The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

officially connected with the asylum,
! in reference to the superintendent and
his management, that they might also
have the testimony of that witness IN
| investigating the management OF the
superintendent?
In our letter of the Both ult. to the
governor we then informed him Off
cially of the contemplated intention
of majority of the board of managers
to investigate the management by
the superintendent. But the
charge of "petty scandal he
did not want Investigated. Did he
| fear to be connected in any way with
it? or was it to shield his friend ?
The governor says there was "a
want of harmony" between the board
and superintendent, and on that he
bases his reason for our removal. AS
| the governor has refused to commune
cate to the people of Texas any in
formation on that subject, we here
give in itemized statements, some
of the differences or want of
harmony that did exist. After
our appointment as d board of mama
gers on March l, 1888, it was
soon evident TO us that the
superintendent had no use for
a board except to approve his ac-
| counts and vouchers. As we did not
do that with sufficient alacrity, with
out AN examination, refusing to pay
some and refusing to approve his pay
rolls and cash statements, until we b.
| lieved they were correct, there was
soon manifest direct opposition to
the board. On the 26th of April fol-
towing, and after the "ncw law" gov
erning the lunatic asylum went into
effect, we were reappOinted members
of the new board. The opposition of
the superintendent to the board, and
his desire to run The board" and his
indispoSition to cooperate with the
board grew more and more manifest.
| He even went so far as to try to die
tate to the members of the board who
should be president of the board. The
want of harmony" that further de-
Veloped waa such us affected the
pockets of the tax payers of the state
of Texas and the proper and economic
management of the asylum. We here
give some of the items in which char
mony" did not exist:
| l. Without warrant OF authority or
law, the superintendent purchased
several hundred dollars worth of fur
niture for his family rooms and par
lor. He presented the bill for the
board to approve, and they refused to
do it. We did not believe the people
of Texas should payitheir hard earn
ings in taxes to support the superin-
tendent in luxury. The governor
intimated to two members of the
board, after the bill was rejected, that
he would like for them to pay it.
N. The state carriage, two horses
and an attendant, to whom the state
was paying 4 salary of 5000 per an
mum, were being used for private pur-
poses, insomuch that the board was
finally called upon to pay for the use
OF another vehicle in which to per-
form the official work of the asylum.
3. The superintendent has appro-
priated female attendant, to whom
the state is paying $240 per annum,
almost entirely, to do the work and
sewing for his family. These luXuries
are WITHOUT warrant of law, and we
did not believe it was right or that
they should be enjoyed at the expense
of the taxpayers of the state.
4. The nepotism that has been the
ruin of many state institutions, and
brought disgrace upon some in Texas,
was attempted to be foisted upon the
asylum by the superintendent. At
ter mature deliberation, for two
months, the board refused to carry out
his wishes.
5. The law makes it the duty of the
board to make an efficient inspec-
ton" once per month. In the
very first attempt to inspect
and examine the asylum under
the law and ascertain the condition of
the asylum and inmates as the in
spector desired, the superintendent re-
fused to give the desired information.
| The lawmakers were wise, and the
safety OF the institution depends upon
ii careful supervision and inspection
o. the asylum. If this had been done
faithfully, the "Tewksbury scandall''
and Dallas poor farm" would never
have disgraced the pages of history.
If we had known, as it now appears,
that we were appointed to carry out
the personal ends of the governor and
the superintendent, we would respect
fully have declined the appointment.
But we believed we were appointed
to manage the asylum in the best and
most economic interests OF the people
OF the state, and we leave them to
judge whether we have been faithful
to the trust imposed.
We are fully persuaded in our own
minds, and we are sustained by the
opinion of some of the most learned
LAWYERS in the state, that John Ire
land, governor of Texas, had no power
under the law or the constitution to
make this removal, and had we been
so disposed we feel certain we could
have procured an injunction before
the courts; but as we neither sought
nor wanted this office, and only accept
ed it at the request of the governor,
we think it best to leave him in the
hands of the people of Texas, a tribu-
nal far more terrible in the eyes of a
politician than the courts of his coun-
try. W. j. BURT,
| r. A. RUTHERFO ORD,
ALFRED SMITH.
The governor will now doubtless
furnish the public with his causes for
removal of DR.. Burt and Col. Ruther-
ford, in specific statement.
CoMPTRoLLER's DEPARTMENT.
f. NJ. Black, collector of Madison
county, settled with the comptroller
Friday. The receipts into the state
treasury were small.
The pension fund has been drawn
upon so rapidly that it has been al
ready exhausted. AS a consequence
some of the pensioners will get left
and have to wait another appropria-
ton. To use a quaint way to express
it, they will now understand that an
other time they cannot be too preyi-
Gus" with their applications.
The amount of taxes received for
account of land in the unorganiZed
counties, as returned to the comp
troller, is $1720.49; for drummers and
other special occupation taxes,
4 $3711.29; for redemption of lands in
unorganized counties, $l9S.49. The
office fees were S61.35; sales of alb
stracts, $15.. The net total receipts
from these sources for the month of
July were $5765.24.
THE BRANCH LUNATIC ASYLUM.
The board appointed to select plans,
etc., for the new branch asylum to be
located at Terrell, will meet at noon
to-day in the committee room adj
joining the hall of the house of repre-
sentatives, for the purpose of consid-
ering plans and specifications offered
for the new building. Plans, ETC.,