The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-10-27

| encc on my pnft, anu presume II unu not
on the part Of Dr.. !Agnew, 10 the fulfill.
menti OF private engagements at home.
From this moment until the death OF the
President my time and thoughts we're
given wholly 10 tho sufferer at tho White
House.
Tho arrangement, as accepted by Mrs.
Garfield, was carefully carried out by DR..
Agncw md myself, and thereafter one OF
us wis present at every consultation, assist.
ed in every dressing, performed or assisted
in tho performance Of every operation un.
III tho hour Of Mr.. Garneld's death. A por.
ton OF the time, when the symptoms gave
special cause for alarm, we were both In
attendance nj the sume.time. remained,
also, Ms was my duty, 10 take part in The
autopsy, and until the remains were re.
moved from Elberon.
These circtimstantial statements make
with great reluctance, hut they seem 10 be
rendered necessary by the fact that there
arc intilnations 10 tho contrary contained
in tho report Of tho House Committeeman
upon information obtained apparently from
sources which the committee considered re.
liable. Moreover, Congress Inns chosen 10
place the payment OF the medical attend.
ants upon purely business basis, and your
board has, therefore. properly instructed
the claimants to describe fully the ser.
vices rendered" It will be seen from the
above statement that both Dr.IAgnew and
myself, although not always present ut Ills
bedside, were practically, in common with
those who remained in immediate attend
tendance, in charge OF the President from
the day following the receipt Of his injury
10 his death.
Tho sole item which l have 10 present
10 your board as the bases OF my claim
(and for this item you are kind enough 10
say that no voucher will be r,quested is
my long attendance on the late President
as consulting surgeon, with It's accom-.
pauylns responsibilities, which God forbid
| shall ever again be called upon to bear.
FRANK IL. HAMILTON. /.
The following letter, adresscd to the
Hon. William Lawrence, President OF the
Board Of Audit, accompanied the prcccd.
ing bill and s'atement:> ,sN,f itsE..
n. Y, No. 43 WEST Tulnrr SECOND Sr.,
October II, 1882.
The Hon. William Laurence, Controller Of he
United States Treasury: 80
DEaRSlR-L received your, note Of the
lo;h ut, calling my attention to the fact
TACT That The Board OF Audit Is awaiting the
presentation OF my claim against the estate
OF the late President Of the United Stat es,
james a. Garfield, and requesting that !
shall file the same with the Board OF Audi,
OH or before the Goth OF October.
| lnclosed please iiud statement OF my
claim and Of the services rendered, with
'release' annexed, MS requested. a
Awaiting myself Of your suggestion that
l may make 10 the Board any further com.
muncation which, l may deem proper, !
will say that in the presentation OF claim
which know cannot be paid out OF the
sum Of money (SS5 500 placed Mt yonr dis.
posal by act OF Congress, my intention is
only TO indicateto you what ! would regard
rs the minimum compensation for similar
services in the case Of a private citizen
who was pecuniarlly responsible, and who
would not be embarrassed by such Il pay
ment. ! might add, however, that in no
case could responsibilities attach to the
medical attendants when only the life OF
4 private citizen WIS concerned equal to
| those which must necessarily attach when
the chief magistrate OF q nation was con-
cerncd.
The claim made by myself is, therefore,
in my. opinion, reasonable and just, and
must be permitted to say, would be equally
reasonable and just OH the part OF my u.s.
soclate counsel, DR.. A.new.
| wish, further, 10 say that, while | do
not make for myself any relative claim,
must protest against the presentation, on
the part OF one Of the physicians in attend
ance, OF a relative claim 10 the effect TINT
he is entitled to receive ''double the fee Of
any other physician in attendance" which
claim was laid before the House Committee
and. may have been laid before your board.
Thanking you personally Tor the extra
official trouble you have taken in calling
my attention to this matter. and lisclaini.
ius any intention in what l have written
OF ins,ructing the board or to question its
ability to perform its duties intelligen,lv,
am, dear sir, yours respectfully, Z ~
g.,;.rtg-, FRANK II. HAMILTON.