.. Will.
son, time and again, assuring the Com.
mittee said witnesses scould appear and
testify.
:, The doctor at the close of his article
wakes warm, and would make the i'm
preston that the Committee was packeo
in the interest of Mr.. Harmon. Come
come, brother Hemenway, that is, fol
all the world like doctor; always ant
persisently trying to cram down thu
Threats of others that which he himself
is unwilling or unable to swallow. Now
I submit, that it is of doubtful taste
thus to expose our tricks of trade. Why
doctor, you do not believe, and henc,
must fail to make the public believe
that the Committee acted otherwise tina,
uprightly and in good faith. Away
excepting the present company, o
course, that Committee was composed
of old citizens, well and favorabl,
known, and it will require something
more than mere insinuation from
nr onu pfhor HnatOr