The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-06-28

use of the superintendent. make thi
explanation to show the malciou
: falsity of this part OF DIR. Burt
statement. Such statement is no
necessary for those VIII,
know me and have yisi
| ted the institution during my ad
J mlnlStratiOn. | am glad to know
I from life times intercourse witt
the people of Texas, that there are
but few men in the state that are ca
pable of getting down to such small
jealousy and little meaneSS as is dis.
played in DIR. Burt's statement upon
this, subject. DR.. Burt states that he
had the $500 item put on the bill at
Ter 1t had passed the house, and goes
ON to say that as soon as the commit
tee learned that the furniture had
been purchased, the item was stricken
from the bill. The impression DIR.
Burt wishes to make is that the COM
mlttee struck out the item because
the furniture had already been
bought by Mrs. Denton. l know this.
too, Is false. 1t was Sticken out in
the committee of the whole house.
alter the bill passed the senate. In
medlately, or cry soon afterwards, |
was notified by telephone to appear
before the committee of conference
to make my statement with reference
to this item, and also the items of APP
preparations for supervisor and SUI
pervisoresS, which had also been
stricken out in the committee of the
whole house. l stated to the COM
mittee that the items We're both
necessary, and that they should
both be restored to the bill. The
committee, however, stated that in
their opinion the bill would not pass
with both items on it, (that is. the
appropriation for the supervisor and
SupervisoresS and furniture). and
told me that l might take either one
or the other; but they at the same
time said that it was the unanimous |
opinion of the committee that the |
board had the right to pay for the |
furniture out of the $4,000 appropri-
alton alluded to in DR.. Burt's state |
ment. Knowing that the offices of
supervisor and supervisoress
were indispensable in the |
successful administration of the in
stitution, | agreed with the committee
to leave off the furniture appropria-
ton and add on that
3D.
Certainly, if l had regarded my own
personal interest, | should have elect
ed to have the furniture item restored
instead of the other. Somuch for the
furniture.
Reporter-Did you tell the board
you thought you had the right to
purchase the furniture under the
$4,000 appropriation bill?
DR.. Denton-Ye s; and offered to
submit the question to the attorney
general, and Dr. Burt refused to sub
nit, saying the board would not al
low it. l would call your attention,
as we go along, that in all this
unnecessary trouble, DR.. Burt
figures us the originator.
The mean motive of DR.. Burt for the
malicious thrust he INDUCES in
toward my family is easily under
stood and can well afford to leave him
in the enjoyment of the whilom sat
isfaction it gives him. The assertion
that the superintendent made no OBJ
lection. to the action of the board is
also untrue. | stated distinctly that
in my opinion they had no legal right
to take such action. That was all L
could do in the matter. had no vote
and was powerless to prevent them
from taking such action. 1t is no
ticeable fact that in every instance
when the law has been invoked l have
been sustained. DIR. Burt was the
first to apply to the attorney general
for a decision as to the tenure of my
own office-thiS was AIN unfriendly
failing to procure my re-
moval and yet determined, if possible,
to cripple and ruin my administra-
ton, the next step was to declare all
the offices vacant except that of su-
perintendent. The whole matter was
cut and dried before the
board met, and doubtless
had been canvaSsed and understood
Reporter-Why did you not attend
the meeting of state asylum medical
superintendent, which convened in
Newport, r. l., on the 18th inst, as is
DIR. .Denton-Well, Capt Wilson,
here, could tell you. He made a mo-
ton to allow me the the usual leave
of absence, and explained that had
to pay my own expenses.
To this DR.. Burt objected. He had
intended to go himself Cat the
states expense) but this
would knock that in the
head, and he opposed me going.
Heretofore the superintendent have
gone to these important meetings of
all the state superintendent of luna.
tic asylums, and the state has paid
their expenses. proposed to pay my
own, simply because feel an interest
in this Institution, and wish to make
it a success. 1 have travelled too
much to wish to go to Newport just
for the trip, hence 1 offered to pay
my own expenses.
The reporter thanked Drs. Denton
and Givens, Mrs. Denton and Capt.
Wilson for the courtesies, and bounced |
himself out; not, however, until he
had taken glimpse into the kitchen,
where the cook was preparing dinner
for the patients, and found out that
many Texas hotels and restaurants
would have cause for less profanity |
if they would only have snch fare |
cooked as well and as clearly as is the |
food for the helpless insane of Texas.