The San Francisco call., 1896-02-26
GOVERNOR BUDD
ON JOHN P IRISH,
Why the Colonel's Official
Head Went to the
Basket.
A SIGNIFICANT LETTER
Received by the Executive the
Day the Removal Was
Made.
THE LEGISLATIVE INQUIRY.
Colonel N. T. James Expresses His
Opinion of Colonel John p.
Irish.
THE LEGISLATIVE INQUIRY,

Governor Budd was seen at the residence
OF Harbor COMMISSIONS Colnon on Haight
street last evening. When asked if he had
anything to say in reply to John P. Irish s
statements published in The CALL yester-
day, he said:
lit is impossible to enter into a public
discussion concerning the removal of Mr..
Irish. If the public, however. deems the
question of sufficient Importance for inves-
tieation, can refer to the report of the
Joint committee on State Hospitals and
Asylums and Public Health and Quaran-
tine of the last Legislature. This report
may be found on page 297 of the journal OF
the Assembly, thirty first session."
" 1t is Significant" continued Governor
Budd, ''that Republican committee re-
commended the removal by Democratic
Governor of Republican board of trus-
tees.
'On the day that Irish was removed 1
received this letter:
To James II. Budd, Governor State of California
SIR: We, the undersigned, members OF the
Assembly committees, 10 wit, the Committee
on Hospitals and Asylums and also the Com
m1ttee on Public Health and Quarantine that
Jointly Investigated the Industrial Home of
Mechanical Trades for Adult Blind during the
last Legislature. found the inmates in such a
state of intimidation that to induce them to
speak freely of the affairs of the institute it
became necessary to promise them the protec-
ton OF the State. This promise was to get at
the facts, thus serving the best interests OF the
State, and it should be kept inviolate.
The Legislature not now being in session,
you, sir, are the only person in position to re-
deem this pledge; therefore We most respect
fully call your attention to the case OF. E. B.
Taylor, one of the inmates who was
induced by this promise to give use
full and accurate information to the
committees. and In a Jew days thereafter,
without a hearing and without being Informed
OF the cause of his expulsion, was discharged
from the home. Now, as he was following his
usual duties at the home, ant d that, too, without
let or hindrance, and also that he was ex-
PEELED Immediately after our visit TO the home
(no charges of misconduct being against him
up to that date) should be taken as prima facie
evidence that he was expelled for giving this
information to the committees, and is entitled
TO the protection of the State.
Now, precedents will bear us out in saving
that we believe 1t is your duty as chief execu-
tive of the State TO preserve the integrity of
its representatives by reinstating this blind
part of the directory should be allowed to
stand in the way.
He recently made application for reinstate-
ment, which was indorsed and recommended
by Superintendent Hays, but his application
was rejected by the board and no reason given
therefor.
n,
he has been uniustlv deprived of the benefits
of the home for year or more, and now as he
calls upon the representatives of the State To
redeem this promise 1T is the duty of the State
Some of the members of these committees are
living in the immediate vicinity of the home
and have personal knowledge of the facts
herein referred to.
We suggest that he be permitted the benefits
of the home until such time as he is formally
admitted.
and vigorous action in this matter, am, sir,
your most obedient servant.
"The letter is signed by J. H. Glass, J. B.
Mcdonald, M. Lewis, John O'Day, William
Z. Boothby, Robert Gay, Louis p Zocchi,
w. G. Hudson and o. II. Huber"
The Governor directed attention to the
fact that Sanders was removed in Deem
Der. "yet Irish served two months there
after, and now asserts that he was dis
charged because he would not vote to dis
place Sanders.
''If further light is needed on the re-
moval of Irish and the management of
the Institute for the Blind refer you to
the Board of Trustees.
1.-THE four directors appointed are: T. G.
Coogan, j. r. Glascock, n. T. James and
David S. Hirshberg-men of high char
acter."
The Governor positively declined to ex-
press his opinion of Irish personally, but
was. willing to concede to the decapitated
the right of squealing and making great
noise. Said he:
If the public want to know anything
more about the facts let this extract from
the report of the Assembly Committee OF
the last Legislature be.studied:
January 25 we visited the Industrial Home
OF Mechanical Trades for the Adult Blind at
Oakland and we regret the fact that we cannot
make the same commendatory report of this
institution that we have of others visited. In
this case as in the others we took the manage
ment by surprise and our investigatiOnwas as
thorough as we could make 1T within the lin.
tied time allotted.
The bath and toilet rooms were mostly in
fair condition, but one tub was so un-
clean as to be disgusting sight, and the mems
public toilet was in a similar condition to that
OF public toilet at railroad station. The
has a cement floor, which could not be seen for
the Nth, and while the claim is made by the
management that this room is "hosed" out
at least once a week, yet the evidence
would indicate that it had not been cleaned
! for many weeks. Coal for fuel was piled upon
the floor and the seats were in dilapidated
condition. Many of the inmates seen in the
buildings and about the grounds were wretch
! edly clothed and were so filthy in appearance
] as to be absolutely nauseating and repulsiye
| The lowest depraVed inmates of the Stockton
! Asylum incapable of seif-control, with drool
| oozing from their mouths and noaes, were
| clean compared TO some OF these.
| There can be no possible explanation fol
| this condition of things other than bad man.
| agement. Discomfort reigns supreme among
the inmates in regard to the management. The
atmosphere was rife with petty jealousies and
system OF espionage, which we are convinced
| does exist on the part of the superintendent
was generally complained of. Practical disci
| pllne seemed to be absolutely wanting.
But little attention was paid to the ordi-
nary complaints and murmurings of indi.
viduals, but large mum ber of the in.
| mates, including practically all of the
| women, were for some reason or other alb.
solntely afraid to talk to the members OF
the committee, stating that the spies were
on the alert and that many times thew
were treated harshly for speaking the
truth.
To-day" said the Governor, "I visited
the Receiving Hospital in the basement O.
the City Hall and the department set aside
for the detention of those who are charged
with insanity. Complaint had been made
that the Sheriff received such unfortunate
people and removed them from the cells
too quickly after being taken to the hos.
pItal.
The investigation showed me that the
SheriH cannot remove the patients too
soon. The place is simply usefu, for the
purpose for which they are used. The
place is cold, and while the sides are
padded the front part is not, and there i.