The Portland daily press., 1877-12-21

II
took pains to look Into the accounts carefully,
| expecting to fad every extravaganza, but was
| surprised to find it otherwise. Last year we
l went to the legislature to ask for an appropri-
alton Drs. Gilman and Dana were delegated
| to represent the directors but they found that
the finance committee were prejudiced against
| the institution. They would not even talk with
them. We found that DR.. Tewksbury had
l spent ten or twelve days talking against the
hospital. This prejudiced the committee and
they told us that the hospital was extravagant
and did not deserve help. One of the commit
tee tod DIR. Dana that Dr.. Tewksbury had
been talking with him about the matter and
told them about the matter At last meeting
was called OF the directors and DR.. Tewksbury
was called to attend. After trying in vain to
get at the matter in round about man ner,
DIR. Dana charged DIR. Tewksbury directly with
trying to prevent the granting of an appropria-
t1on. He denied it, but that was no more than
was expected. At last the finance committee
which is, as is we'll known, composed of the
ab'est men in the Legislature, were Induced to
come here and investigate for themselves We
took them over the entire building, explained
the regulations and the entire workings of the
institution, and they went away well satisfied
and reported in favor of the appropriation,
which we got. But here is another case where
Or. Tewksbury again appeared The day be-
fore the matter was brought before the commit
tee an article was published in the Argus COM
planning OF the financial management, also of
the amount of coal burned. A copy of the pa
per containing this was placed on the desk of
each member. This communication came from
l the same source.
At this point Dr. Tewksbury arose and de-
pied the charge in most emphatic manner.
Mr.. Spring REPLIED that of course he would
deny it. That was all he could do. He might
not have penned it, but it emanated from his
| brain.
"That is base falsehood," replied DR..
| Tewksbury.
When we charged him with this communi-
cation he denied it, and SO we were obliged to
let 1t drop and try once more to get along with
| nun. AT last, however, letter came to the
Superintendent from Thomaston saying that
lady had been charged $50 by DIR. Tewksbury
for services rendered while she was at the hos.
| pital We concluded after some time we would
not act upon this either. Ali this time we
| were bearing what this man was saying against
| the institution, what his wife was relating as
coming from SAM" and at last decided to let
| him go. We could much better fight real ac-
knowledged enemy than a pretended friend
who was really deadly foe. He was accord
ingly dropped. 1t was not long time ago
| that the matter of Mr.. Eaton came up, and it
was said he bled to death or was unnecessarily
| chopped up. 1t was said that Dr. Files wrote
| the item that first appeared in the Argus. Peo-
Pile asked, who is DR.. Files?" 1t 80 happened
| that l knew Files, and knew that he had never
had anything to do with the hospital and took
no interest in its affairs. He did not take the
trouble to write s1ch an attack Of his own &C.
cord. Here was another attack from the same
| source.
DR.. Tewksbury again arose and protested
against such wholesale SANDER.
Mr. Spring con Ginued his remarks, saying
that DR.. Tewksbury said to DR.. Greene, speak
ingsof the hospital. Lets push it to the wall"
That is FALSE" replied DR.. Tewksbury,
springing to his feet in rather animated man
ner.
'Of course you will deny it," reioined Mr.
Spring.
81 do. and you will have to prove these things
which you say, too" continued DR.. Tewksbury
After this rather exciting episode Mr. Spring
continued uninterrupted. He said that just
such communications as had emapated from
the source named were constantly appearing
The newspapers say that they are authorized
by responsible parties, and do not know as
they are SO much to blame after all. But as
said before, it is not the coal or anything else
except Dr. Hunt which troubles DR.. Tewks-
bury. think Dr. Hunt is a very necessary
man, and that it is very proper thing to have
SUCH man at the head of an Institution of this
kind. AS to the steam works, Waltham, who
IS the acknowledged authority in New England,
put them in and now considers them perfect.
AT the close of Mr.. Springs remarks, Dr..
Tewksbury sprang to his feet and pronounced
the charges made against him utterly false.
"Mr Spring." he said, ''you are doing me
great wrong in making such charges, which
have no sor. of foundation"
Tue charges can be sustained by an abupd-
ance of testimony replied Mr.. Spring.
DIR. Tewksbury said that for year he said
nothing against Dr. Hunt, and when did
speak it was to save money to the hospital. DR..
Hunt never injured me and [ never wronged
him. As to the charge that when entered
here L discharged patient after patient, and
some of whom were not cured, it is false from
beginning to end. L did turn out lot of tramps
and bummers WHO were not sick and were not
paying anything. The Thomsston case refer.
red to by Mr.. Spring is this L have always re-
commended my out of town patients to come to
the hospital that the institution might get the
boarding of them. The hospital has received
from $4,000 to $4,000 from my patients thus sent.
This woman, Mrs. Muggridge, came to the city
Tor treatment. L can prove by letters from her
which now have, that she bad no lea of go
ing to the hospital but advised her to do so.
After she was there awhile she learned that
some of the patients were being treated free,
and she then thought she would avail herself
of the same advantage. She went home cured
and wrote, saying SO to me. then sent the
bill to be collected. She demurred and with
drew the bill to save trouble. 1t was. however,
an honest bill and L can collect it today. In
regard to my working with the Legislature to
prevent an appropriation, the facts are that
Wu6u tue Case was penQIDg happened TO De In
Augusta on professional duties, and instead of
spending ten or twelve days. spent one night.
The large amount of coal burned was referred
to, but did nothing to affect the minds of the
members of the Legislature. There was dis
affection among the physicians in regard to pri-
vate patients in the hospital. 1 took the ground
that had as much right to bring in ward pa
TENT who kpad only one dollar a week as had
one who was able to pay two dollars week. l
SAID that this was not giving the poor equal
mid fta nsal, -.
trouble referred to.
DR.. Bates of Yarmouth, said that he did not
come to find fault with the hospital, but he
arose as q simple matter of Justice to DR..
Tewksbury to say that he was not the author
of the article in the Argus last winter. I know
who the author was, and L assure you that Dr.
Tewksbury had nothing to do with the matter.
DR.. Bates closed by wishing that satisfactory
report of the investigation would be spread
broadcast to help the institution.
At this point the hearing was adjourned un-
til afternoon. During the recess the members
Of the board were taken through the hospital
and shown the steam works, which were an
important part of the subject to be investi-
gated. The system of ventilation was fully
explained and appeared to satisfy the gentle
men perfectly.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
1t was after o'clock before the board came
together to complete the hearing. DIR. Tewks-
bury called DR.. Holt, former house surgeon
in the hos pital. was there year from Aug.
1875. DR.. Hunt visited the patients daily but
do not know what he did. did not eat with
DR.. Hunts family nor did Mrs. Warren, the
matron. DR.. Tewksbury had good reputation
in the hospital and was always known to look
after his patients closely. Patients in the hos.
pltal always Inquired for him before an opera
ton was performed and were always anxious
to have bin see them. 1 never knew the visit
ing ommittee, whose duty it is to call once a
month, to make but one visit while was there
and did not see them then.
In answer to question DR.. Hunt said that
the visiting committee ware not there during
every month during 1875 and 1876. One or two
of the board of directors, however, called sew
eral times a month.
DR.. Tewksbury next called DR.. H. Fl. Hill Of
Augusta to testify as to his professional stand
ing in the state and his acts towards the hospi-
tal Dr. Hill said that in all his intereoursa