Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-04-20
DocToR's BILLS.
The Report Of the Committee-List Of
Allowances Proposed-What the
Minority Think Should be
Done.
PR0POSeDALLoWANCE exTRAvAGANT

WASHINGTON, ID. C., April l9.-In the
House, Judge Taylor, Chairman of the COM
mittee to audit the expenses of the illness
and death of President Garfield, submitted
a bill and report, and Blackburn presented
a report Of the minority. Both was referr-
ed to the committee of the whole. The
bill appropriates for the relief OF Lucretia
r. Garfield $50, 900, less any sum paid the
late President Garfield on account of his
salary as President. 1t pays DR.. Bliss S25,-
600, doctors Agnew and Hamilton SIS, 900
each, doctors Reyburn and Boynton $lo,-
900 each, DR.. Susan Edson SO, 900, VIM. J.
Crump S, 900, Secretary of the Navy slO,-
So, VIM. r. Spears (undertakerl S1,sS5, to
C. n. Jones, of Elberon. S4l, ,092, and to
various merchants and other sums varying
from so cents to $1,000.
1t provides that when Surgeon-General
]. X. Barnes be retired from active service,
he be placed on the retired list with the
rank and pay of Major General. 1t further
provides that there shall be added TO the
medical corps of the army enc surgeon,
with the rank, pay and emoluments Of
Lieutenant Colonel, and authorizes the
President to promote James J. Woodward
to that position.
The Majority Report.
WASHINGTON, April l9.-The majority re-
port on the bill reported from the select
committee to audit the expenses Of the late
President, sets forth that after giving such
attention to the subject as its importance
demands, your committee are of the opin-
ion that Congress may properly and legally
assume the expenses attendant upon the
illness and burial OF the late President,
upon the ground that he was stricken down
while he was, and because he was, in the
discharge of his duties as Chief Executive
officer of the National government, and
Commander-in.Chief of the army and navy.
Many claims have been rejected not all
OF which were without merit. Others have
been allowed in the part only, and all have
been rigdly scrutinized; so much 50 that
your committee feel authorized TO state
that those claims recommended for pay
ment are correct and just.
Tie report refers to the grave response
bilities. the asSiduOuS care and untiring de-
votion and long continued services OF the
surgeons and attendants, and makes honor
able mention of the services Of DR.. Smith
Townsend, DR.. Chas B. Purvis and Surgeon
General Wales, of the Navy and Of DR..
Nathan S. Lincoln, who reported after
the shooting occurred, and says: They
did all that science and skill could accom-.
plish towards the patients relief and pro-
duce reaction from the shock.
Commendatory mention is also made OF
Gen. Swain, Col. Rockwell, J. Stanley
Brown and Q. o. Rockwell, who, the report
says, devoted their whole time during the
Presidents illness to his comfort and serv
ice. The committee concludes by urging
the passage Of the bill agreed upon by the
majority.
Minority Report.
The report of the minority says: We do
not object To the payment by the General
Government of the funeral expenses of
the late President. who was stricken down
in the performance OF his duties and be-
Our objection to the report grows out OF
the Recommendation for the payment for
the services of the physicians and surgeons
who attended the late President. We
are perfectly willing TO COnCede that
liberal compensation should he allowed
the physicians and surgeons. compenSa-
ton in excess even of what ii was possible
for anv Of the medical attendants TO have
earned in their ordinary practice during
the time. but the sums recommended TO
be paid by the majority OF the committee
are excessive.
We are Of the opinion that there was no
extraordinary medical skill exhibited IN
the treatment OF the case, and nothing cali
ing for an extraordinary allowance for pro-
fessional services, but while willing to he
liberal we could not consent to manner OF
payment recommended, nor to the cNtrava.
gance and wantOn lavishment Of public
funds.
we also respectfully protest against that
part of the report OF the majority which
recommends the promotion OF Surgeon
General Barnes TO u MajorGencral rank
and his retirement Hereunder, and TO the
recommendation OF the promotion OF Dr.
Woodward from Major to Lieutenant
Colonel, with the rank and pay of the lat
ter office. This committee has no jurisdic-
ton to make any recommendations with
regard TO military establishment. We were
willing that the government should assume
to pay such sums for professional services
as might lawfully have been recovered
from the late President, and were desirous 0t
treating such claims as claims against the
estate of the deceased, rather than as pro-
perly cognizable by Congress. We were
willing, therefore To appropriate 10 the
estate such portion Of the unearned
salary of the late President as would cover
all such claims; but can not agree that eX'
cessive sums shall be appropriated for pro-
fesSiOnal service.
We recommend the adoption OF the fol-
lowing resolutions: That the report OF the
majority Committee, together with the bill
accompanying said report, be recommitted
with instructions to the committee To re-
auire all persons having claims cognizable
bv said committee to present accounts
thereof. and to require claimants, in all
cases, to furnish proof as TO the value Of the
services rendered or materials furnished,
and in case OF allowances for professional
services as physicians or surgeons, to make
such allowances only as would be properly
chargeabe TO or provabe against the estate
of the late President, and to provide in the
bill. when again reported, such further ap::
pronriation of unearned salary as would
cover tke amounts audited for such profes-
sional services.
ISignedI Jos s. BLACEBrRS,
WV. NJ. SPEISGER,