Daily globe., 1878-03-22

RIDAY MORNING, VI j \ I N'l', MARC
understand you are chairman of this COM
mittee?
Mr.. Doran-I have that honor.
/ Mr.. KeT-Have you the original
resolution appointing the committee
Mr.. D.-No Sir.
Mr.. XII remember reading It at the
time, but do not remember exactly its terms.
Mr.. Edgerton explained the powers of the
committee.
I RESOLUTION OF THE TRUSTEES
Mr.. Kerr then went into long statement
saying that at the last quarterly meeting of
the trustees the following resolution had
been passed:
Resolved That it is our desire to afford the
committee the fullest facilities for most care
ments for insane, and that a copy of this be
forwarded to the chairman of the committee of
investigation.
1 This, he said, had beed sent to Mr.. Doran
on the 7th inst, asking him when
the committee would be prepared to make
their visit. To which Mr.. Doran had replied
that they did not propose to advertise or
make public their intentions. He, Mr..
Kerr, insisted upon the right of the trustees
to be represented at the investigation. An
other resolution was passed at that meeting
as follows:
RESOLVED, That a committee of three. consist
ing of the local trustees G. s. Brown, William
| Schimmel and E. 81. Kerr, be hereby appoint
| ed to defend the interests of the hospital dur
ing the proposed investigation.
THE TRUSTEES NOT TO BE ALLOWED TO INT1A11-
4 A long debate followed in, which eyery
member of the committee took part, stating
their surprise at the indignity put upon
them by the board, and maintain
ing their right to investigate as
they pleased. 1t was pointed out to Mr..
Kerr and the other members of the board
that their presence could not be tolerated,
Mr.. Doran and Mr.. Drew saying they would
have no witnesses intimidated by their pres
ence. 1t had been tantalizingly asked of
them IT they. were going up to whitewash
the institution. They we're not there to
whitewash nor to prosecute, but simply to
| investigate, and that they were going to do
Mr.. Edgerton said, and Mr.. Drew expressed
the same sentiment, that he hoped and be-
lieved when he came here that the charges
laid against the institution would, on inves-
| tigation, be found false, and without any
foundation, but the stand the trustees had
taken had considerably shaken his belief.
though not his hope, for the honor of the
State.
After considerable discussion, Mr.. Kerr
said that the trustees had given no instruc-
tions to DR.. Bartlett to refuse admittance to
the committee; that there must have been q
misunderstanding upon the part of DR..
Bartlett.
DOES THE REV. KERR pREvAR1cArE.
Your reporter heard Mr.. Kerr tell Dr.
Bartlett if they came again he was to refuse
them admittance as an investigating COM
mittee, unless accompanied by the trustees :;
and three different times during the day he
had insisted that the trustees claimed
it as theirright to be represented through the
whole investigation.
THE TRUSTEES BACK DOWN.
Mr.. Brown came in at this moment, and
disclaimed giving DR.. Bartlett any such
orders, and DIR. Bartlett at once took the
whole onus upon himself, and said that he
might have misunderstood his instructions
but Mr.. Schimmels statement fully bore out
the fact that the trustees had given such in
structions. That they had looked upon the
committee rather as prosecuting than an
investigating body, and were acting on the
defensive.
Mr.. Kerr never thought the committee
came with the intention of working up
case.
| Mr.. Edgerton said the action of the board
could only be explained in two ways.
the first, that the committee
came with a hostile feeling
and with the desire to prosecute, or persc-
cute, as Mr.. Schimmel had expressed it. or
that there was some foundation for the
charges, and the trustees had appointed a
committee to ''defend'' them.
| The discussion lasted till seven O'Clock.
and terminated by the legislative committee
informing the trustees that they intended to
investigate to the very bottom and in their
own way; that when they wanted the at
tendance of the trustees or their committee,
they would send for them, and they asked
for they wanted then and there to under
stand the true sltuation-of DR.. Bartlett if
they went to the hospital again, he would
admit them.
BARTLETT THREATENS TO RESIGN.
DR.. Bartlett said he must get instructions
from the trustees.
Mr.. Kerr said they could go when they
liked, and make any inquiry they might
wish.
A general conversation ensued, in which
DIR. Bartlett expressed his belief that the
Legislature had no authority to send COM
mittee to go over the building Just when
they pleased, without consulting those in
charge. If it were 80 he would at once be
ready to resign his position.
The action of the trustees caused con
siderable excitement and discussion through.
out the town, and it was generally known
that the committee were to be refused ad-
mittance into the institution. The
better class of citizens condemn
the action of the board, stating that il
! gives some coloring to the charges made
against the management.
AS USUAL.
It need hardly be added that no other pa.
per was represented at this meeting but THr
GLOBE. Mr.. Moore, of the Tribune, came
in toward the close of the discussion, but nc
daily paper was represented except TH1
THURSDAY MORNING POSTSCRIPT.
/ This would have been telegraphed las1
night but the operator here could not gel
the wires at Mankato. He tried in vain u1
to nearly IL o'clock, but failed.
Second Day.
Especial Telegram to The GLOBE
ST. PETER, March 21.-This usually auie
place is in quite state of fermentation
this bright, glorious spring morning, an6
people seem to find nothing else to do thar
talk over the extraord mary action of tn,
trustees of the insane asylum yesterday. I