The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-08-01
Washington Progress.

The charges made by the prosecutors
against DIR. Grissom are serious indeed,
consisting as they do: lst, of gross i'm
morality; End, cruelty to his patients !;
3rd. Incorporating State property.
The evidence for the prosecution if it is
to be believed. would establish the first
two at least. Bnt it is apparent from
the witnesses themselves. that they are
prompted by spirit of envy and malice.
and knowing full well. how triflles
light as air to the malicious mind. come
to be proof as strong as Holy
Writ. so we should take their testi-
mOny with many grains of allowance.
DIR. GrissOm has himself been on the
stand and makes a clear statement de-
nying the whole thing and each charge
specifically. AS to the charge OF i'm
morality, the most serious and danger
Gus one, the evidence is very conflict
ing, but upon the whole, we believe
that it would justify the Old Scotch
verdict Of not proven. We
do not believe in kicking a man out
upon any trumped up charges. and
thereby disgracing him to a certain ex-
tent for life. DIR. GrissOm has been In
his present Office for 81 years. and this
is high evidence Of his especial fitness
for the place, especially when we con-
slider that for 10 years he has held his
place under the opposite party.
High Point Enterprise.
Owing to the character of the evil
dence and the circumstances under
which some of it was collected and
given in. we did not think that DR..
GrissOm should have been sent into
oblivion. At the same time there was
strong suspicion left i'll the minds of
the public which demanded his resigna-
ton at once. He missed his OppOrtu-
nifty by not letting his resignation pre-
cede that of Mr.. Thompson.
Rocky Mount Phoenix.
1t should require undOubted proof of
the charges alleged to convict a man of
DIR. GrissOm's age. character and at
tainments, of such grave accusations.
We do not think the charges Of immOr-
atty and misrepresentation were fully
substantiated. He seems to have been
guilty, however, of violent exhibitions
of temper to the insane patients and to
have made use of appliances which
would appear to be antiquated and
cruel. The usefulness and good repu-
tatiOn of this great State Charity is the
consideration of paramount Importance
in the matter, and i'll order that the
people should have confidence in the
management Of the institution and its
good work go on unimpeded or embar-
assed. we think. it is necessary that
DIR. GrissOm should give place to some
other equally competent man unclOuded
by suspicion and more patient and
careful in the delicate and responsible
duties of managing the unfortunate i'll
mates of the Asylum.
Durham Tobacco Plant.
1t strikes us that the management of
the affairs of the Insane Asylum has
been such that the best interest of the
people would be subserved by clean
sweep of the officials Of that institution.
We venture the assertion that two
thirds of the peoplc-even four-fifths
of them-whO kept posted on the trial
as the evidence was introduced are sur
prised at the decision of the Board.
They fully expected the question as to
his guilt or innocence of the charge of
immortality to be decided in favor of
the prosecution. The Board tried this
case as jury. They required specific
charges to be made Us bill of indict-
ment. Had this been jury trial no
decision could have been rendered upon
the vote of the jury as it stood. 1t
would not have amounted to an ac-
quittal, but would have been mistrial
and he would have been held for new
trial. We do not mean to cast any re-
Elections upon the integrity or honesty
of purpose of those five members of
the Board who voted against cOnvic-
ton. We only say that they. in the
opinion of Il large majority of the peo-
pie, took very peculiar view of the
testimony.
Newton Enterprise.
DIR. GrissOm's testimony does not
help him out very much. He admits
so much of the testimony of prosecu-
ton that his statement could well be
taken as confederation of the whole of
theirs. Matters have doubtless gotten
into very bad way at the Raleigh
Asylum, which everybody who has
read the reports of the investigation
greatly regrets.
WarrentOn Gazette.
But guilty or not. the action of the
directors. three of them voting that he
was guilty, has raised in the minds of
the people of the State such a grave
doubt as to DIR. Grissom's innocence as
should force the directors to ask for his
resignation. Under the existing state
of affairs the usefulness of the Institu-
ton is virtually destroyed. Over such
an Institution there'smust be no suspic-
ion, no doubt nor cloud of any kind. i
DIR. GrissOm may be absolutely limo
cent. and for his sake we trust he is.
but there are so many who think him
guilty or are not fully satisfied with his
innocence, that for satisfaction of the
people and the good of the Asylum he
ought to resign his position.
TarborO Southernar
1t may be stated generally that the
charges made against DIR. Eugenet;ris-
som have either fallen to the ground or
recoiled upon his accusers. 1t is
too late to animadvert upon the decis-
ion Of the trustees. They decided in
accordance the lights before them.
4 scratch verdict it is true. but never