The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-15
BLACKBURN'S BLAST
ArTHE LATE PRESIDENTS DOCTORS.
lie Charges Miss with Malpractice, and Assert,
that Ills NIL Is Exorbitaut--A SoulIeM Corpor.
alton Held rpas \ Shining Exception
Ia The Gretd for Gold.

WASHINGTON, D. G., July 1.-THE
House to-day took up the Senate amend.
ments to the House bill making provision
for the payment Of the physicians who at.
tended the late President Garfield.
Mr.. Blackburn, Of Kentucky, opposed
the Senate amendment. lie argued that
the Senate had no proper Jurisdiction in
the matter. lie would no. say, OF course,
the Senate was impolitc or indecor.
Gus, but lie would be warranted in say
ing it merged very close on the ;nsolent.
lie opposed the Senate amendment; first,
because it was an infringement on the
dignity OF the House, 1t was not sincere or
direct or manly legislation. 1t was an
effort, by surrcptitions manner, to accom-.
plish what the advocates OF the amendment
In the House had never asked the House
| to do. The relations which he Black
burn) Ind held to Garfield were known to
those who had served in the House with
both oi them. lie (Blackburn) would not
even by indirection or implication have
dared TO be
uSfEiESDLY TO HIS MEMORY.
For his greatness Of brain he admired him,
for his generosity Of soul he loved him, for
his patience In suffering. for his courage in
meeting death he honored him, but tha,
was not the question before the House.
The question was RS to the appropriation
ofmoney TO pay exorbitan. fees to surgeons.
There was no scintilla Of proof before the
select committee that either OF the
doctors in the case had shown
any extraordinary skill in their
treatment. There was not an ntom OF proof
that either OF them ever laid eyes upon the
President from the day he was shot to the
day he died. There were two letters be.
fore the committee, one from DR.. Gross, OF
Philadelphia, and one from DR.. Sayre, OF
New York, which he would like to have
read to the House as 10 the treatment OF the
case.
WORKED INJUSTICE
The Senate amendment. worked injus.
tice in many directions. ii there was a
surgeon in attendance on the President
who deserved recognition at the hands
OF Congress, why should Surgeon-Gene,al
Barnes and Surgeon Woodward be ex.
cluded? They were not provided for in
the Senate amendment. Among all the
greedy horde OF cor,noran,s that had
swarmed around the room OF the Selec,
Committee, n soulless corporation loomed
and stood alone asactua:ed by pa.
triotic, generous noble purpose. That
was the Pennsylvania Railroad Company,
which had, after all the expense it had
incurred in the transportation OF the
President anu his attendants, absolutely
refused TO receive dollar OF compensation.
/ There was no mention in the Senate
amendment Of DR.. Townsend, the uealli.
officer OF Washington, who had been the
first to treat the President after he was
shot. lie (Blackburn) would have all
these claims relnitted to II court where
they belonged. The claims should be paid
TO tue Satiiaction Of the representatives oi
Gartield's estate, and lie woul. s,nnd com.
mttcd 10 the ASSURANCE that Congress
would extend the pay OF the late President
Tor one year, or for four years il necessary
in order to pay every dollar OF the clailns
CHARGES OF MALPRACTICE.
Will such treatment as the President. ,e
ceivcd, the wound need not have been
fatal to have produced death. Medical
science bad never furnished SO bad m
illustration OF blind blundering as in the
case ol the late Chief Magistrate. He de.
nounced the claims OF these doctors n;
frauds, andhe asked the House 10 instruct
its conference committee 70 insist on strik,
/ Ing out the amendment and never consen,
to allow the bill to go through unless SC
amended 10 do justice to all parties whc
rendered aid and assistance in the matter
Mr.. Taylor, OF Ohio, Chairman OF the
Select Committee, and representing Presi.
dent Garfeli's Congressional district, de
Tended himself from the in,mation made
against him in Blackburn's speech. liz
declared that ever since the report OF tn.
Committee had been made he had been
anxious to have it considered. There had
been no bill against the Government O,
against anybody presented BY any of the
physicians. There wa. no question OF steal
about the matter. The question was how
The matter should be taken out OF the issue
between the estate and the claimants. The
object was to save the estate from annoy.
ance and injury.
WOULD NOT LITrGATE.
Representatives OF the estate would not
allow the matter to be li,isated. He dc.
clared, on behalf OF Mrs. Garfield, she
would never litigate bill OF any person
who attended her husband. Those claims
had never been submitted 10 II select com.
mittee. He knew the Senate amendment
would not receive the assent OF the parties
who held these c!uims. The adoptiou oi
the amendment would therefore be no set
tlement.. They were putting themselves in
ridiculous attitude OF dickering over
terms OF settlement which these surgeons
might refuse. II any gentleman,wisied 10
put himself in that position he might do
SO, but he (Tnylor) would not. This al
tempt OF the Senate TO adjuat the matter
was not only absurd but it was unjust and
improper. 1t ought to be adjusted by the
House -
Mr.. Springer, OF Illinois, said il only
$4,000 were allotted the doctors there would
be 4 more unseemly quarrel over the diyi-
sion than there had been over Guiteau's
body. -
Finally vote was taken and the Senate
amendment was non.concurred in, yeas IS;
nays s..
Mr.. Taylor, OF Ohio, then asked and OBJ.
tanned unanimous consent 10 report n bill
directing the Secretary OF the Treasury TO
pay to the widow OF tile late President Gar
field $50, 900, less any SUN paid 10 him on
account OF his salary RS President. ~
The bill was read and passed unani-
mously.