The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-06
CONTROL OF THE HOSPITAL.
BOTH SIDES INSIST Iron THE "a
LIDETY or THEIR ACTS.

The Matter 20 Come Before che
County Commissioners To-day
and the City Council at It's NeEf
sIectine-Dr. Drummer says Eis
Ticket Was Elected aud Lrani
steps VIII BE Taken by the Sew
Hoard 20 Assert Its RiGhts--1Ir.
Mills SAYS Dr. Brunncr'S Ticket
Was Never voted-He Explains the
Ten Dollar Clause.
The election Of managers OF the SaTcu-
nah hospital rs likely 70 remain CT tapts
for several DAYS yet II is expected trat
the matter VIII be taken Up 81 spac
meeting OF the beard of coGlty Comm
sioners To-Day. anu that Commissioners
Charlton and Carson VIII inquire Why be
was they were not consulted in such an
unusual matter. They VIII contend that
the action Of Chairman Dale iu giving the
proxy of the county 10 DR.. Drummer Was
illegal as IL was not authorized az any
meeting Of the board, and County A,tor-
ney Saussy viii be called Upon to produce
the law on the subject.
The matter is also likely to be brought
up at the next meeting Of the city council
and City Attorney Adams VIII DE called
upon TO express his opinion upon the law.
MIR. Adams was asked his opinion yester-
day as TO the validity Of M Myers &C.
ton ia giving the citys proxy 20 Or. Brun-
ner without sanction OF council. he oe-
Setned 70 give il, however as
70 give az omcicl opinion Sew
eral gentlemen whose legal opinions
are valuable. however. did not hesitate
TO express themselves.
Mr. Myers" said one. had no more
right 10 give the citys proxy. allow rs
that the city IS entitled TO a vote, than
any private citizen had to DO such thing.
e The mayor and aldermen are the corpora
ton Of the city OF Savannah, and the
right 70 use the proxy could only be grant
ed BY them in open meeting"
The board Of managers Of which Mr..
Mills is the head, met yesterday at Mr..
Mills ofice and organized by re-electns
Mr.. Mills president. No election was held
for superintendent. The position is at
present filed by Dr. Duncan. who, q
course, viii be reelected, unless he should
decline to accept the Office.
Several OF the gentlemen on the ticket
which Dr.. Drummer claims 10 have been
elected met at the latter Office about
] o'clock and discussed matters. DR.. Brur.
ner was seen afterward and asked what
steps had been decided upon, but he de.
clined to say. He held, he said, that the
ticket voted for by him had been elected
and legal steps would be taken to assert
its rights.
There is no spirit OF personal opposi-
ton 70 any membar OF the present man,
agement Of the Savannah hospital" sa q
DR.. Brunner. ''on my part or on the part
Of those associated with me. We think
that as a public Institution the public
wit
workings and that the city. as the largest
contributor to its support, should have
share in its direction"
DR.. Drummer said that II the city IS not
allowed to participate ia the control Of
the hospital Il is possible that the appro-
priation allowed it may be withdrawn.
Mr.. George J. Mills, the president Of the
hospital, was also seen. "Dr. Brunner's
claim that his ticket is elected is alb
surd," said Mr.. Nils. In the first place,
his ticket was not voted. When I saw
what his object was I sent for Mr. Malcolm
Mclean, the other member of the commit.
tee on proxies. and. after consulting him.
we agreed to call in Capt II. c. Cunning
ham and ask his opinion. Upon Capt
Cunningham's advice we declined to ac>
cept the ballot In the next place. he could
not have voted more than once each FOR
the city and county, had he been allowed
TO vote. The claim that he should have
one vote for each $40 contributed by the
city and county is preposterous. The way
that such a bylaw came to be on the books
is this: When the hospital was incorpo-
rated 1t was desired that the general pub
lie should take an interest in its man
agement and participate in its annual
elections. OF course. IL would not have
done to have thrown the elections open
TO everybody without restriction. 50 a pro-
vision was Incorporated in the bylaws
that every person subscribing $40 annually
81. -
have a vote. 1t was never intended that
any one man should have more than one
vote. Fifty persons who subscribed SO
each would each be allowed a vote, but
one person subscribing $500 would not ne
allowed fifty votes"
Mr. Mills said the total endowment of
the hospital is about sl3). 900 or this about
$4,000 is in Central railroad securities,
which now return no dividends. This ax-
plains why the management Of the hospI-
tai has been compelled to call upon the
city and county for increased contribu-
tions to its support.
THE city can make no claim on account
Of its contribution" said Mr.. Mills For
years the city has contributed regularly to
the support of the hospital and no claim
of this kind was ever sprung The city
contributes TO the support OF the hospital
what il thinks Is right and in return we
receive there all charity patients sent us
by the city physicians without any ques-
ton as to number. We take as many as
we can accommodate"
Mr.. Mills was asked what salaries were
paid at the hospital
-'The only salaried Officer he said, ''is
the superintendent who receives a small
salary for the performance of his duties
DIT. Duncan has filled this position for
years. He looks after everything con-
nected with the conduct of the hospital
and personally makes all purchases for
it, from pint of beans to the medicines
used there. The force Of employees is not
large, and the pay received by them is
small"
Many of DR.. Duncan's friends regard
the attempt to displsce the old board MS
an attack upon DR.. Duncan.
County Attorney ]. R. Saussy was seen
BY a reporter Of the Morning News and
asked about the statement, published yes
terday afternoon. to the effect that Chair
man Dale was acting under his legal ad-
vice in the hospital matter Mr. Saussy
did not desire TO discuss the matter. but
upon being pressed, said that the report
was misstatement.
Mr.. Saussy said that he was not con
suited in regard to the right Of the county
to vote at the election for managers OF