The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-05-07
killing another in the presence Of one of

ison of his institution with any in this
country or Europe, on that score, and
claims that the South Carolina Asylum
will give the best record.
DR.. Corbett, the assistant physician,
makes answer to the charge of cruelty 10
patients as follows:
In paragraph six the wording is so un-
fortunate that those malevolently dispos.
ed to the management of the institution
might infer that the patients have been
cruelty treated by others than the atten.
dants. beg leave to state that in my
experience of more than four years in
this institution have known of but few
instances of cruelty to patients. These
instances have been on the part of the at
tendants, and such attendants have been
promptly discharged"
AS to the third charge, re quote from
DR.. Grifin's paper again:
Inspections have also been made at
frequent intervals of the conduct of the
Office of the steward and of the culinary
department, as to which the committee
find among the attendants and employees
"a great diversity of opinion" The duty
of purchasing food supplies aud of pre-
pairing them for the table is devolved
upon the Office of the steward, until re-
Gently most efficiently performed by Mr.
Halcott P. Green, now deceased.
This has been topic of frequent dis
cussion from time to time, stimulated in
most instances by the reyeDgeful criti.
cism OF discharged attendants and labor
ers; and has therefore repeatedly receiy.
ed attention from the several Legislative
committees in their Investigations from
year to year. In 1889 special resolu
ton on this subject was passed by the
General Assembly and special commit.
tee of Investigation was appointed, of
which Senator Hemphill, of Abbeville,
! was chairman. This committee then made
a most thorough and searching inyestiga.
tion. The report is on record, pronounc.
ing the charges unfounded, and exonor.
ating the officers upon whom the duties
| of this department devolved. The
charges now made and seriously enter.
tanned by the committee are of similar
import and are founded upon testimony
of no greater reliability.
In this department., as in every other,
supplies of Objectionable character have
occasionally been furnished by the con-
tractors, and now and then, possibly, they
have been allowed TO come to the table.
But under the careful supervision of Mr..
Green these instances have been rare,
| while to my knowledge such objectiona.
BILE stores have often been rejected and
thrown back upon the dealers. It has
been my habit to inspect theee depart
ments with especial care, looking not
only to the general cuisine but to those
dishes of special and delicate sort prepar-
ed in great variety upon prescription.
here deny that Objectionable meats have
often been served" and am ready to
prove, if the opportunity we're offered,
that these tables were constantly supplied
with abundant and wholesome food, well
prepared for the table, and of as excel.
lent quality as might be expected consid.
ering the liberal appropriation made by
the Legislature for the proper mainteu-
ance and support Of the asylum.
There are two or three matters brought
to light which seem to indicate some lack
of vigilance by the keepers, but no
amount of care can keep errors from oc.
curing, especially where so many crazy
people are confined. a man, Milne by
name, q handy, artistic fellow, who did
great deal of painting in the Asylum, was
allowed liberty of action, though at times
threatening violence to different ones.
This Was considered idle bravado fre.
quently INDUCED in by such people. DR..
Grifin's own family were not afraid ofhim,
as he had frequently painted and decora.
ted the rooms occupied by them. he f.
nally assaulted an attendant. However,
since then, be has been confined, which
renders his case almost hopeless of cure,
This same patient was discovered with
key which fitted tho female department.
It was taken from him as soon as the Su-
perinteudent found it out.
The other case was that of the woman
sent there from Pickens in January, who
had killed her child, and then attempted
suicide, sn account of which was publish.
ed in the INTELL1GENcER at the time.
AS she was too weak to destroy herself,
when she went there, the assistant physi.
clan did not think it necessary to tell the
attendants she WAS of suicidal tendency.
She killed herself just when it seemed as
if she could return to her husband in q
day or two.
The Board of Regents, to whom DR..
Grifin's address is made, give him this
recommendation to the Governor:
ITO His Excellency, B. R. Tillman, Gov.
ernor of South Carolina
In giving the defense of DIR. Griffin and
his assistants to the world, we feel it due
to them, to ourselves end to the State at
large, whose servants We are, to say that
in constant official intercourse with him
of ten years duration, we have always
found him polished and refined gentle.
man, an accomplished aud skillful physi-
clan, kind, humane and attentive su-
perintendent and an officer at all times
ready and apparently anxious to do his
entire duty as conceived by him. Acct
dents may have occurred, but as to the
general management of this institution by
them, ne confidently challenge compar.
ison with the records of any insane asylum
in any State of the Union.
By order of the board.
B. W. TAYLOR, President"
As to the whole matter ne would ssy,
l. The investigation of public Offices and
institutions is right and commendable. 2.
The public officers should be allowed the
same privileges before an investigating
committee who prefer serious charges
against them of clearing themselves,
meeting witnesses face to face, &C., that
they would in trial justice or any other
Court. s. The investigating Committee
did not allow the superintendent this
right, though Governor Tillman so prom.
ised. 4. We believe DR.. Griffin has win.
dicated himself and his management 10
the satisfaction of reasonable people. 5.
The committee should endorse his man.