The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-04-30
TIE REGENTS REPLY.
TO THE CHARGES OF THE LEGISLA-
TIVE COMMITTEE.


Tho Officers to Answer Separately.
COLUMBIA, S. G, April 23-Below
we givo the letter of the Board of
Asylum Regents to Governor Tillman
in reply to the charges made against
them by the Legislative investigating
committee. The letter speaks for itself !:
''I'0 His Earellency, Goo. B. Il. IiU.
man.:
"rhe committee appointed by the
Legislature in December last to ex-
anime into ard report upon the condi-
tiOn and management of the Lunatic
Asylum, has completed its work, and
made its report TO the Chief Executive
of the State. 1nasmuch as this report
brings several charges directly against
the Board Of Regents, we deem 1T prop
er in the outset to state the fact that
the inquiSitiOn was made by the COM
mittee without notice to US, without
any intimatiCn to us that we were to be
put on trial, and consequently with no
opportunity given us, or any of the Of
ticers in charge of the institution, for
cross ss-eXamination or rebuttal. 1t was
entirely an er parte proceeding, where
witnesses were examined in private.
"That report with the charges therein
contained, has gone in a semi official
form, before the people of the State,
through the newspaper Of the day.
"Alttr an examination Of such por-
tions of the testimony taken by the
Legislative committee as has now lust
been submitted to us by the Governor,
we find that in q large number Of cases
the witnesses giving the most unfavor-
able testimony were either discharged
attendants or employees having some
1anCieu grievance to aVenge. The two
principal charges against the Board
proper are: First, 4 failure to meet as
often us their rules require; and second,
Il lax performance Of their duty when
such meetings are held.
The first charge we positively assert
to he without foundation in Tact. The
rules Of the Board require monthly
meetings and our records will show
that since the passage Of the law ten
years ago there has been no single in
stance Of our failure to meet as re-
CURED. But few instances have oc-
Cured in which every member was not
present, and In every such case the alb
sentee was prevented from attending
by sickness or other unavoidable cause
True, every ward is not visited ut every
meeting, the largely increased size Of
the asylum rendering this a work of
too much magnitude for one days per-
torrance, the rule of our Board being
that at the conclusion OF the routine
business the President Of the Board ap-
points committees Of two to inspect the
different portions of the entire inStitu-
ton, and our records show in the re-
ports of said committees that large
portion of the building is regularly in
spected by us, and the testimony Of the
witnesses before the legislative COM
mittee goes to show that those portions
unyisited were always in proper con-
dition, the purpose, therefore, OF the
inspection having been as fully accom-
pllshed by the known uncertainty as
though the examination had been
made. Only u very few instances have
occurred in which the examination was
entirely postponed or omitted, and these
omissions were caused by the press of
more important matters.
BESIDES all this the executive regent
for the current month, resident in Co.
lumbia, has invariably IN the discharge
OF his duty visited and inspected, once
or twice each month, the entire build
lngs and grounds as is clearly shown by
his reports in our minutes.
In prudential point Of view it is
manifestly improper for strangers to
intTude often in those wards where the
more violent patients are confined, the
very presence Of strangers tending to
cause undue excitement and thus to in
terfere with the proper treatment and
to retard the cure.
GAS to the matter Of improper food
the simple fact is that our contract for
beef, which is furnished on alternate
days, is made with bonded contractor
who stipulateS to furnish good mer-
chantable beet and ~e know the fact
that the authorities in immediate
charge do reject it when it falls below
the proper standard.
"The preponderance Of the testimony,
together with our own knowledge, fully
establishes the fact that the food pro-
Vided has been good, palatable and
sufficient. TO show the truth OF this
statement we refer to the bills OF artl-
cles purchased on file in the Office of our
steward. Wehave frequently examined
the food in the kitchen and on the tables
and have invariably found it good
well prepared and served, and the
dining rooms particularly neat and
clean.
"Pay patients do receive better ac-
commodation3 and greater variety of
food than is furnished to the non-pdy
inmates and we apprehend that no one
will deny that this is just and proper.
"a difference also is made in the cases
of the sick or delicate and those In pos
session OF health and fun physical
strength. That the non-pay patients,
however, arc well cared for, we appeal
to the testimony Of your Excellcncy,
who, after IL personal examination of
the institution IN November last, stated
somewhat, as it appeared, with an air
OF complaint, that the 'pauper' lunatics
Jared better than the poor, tUillng far
mer who was taxed for their support.
"The Severest criticism against the
Board Is as to the management Of the
farm. The legislative committee bases
their charges on the testimony of only
two witnesses, one Il former employee
who was discharged for cause several
years ago, the other witness being the
present superintendent OF the farm
who was elected by us IN October last,
and who has been in charge of the farm
ever since, with instructions from us
to do all In his power to improve the
efficiency Of the same.
LAS long ago as November last the
superintendent Of the farm was in
structed to proceed with the erection
Of new barn and stable, and proper
appropriation was made by us for the
work. Various causes have arisen to