The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-16
Ex-Secretary of State Hawn Elected to Sue
coed Him-A Lively Meeting of
the Board.
DR.. Stevens Refuses to Be Discharged
and Will Go to the Courts.
The Trouble the Sequel of Last Years Dis
turbance-The Charges on Which
Stevens Was Removed.

men who, in the surprise Of a moment, have
made the same observation. The meeting yes
terday Of the State Board of Health, ordinarily
a quiet. unobtrusive body, was an occasion sug-
gesttve of life's uncertainties, the certainty that
nothing is certain, and such observations as
sometimes occur to the philosopher who remarks
in the regular philosophical way. Nothing
more remarkable was expected than
that the board, in pursuance of its
regular order of business, would meet. audit ac-
counts and adjourn, They did meet, were in
session about six hours, a deal of lightning was
let loose and they made a regular March day of
it. There was a full attendance of the mem
beers of the board, namely: DIR, j. W. Compton,
president; DR.. W. W. vinnedge, DR.. William Lo-
max and DR., J. NJ. Partridge, and the morning
session was devoted TO the usual business.
SECRETARY STEVENS REMOVED.
Upon meeting in the afternoon, however, there
was an extraordinary turn in the proceedings,
resulting in the p%eremptory removal of DR.. Thad
NJ. Stevens as secretary of the board. DIR. j.
NJ. Partri dge was elected secretary pro TEN.
and the following resolutions offered by DR.. Vim
hedge were adopted:
Resolved, that Thaddeus NJ. Stevens NJ, D.,
be and he Is hereby removed as the secretary of
this board, because of mismanagement and in
competency, and that the said office be and is
hereby declared vacant.
Resolved, that the salary of Thaddeus NJ.
Stevens, NJ. D., as secretary of the State Board
Of Health shall cease on and after this date, and
that tue said Thaddeus NJ. Stevens, M. D., is or
dered to deliver forthwith all books. papers and
furniture and all other property Of the board In
his possession to his successor in office as soon
as he shall have been chosen and formally noti-
fed of his election.
Resolved, thatJ. NJ. Partridge, NJ. D.. score
tary pro. lem, be requested to furnish a copy of
these resolutions to Tnaddeus NJ. Stevens, NJ. D.,
in order that he may be informed of the cause
OF MS removal from the Office OF the secretary
OF the State Board as required by section 4 OF
the act establishing a State Board OF Health.
ORIGIN OF H TROUBLE.
The causes leading TO the removal Of DR.,
Stevens date back to about one year ago, when
charges of extravaganza and incompetency
were preferred against him by DR.. E. K. Hawn,
the Secretary of State, resulting in an investlga-
ton by the board which attracted considerable
attention at the time. 1t will be remembered
that the verdict was of a very remarkable char
acter. DR.. Hawn was sustained in his action,
and it seemed rather inconsistent that the board
should fail, after sustaining the charges, 20 con-
vict the defendant. IL was understood, how
ever, that DIR. Stevens had promised
to resign, and the board returned
a compromise verdict to save him the
humiliation of being removed. 1t was under
STOOD that his resignation would be presented at
the July meeting of the board, and bis successor
had been decided upon. When the July meeting
was held, DIR. Stevens refused to resign, and lt
seemed that he had achieved something of a vic
tory over the board, as the matter dropped from
further notice. The grievances of the board, long
pent up, are 1ecited in the following specific
charges, yesterday presented to the deposed
officer:
THE CHARGES AGAINST DIR. STEVENS.
''Thaddeus l.. Stevens, Secretary of the State Board
of Health:
''Sir-As required by the provisions of the
fourth section or the act of the General Assem-
bly, of the State of Indiana, establishing a State
Board OF health, approved March z, 1881, we
deliver to yOu the written statement of the good
cause of your removal from the office of the
secretary of the board, viz;
"YOur penmanshlp Is so bad as to unfit you
for the clerical ddties of this board.
Your statements as to the business and work
OF this board are so wavering, loose and indirect
that they render you unsuitable for secretary of
this board. You keep the board uncertain as to
what you have done or what you Will do.
"You have so recorded the transactions of the
board that the record minutes OF its proceedings
do not show correctly what the board did do,
and in some instances make it appear that the
board did things it did not do.
'SOon after your election as secretary you
made a requisItion on the Secretary of State for
a clerk, without the approval OF the president
OF the board, as required by law,
and agreed to pay him a salary far beyond what
the services a clerk would be required TO per-
form were worth, and almost Mt the same time,
without warrant from any source, you author
lied the appointments by the Secretary of State
of a second clerk, whom the board had TO pay,
but for whom there was nothing to do.
THE law makes 1t the duty of the Secretary
Of State to provide a suitable office for the meet
ings OF the board and for the secretary thereof,
yet soon after your election you purchased with
out authority Of the board a large amount of
unnecessary furniture, and committed the board
TO the payment of the bills. Much of the sun.
plies of the office you injudiciously selected and
ordered were uncalled for by any service i'll the
Office.
Sat the close of your Investigation on the
charges OF extravaganza and incompetency you
were informed that three members of this board
stood ready TO declare the office vacant by your
removal, whereunon you assured the board that
such action was not necessary. as you would re-
sign II the board were dissatisfied with your adj
ministration OF tue office, and begged to be
spared the humiliation OF dismissal. Yielding
to your entreaties that such delay might be
granted as would permit the excitement about
the situation to at least measuredly subside, and
to your assurances that you would resign on or
before Jnlv 10, 1882, it was Informally agreed
that you should have the opportunity to fulfill
this promise. When the time for the fulnllment
of this promise arrived you publicly refused TO
do so, alleging punic faith on the part of the
board toward you.
During your investigation by this board of
the charges of extravaganza and incompetency
preferred against you by + r. Hawn, Secretary
OF State, the board employed and paid Bert p.
Davidson to make tina shorthand report; yet
you, without the knowledge, consent or APPROX
al of this board. employed and paid out of the
boards funds one Mr.. Stagg the sum of 500,
when one shorthand report OF the investiga-
ton was sufficient for the needs of this board.
Section 2 of the law requires the board to
make a report to the Governor of their doiDgs,
Investigations and discoveries during the year
ending on the 3lst of October next preceding,
with such suggestions In regard to legislative
action as they may deem import
anti but you made the first report of this
Board to the Governor, containing suggestions
as to legislation, without submitting to the
board or allowing the report to he seen by the
board until after it had passed into the hands of
the Governor.
"The foregoing constitute a Just cause for your
removal, and you are accordingly removed from
the office of secretary of the State Board OF
Health. You will please deliver to your sue
cessor, who will officially call on you for that
purpose, all things in your possession in any
way pertaining To tie Office or the secretary of
the board, or deliver the same to the board
itself. Yours respectfully,
-. W. COMPTON, President"
~. NJ. PARTRIDGE, Secretary pro tenn"
REFUSES TO BE DISCHARGED.
Dr.. Stevens refuses to accept the situation sub