The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-01-17
Investigating the W. L. A..


On Monday last, the legislative com
mittee appointed to investigate the affairs
of the Western Lunatic Asylum, and es-
pecially to inquire into the facts concern
ing the poisoning of the patients there
about a year ago, reached Staunton. The
committee is composed of Capt. Jno. N.
Opie, chairman Senators E. E. Meredith.
Of Prince William I'D. Mcdonald. of
Northumberland IT. s. Trout, of Roa-
noke and delegates, j. M. Lawson, Isle of
Wight r. B. Tabb, Norfolk county J.
I. Wilkin s, Jr., Northampton Fl. Parker
Norfolk city. OF these gentlemen Messrs.
Lawson, Tabb, and Wilkins are physi-
clans.
Politically the committee stands three
fourths Democratic, Messrs. Mcdonald
and Parker being the only Coalition mem
bers.
The personet of the committee has very
favorably impressed our citizens without
regard to party. The members seem deeply
in earnest, but disposed to be fair. They
appear to be animated bv the desire to
conduct the examination tIIv. Jughly, with
view to arriving at the facts Of the case.
The sessions are held in he Supervisor Is
room, above the county clerks office, and
the doors are thrown open to the public.
Monday evening, the committee was en-
gagged in having read the testimony before
the Coroner s inquest vpluminous record
and on Tuesday morning, the examina-
tion Of witnesses commenced Although
the public are admitted and the room pref
ty well crowded all the time, the commit
tee requested, at the commenc ement of
the investigation, that none of the evil
dence be published until after thexprk is
finished and the report presented to the
legislature. For this reason we are I'M
able to lay before our readers any Of the
facts developed, nor do we feel at liberty
to give the general impression created by
the testimony so far as it has progressed,
Such liberty could only proceed from an
entire disregard of all rules of propriety
which obtain among gentlemen, and which
forbid the violation of an implied, if not
expressed pledge.
On Tuesday evening, the committee at
tended the regular weekly dance given
to the patients at the Asylum, and on We'd
nesday, made an inspection of the books,
buildings, SC.
Meade F. White, ESQ.,, is counsellor the
Asylum, and the investigationson the part
Of the Commonwealth is conducted, for
the most part, by Messrs. Opie. Meredith
and Lawson.
AS soon as the committee makes it's re-
port we shall publish full synopses of the
testimony upon which the report will be
based.
Another good Man alleged to have
gone Wrong.
An ugly report comes from Washington
duplicating one of the most prominent of
Democratic leaders in most disgraceful
transaction. Shortly after the assembling
of this Congress, Mr.. Hewitt, of New
York, one of the prospective Demo-
cratic candidates for President, introduced
|
tives. presenting to the British Govern
ment on behalf of the American people.
plea in behalf of O'Donnell, the slayer of
Carey, then under sentence of death.
Mr. Hewitt gained great credit with his
Irish constituents in New York and, in
deed. the Irish throughout the country,
for his prompt action in behalf of their
unfortunate countryman, and has since
Wanted himself upon it. Now, however,
according to a Washington dispatch, it is
whispered in circles which ought to be
well Informed, that Mr.. Hewitt was not
only insincere in the introduction of the
resolution, but resorted to most extraordi-
nary means to defeat the accomplishment
of the very purpose to which it was d.
rected.
The charge is that the mover of the reso-
luton went over to the Republican side and
begged Republican members to object to it's
consideration. herequest was Indignantly
denied, and it is alleged, on good author
ity, that Mr.. Hewitt then went to the
British minister, Mr.. West, and made a
virtual apology for his action and that of
the House, representing that he had intro
duced the resolution deliberately to fore
stall one Of more belligerent purport,
which, he said, would surely have been in
troduced and passed had he not thrown
himself into the breach.
This representation, it is alleged, MI.
West, as in duty bound, communicated to
the Foreign Office in London, and was not
unnaturally influential in shaping the pol
icy of his Government in it's reception Of
Secretary Frelinghuysen's communication
of a request for the respite of O'Donnell's
sentence. 1t is proper to state that Mr..
Hewitt admits that he made the apology
to Mr.. West.
If MI. Hewitt has been guilty of such
conduct he will find that not only the
Irish, but all self-respecting people, viii
know how to resent such perfdy.
1t is said that the Committee on Foreign
Affairs will investigate the affair, and We
shall await wit little interest the re-
Sult