The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-18
DEMANDED AN APOLOGY.
Mrs. DR.. Chambers Had Urged
:. Ausplund to Compel a
Retraction.
STRIFE IN THE HOSPITAL
Enraged at His. Dismissal, Holmes
r: Had Attacked the Entire
~. :. MANAGEMENT.

. PORTLAND, Or, Aug. IAN attack
on the fair name of woman was the prl-
mary cause of Yesterdays duel between
Drs. Holmes and Ausplund, as result of
. which Ausplund is dying and Holmes is
lowering between life and death. The re-
moyal of Holmes from a position in the
Portland hospital was followed by accusa-
tons against It's management, and Mrs.
DR.. Chambers came in for full share Of
abuse. 1t was she who. urged Ausplund
to demand a retraction. Ausplund went
from. DR.. Chambers Office to that of
Holmes. and twenty seconds after he
entered the shooting had commenced.
A year ago Superintendent Johnson of
Portland Hospital urged the appointment
of DR.. Holmes to the chair of gynecology,
representing him to be very able man.
Several members of the board objected to
disappointment because of Holmes known
appetite for drink. Itwas stated in his de-
tense that he had abandoned that habit
months before and for all time to come,
because he realized that it was .iniuring his
professional prospects. Holmes was ap-
pointed to the chair, and for four months
conducted himself in an upright manner;
then he relapsed into his old ways. This
fact was reported to the executive board
following which charges were preferred
against Holmes accusing him of drunken
ness profanity, neglect of patients, etc.
An investigation into the accusations was
made, and to most of them Holmes con-
fessed to being guilty. The executive
board subsequently, called for his resigna-
ton, which was sent in and accepted with
but one dissenting vote on the 9th of
August.
After that, it is said, Holmes tried to re-
venge himself upon Superintendent John
son, and attacked the good name of the
hospital In this connt,.-pn it is said
Holmes slandered Mrs. DR.. Chambers, the
house physician, and friend of DR.. Ausp-
lund. He accused Superintendent John
son of being on undue terms with DIR.
Chambers.
- Holmes felt his removal keenly and be-
came very irritable. Before meeting
Ausplund yesterday he had talk with
Director Wood, saying he would prefer
charges against the hospital management.
Subsequently Holmes remarked:
''This is the first gun. Now you may
take warning. 1 intend to crush Portland
Hospital"
doctor, you have rendered your resig-
nation and it was accepted. Now your
work is DONE"
81 shall ruin the hospital" Holmes is
said to have exclaimed with more vehem-
ence than before.
mo man with vindictive spirit can
succeed in matter OF this kind, )" mildly
replied Wood. 'Acts prompted by malice
will harm you. I advise you to do nothing
RASH"
'tI want you to understand that don't
allow any man to give me advice" was
Holmes retort.
Holmes acted so franticaIly that Wood
walked away without saying another word.
Just then DR.. Ausplund walked up to
Holmes, and the duel was the result.
The direct cause of the duel was three
separate retractions drawn by Ausplund
for Holmes signature. The most verbose
of the papers. now in the hands of the Dis.
trict Attorney, treats solely of Mrs. DR..
Chambers; her charms as woman, hel
learning as a physician, and the base
falsity of the statements made by Holmes
concerning her. The. second retraction
concerns the attack made on the hospital
management, while the third relates to
Ausplund and the insults he had received
from Holmes.
II is alleged the retractions were sub
United by Ausplund to Mrs. DR.. Chambers
and by her fully approved, the woman
adding fame to the mans rage by COM
mendations of his errand and appealing
to Ausplunds weakest point by landing
his vaIor.