, 1876-04-13
For the DIsPAgCH.
The Asylum Ring.

Nv S'''' '~''S
A petition praying the Board of Trus-
tees of the Institution for the Insane to
elect certain NJ. D. to the position of
medical superintendent is being quite
thoroughly and extensively circulated
in this county. and probably elsewhere.
The runners, hirelings and understrap-
psrs for the Ring are hunting up, im-
ploring, begging. ard importunlng every
man, woman and child to attach their
signatures to this wonderful instrument
of writing, which is TO accomrli lish the
work at one fell swoop before the Board
of Hospital Trustees.
Their efforts in this county, with the
exception. perhaps of this place, have
been attended with but very poor sue
cess, as the majority of the best citizens
declined to sign any such document,
very sensibly and appropriately assign
ing as reason therefor, that they know
comparatively very little concerning the
qualifications, just claims and fitness or
otherwise OF this would-be superintsra-
ent for the position.
This is indeed very artful and novel
way to secure an appointment of medl-
cal Superintendent of an institution for
insane. With propriety in this case
the question may be raised, what do
these petitioners, who have been erged
to the action of petitionlng, kno'c OF the
qualifications, claims, ETC., of DR.. Bal
lard to enti,le Kim to the position? 1t
will he remembered by not few that
this medical aspirant is the one whose
record has been very seriously and just
ly called in question as reputable ply
sician. 1t will not be forgotten by those
who were in attendance at the trial OF
DR.. Glass for murder i'll Portland, Ore
gon, that this DR.. Ballard and an old
Dut"h corn doctor were all that could
be found among men known and styled
as doctors, to testify in behalf of the
criminal. 1t will not be forgotten aisc
how the lawyers, who were engaged In
prosecuting the case. assailed DR.. B. on
the question of specific (') medicines
used in procuring abortions. Amongst
the whole array of medical talent OF
| Oregon brought on the witness stand,
DR.. g., who made such q remarkable
display of his very profound knowledge
Of Medicine, was the only one, with
perhaps the exception of the old corn
doctor, who stated that the oil OF tansy
was SPECIFIC (?) in producing abor-
tiops
Perhaps such knowledge of tho science
Of medicine would assign him to the
front rank of the profession in the esti~
nation of those whose signatures grace
his petition. 1t is useless here to go
further into the record of DR.. Ballard as
physician, as his actions throughout the
whole Asylum controversy show clearly
his true character. 1t is notoriously
known that he accepted bribe from
contractor Harmon to core over here
to assume the champi onship of the bar
barous plan of caring for the insane by
the contract system.
Moreover it is well known to the pub
lie that he did everything in Lis power
to prevent proper hospital organization
and now. forsooth, he turns around and
has the impudence to ask-nay even,
to importune the people to come to his
rescue by influencing the action Of the
Board in order that he may be placed at
the head of the very organization which
he so bitterly and vehemently opposed.
Oh! Consistency, what a jswel
Have the people of this Territory,
forgotten SO soon the facts relating to
the sudden accidental (?) dea.h by pois-
oning of the convalescent patient Nit
chell at the Asylum ? Was this subject
not alluded to in our legislative halls,
and was it not clearly and truthfully
demonstrated that if DIR. Ballard had
been absent from his post of duty there
would have been one less grave ?
We opine that the Board of Trustees
will heed these facts when they take in
to consideration the matter of electing
medical superintendent.
Respectfully yours,
ONK OF THE PEOPLE.
StrFJf AcofM w IT Apri1 1915,