Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-13
EASTERN ASYLUM.
LETTER FROM EX-SENATOR ATKINSON
TO TIE GOVERNOR.
Reasons for rendering His Resignation
as a Member Of the Asylum's
Board Of Directors.

The following is the letter in which
ex-senator Henry A. Atkinson, Jr., OF
this city, conveyed to the Governor his
resignation Of his membership in the
Board Of Directors Of the Eastern Lu-
natic Asylum
10 HIS Ercelleney Etz1ugh Lee, Cor
erRor Of Virginia;
In rendering this my resignation as a
member Of the Board Of Directors Of
the Eastern Lunatic Asylum, permit
me TO say that ! am impelled to this
act by a sense ofpublic duty, as hold
that whenever the conduct Of an off,
cial is the subject of criticism, whether
from just cause or not, his usefulness to
the public is impaired, and the admin
istration of public justice to that ex-
tent is crippled.
IL will be remembered that at the
session Of the General Assembly just
closed joint committee was appointed
| to investigate the conduct Of the Off
GERS, employees, Board Of Directors.
and general management Of the Eastern
Lunatic Asylum.
The result Of that investigation was
communicated to the General Assembly
by two reports, and might say that so
far as it affects me by three reports or
rather by an amendment to the ma or
ity report, which are as follows:
Egirdct from minority Report.-
" As TO the two members Of the Board
charged with intoxicatiOn, your com
mittee reports that the evidence does
not sustain the charges at all"
Signed d. W. BOLEN.
4dd,nda Ia Mojortfy Report.-" We,
the undersigned members of the joint
committee, who have signed the above
report, respectfully concur with the
whole committee, except so far as it
refers to two members Of the Board
TO wit John Thurman and Henry A.
Atkinson, Esqs. and in reference to
them we can't construe the evidence as
warrantiDg any direct or special rehec-
tiOn upon their conduct"
lSignedl i. HENRY o. O'BANNON,
CHARLES GEE.
" In signing the above report ! wish
TO say that | have seen no proof that
Messrs. Atkinson and Thurman were.sO
under the influence Of liquor as to pre-
vent Mr.. Thurman from presiding ably
and Mr.. Atkinson from attending to
his duties on said Board. Mr.. McCaw
is an efficient clerk. and has not been
under the influence Of liquor for long
time"
Signedl I. S. CCRLETr.
claim that the majority report, 50
far as | am personally interested, is
only signed by four members, who, as
they state, could not determine from the
evidence whether, on the 18th Of April,
1854. the first meeting Of the BOard,)
was so far intoxicated as to be
unable to attend to my duties as
such or not; is both unjust
and unsustained by the evidence, unless
the testimony of eleven gentlemen,
such as W. j. Leake, ID. Il. Tyler,
Lyon G. Tyler, Cary Armistead, X.
T. Armistead, William Hancock, T
T. Larus, Henry Jones, DR.. Henley
and others, well known for truth anc
integrity, be discarded and full credi,
given upon the other hand to the state
mentS Of five persons, most Of whom
were former officers Of the asylum un-
der the Wise administration, and were
turned out Of office by the. present
Board, one having been superintendent,
and who said that he had on that oc-
casion taken six or eight drinks, and
that one drink affected him. (See his
eyidence.) The eleven gentlemen above
named not only testified that was not
intoxicated, but had not taken a drink.
and whenever requested declined.
Independent Of this Democratic tes-
timony, DR.. Garlick, who had been
assistant physician under DR.. Wise,
and who was the officer Of the day a.
the first meeting Of the Board, testified
in the most unqualified manner that
did not drink on that day, and besides,
the records of the Board were place.
in the evidence, and it was shown that
most of the resolutions were written
by myself and were of the most i'm
portant character, and notwithstand-
ing this evidence, which | claim was a
full and complete contradiction of the
implied charge against me, four men,
bers out of eight conclude that it was
so conflicting that they could not make
a decision.
After introducing this cloud of wit
nesses | said to the committee there
were others whom | wished to have
summoned, but several members of the
committee declared that it was unne-
cessary, as had fully vindicated my
self and the evidence would be cumula-
tive.
With this assurance left feeling con.
tent that had done all that was or
could be required Of gentleman. You
can therefore imagine my surprise when
the four members reported, as above
stated, aud yet | believed that the
Legislature would either have indicated
the action Of the Board or censured
them, but to my great surprise they
actually adjourned without taking any
action whatever on these reports. 1t is
useless for me to say that if the state
ments in that report, not only as to
myself, but as to the officers of the in.
stitution were correct, it was the
bounden duty Of the General Assembly
to the people of Virginia to take some
action, and in that action would be
found the full vindication Of all con-
cerned or their removal from office.
But they did not act, and these worthy
gentlemen are left in dilemma without
appeal, and the Legislature has left the
unfortunate inmates in the hands of
these officials.