Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-01-18

| cation. having no bearing on the matters
before the committee. they dismissed il
| and at o'clock adjourned. The evidence
in secret session showed there was moth
ng in the report and Democratic mem
Der of the committee proposed co offer a
resolution of confidence in DR.. G. as q
man and physician, but the counsel for
the Asylum said they only asked that the
matter be expunged, which was done.
On Wednesday morning the committee
re-assembled. The session opened by the
reading to the committee of the annual
report of Superintendent Hamilton. in
which he supported the detective theory
that the poisoning was done by outside
parties, and added his own suggestion of
collision with employees at the Asylum.
Ia letter was read, written, on Tues
day, by John NJ. Kinney, clerk of the
Investigating Committee, telling the
Pinkerton Agency that their report to DR.
Hamilton was unsatisfactory and asking
for more detailed one and telling them
if it was not given the pay Of the detective
would cease.
THE CERTAIN PERSON AGAIN.
DR.. r. s. Hamilton, recalled. testified
that the detective told him that the per
son who it was suspected had done the
poisoning. was hostile to his (H's) admins
tration. Witness had, outside of the de-
tective report. some corroborative testi-
mony to fix suspicion on some particular
person outside Of the institHtion; but only
suspicion. Nobody has been specially
named, but witness inferred certain per-
son from the indications given by the de-
tective.
Witness. further examined, said that k'e
did not think it within the range Of poss l.
bllity that fluid extract or tincture of AGO.
mite cnuid have been used, but that alkia-
loid must have been used.
[Dr. Mallet in his report of the ANALYSIS
said that he thought alkaloid had been
used. but too much stress must not be lai
on that assertionl.
THE ASYLUM AS A POLITICAL
MACHINE.
Robert Stra ton, sworn. Had been FORE
man in the Asylum carpenter shop for 8
would like to keep him. but the pressure
from the outside was so great he would
have to 90. Witness thinks the other old
employees were turned out on the same
grounds that he was-political, no other
that he could think of.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT IN THE ENGINEERS
DEPARTMENT..
M. Dinneen, sworn, was for % years
and months engineer at the Asylum.
Was discharged by DR.. Hamilton without
complaint against him. Witness is a
Democrat. The employees there now are
Readjusters. see from the annual report
that there is great deal of extravaganza
in the engineer s Observation-Disclosures put
out of use as burned out. The boilers had
been in only s years when put out, and
ought to have lasted for Is years. The
boilers there don't work but months in
year. The boilers taken we're three In
number which had cost 500 each. Two
of them were in good condition when /
left, and one needed to be re-fued at cost
of $3.50 which I suggested. / got $500 a
year. If boiler is taken care of, it will
stand, if not it can be ruined in "a hours.
Clarke my successor is brother-in-law of
Mr.. Plunkett, q leading readjuster poll
tician here. A dwelling, brick house and
a green house, have been put up since
left. The dwelling was for an assistant
physician. Witness had run saw mill
and steam dlstillery before being engineer
at Asylum. Believed the boilers had been
destroyed by mismanagement, one of the
firemen had told him that one boiler had
been fred up when it was dry. Witness
left So 80 worth of steam fittings in his
department., which was to be used on the
detached male building. The building
named has not yet been flushed. The
former Superintendent, (Fauntleroy), used
to come to the Asylum from A. M. to
10 A, M. He would come through m,
department from once day to three or
four times week. Have done good
deal of architect work there--nearly all
for twenty years, except the new build
ings. Would consider G. W. Eyler s
opinion good one in the matter of boilers,
he has a high reputation.
Rpbt. Stratton, recalled.-The unflnish
ed building spoken of by Mr.. Dinneen is
still in doubtful condition. This COM
mittee can go and see it.
EVIDENCE FOR THE ASYLUM MANAGE
MENT IN REBUTTAL.
r. S. Clarke, sworn, said he succeeded
Mr.. Dinneeen as engineer at the Asylum
Was not naturalized citizen of the
United States, and not member of any
political party. Was an engineer by trade.
Had fitted up steam apparatus at Healing
Springs. Denied that he ever told Dinneen
that he got his appointment from Gen
Malone. Report of q. W. Eyler was
read recommending new boilers.j Witness
thought better to buy new boilers than re-
pair old; he said no mismanagement of bis
had ruined the boilers; no boiler had been
fired when it was dry. The steam itting
left by Mr.. Dinneen is there, except such
as has been used for repairs. The new
boilers add to the heat and there is no com
plant of cold as there was last winter.
Cross Examined By Chairman Opie.-
[ got my appoint ment from DR.. Hamilton
through the influence of Mr.. Fiunkett.
have been called on to contribute to cam
paigE fund by w. z. Craig. Wash asked
for any particular sum. gave s25.
By Mercduh.-I knew that gave this
$25 to the Coalition party of this State
Did not give the money because thought
would be more firmly fixed in my posi-
ton, Don't know that the other employees
! were called on TO contribute Had heard
so. however. Had heard that his prede
cessor had been called on to contribute to