Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-09
HIS RESIGNATION ASKED
Action Of Emergency Hospital Directors
in Dr.. Kerr's Case
An Overwhelming Majority Adopts q
Significant Resolution - The
Former President Thanked.

At the special meeting Of the board of
directors Of the Emergency Hospital, held
yesterday afternoon, the special committee
appointed to allay the differences existing
between the medical staff and DR.. Kerr,
the surgeon-in-chief Of the institution re-
ported its inability to carry out it's object,
owing to DR.. Kerrs refusal to enter into
any agreement regarding his future course
and his absolute declination to consider a
proposition that he decline to stand for re-
election after his present term expires
next April.
The report was received, and after brief
discussion, a resolution was presented re-
citing that 1t was the sense Of the board of
directors that DR.. Kerr should resign. This
was passed by vote of Is to 4.
Preceding this action the board Of d.
rectors unanimously passed a resolution
directing Secretary Wight to convey to Mr..
B. H. Warner, the former president, their
sincere apprecia ton of his long, faithful
and efficient services in behalf of The in
sutution.
An executive committee was also Gre
ated, consisting of all the directors except
MIR. Calderon Carlisle and Mr.. Thomas w.
Smith.
A Physfcian's Views.
A prominent physician, in discussing the
matter with reporter Of The Star today,
said:
Il cannot for the life of me understand
why DR.. Kerr does not resign. He must
see that the people in control Of the hos
pital are opposed to him: and his fight is
surely unprofeSsional. A surgeon of his
prominence cannot afford to resort to
tricks to keep himself in hospital. 1t is
generally known that a caucus was held at
his house before the election of new di-
rcctors, and plan was prepared to let in
a number of men and women to the meet
ing, and, by paying s. each, vote them.
The ticket, even, which he proposed to put
in the field to defeat those of the attending
stan who had opposed him, was decided
upon and the candidates, or at least one
of them, was present and accepted. Every
one knows the result. The opposition hearl
OF the caucus and was acquainted with the
plans. And 1T very improperly tried to fol-
low suit. A number of persons were voted
in behalf Of this faction, because DR.. Kerr
friends had decided to do the same thing.
That these methods were unprofessional
has never been doubted, and one of DR..
Kerrs stanchest admirers told him so at
that memorable meeting.
Yesterdays Meeting.
'FWhy, take the meeting of the board Of
directors yesterday" he continued. AN
inspection Of the vote shows too plainly
the trend of opinion. OF twenty-five vot-
ers present he received the support of but
four, and three of them were laymen, and
the new members elected by Dr. Kerr's
faction. Another of his stanchest sup
porters at this meeting voted to ask for
his resignation. DR.. Kerr is a great sur
geon. We all know that; but he is also
very hard man to get along with at
times. This is not the first time he has
been in trouble. There are a number Of
physicians in this city, who remember how
he was forced out of Garfield Hospital, and
his fight at Providence Hospital, when DIR.
Joseph Taber johnson resigned rather than
cause a scandal, is familiar to hundreds
of physicians. And so / say, while admit
ting Or. kerr's ability, ask him to resign.
If he refuses force the issue. The Emer-
gency Hospital is too great and valuable
an institution to suffer because of the in
ability of one man to get along with the
attending staff