The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-23
UNDER AN UGLY CHARGE.
DIR. A. A. MORRISON ARRESTED FOR
ATTEMPTED RAPE.

Her story of the Alleged Assault.
DIR. Morrison Denies the Chnrge
and Gives bond For Hearing Re-
fore Justice Nathans March 1.-The
Matter to Go Before the City COun-
ell Tomorrow Night.
A warrant was issued yesterday by JUS
tice Isaac Nathans against DR.. A a.
Morrison, city physician for the western
district, charging him with assault with
intent to rape. The warrant was sworn
TO by Samuel Samson. who charges that
the assault was committed upon his
daughter Esther. DR.. Morrison emphati-
cally denies the charge and considers
it a piece of persecution prompted by peo-
pie who are unfriendly to him.
Sensational rumOrs concerning the case
have been in circulation for nearly
week, and the issuance of the warrant,
followed by the arrest of Dr.. Morrison,
was no surprise TO those who had heard
the rumors. Some days ago Mr. Samson.
the young womans father. called upon
Acting Mayor Hamilton for the purpose
of preferring charges against Dr. Morri-
son. He was advised 10 await the return
of Mayor Meldrim who was out of the
city. DR.. Morrison had heard of the ru
mors, and he also called upon the acting
mayor to demand an immediate invest
cation. He was likewise requested to
await the return of Mayor Medrim. Mr..
Samson called on Mayor Meldrim on his
return ana made a statement. The may
or informed him that no charges against
any city official would be considered un-
less made in writing. Written charges
have since been made, and will. be brought
before the city council tomorrow night
Acting on the advice of friends Mr..
Samson called on Solicitor General Os-
borRe yesterday morning, and requested
that the matter be bEought TO the atten-
ton of the grand jurSAat once. Mr. Os-
borne advised him that the proper course
to pursue in such a case would be to
swear out a warrant. Mr.. Samson then |
went before Justice Nathans and had the |
warrant issued.
Mr.. Samson was seen at his home on
West Broad street, near the corner of |
New Houston street. lie is feeble man, |
apparently over 20 years of age. He usu-
ally has charge of a ticket table at cleo |
tions at the court house where many |
have doubtless seen him. Both he and his |
daughter have been inValids for years |
and have been cared for by the Hebrew |
benevolent societies. The daughter has |
been under the treatment of various ply |
sicians for several years, being seriously |
afflicted with dropsy, with various COM |
phcations. Her eyesight Is also very poor |
making il necessary for her to wear smok- |
ed glasses. She is 80 years old On ac- |
count of her feet being swollen by drop |
sy, she wears cloth slippers, being unable |
to wear shoes. In fact, judging by APP
pearances, she Is the last woman whom |
any man. however villainously inclined, |
would choose to make an assault upon.
Both Miss Samson and her father talked |
freely of the alleged assault Their story, |
as told in detail, would not bear publ |
cation, but, if true, it would be sufficient |
60 drive any man from the community. |
The alleged assault occurred Sunday, |
Feb. H. Mr.. samson had been III and |
called in Dr. Morrison, who prescribed |
for him. This was Saturday, Feb. 13. The |
doctor came the next morning, Sunday, |
20 see how the treatment was progress |
ing. After speaking with Mr.. Samson, |
DR.. Morrison, they stated, told Miss Sam |
son TO come into the adjoining room, as |
he wished TO examine her for dropsy. She |
sald that she objected TO the examination |
without having some one present, but the |
doctor peremptorily insisted, she said, on |
making the examination, and did so |
against her will, taking unwarranted lib
critics with ner person. She could not |
state exactly what was done, however, |
as she said that he used chloroform on |
her. her ideas on the use of chloroform |
were rather indefinite. She judged of the |
crlminality of his intentions by several in
splung proposals and insinuatl2ns which
before making the examinations
After making the examination she said |
III. hlpENiSon LOld nef ne would come the |
next DAY ana perform the operation Tor /
her, ana that ii she allowed him TO treat |
her as he wished she would Be all right. |
She told him never to come again she
said, and threw a Ratchet at him as ne |
was going out the door. She did not /
say anything about DR.. Morrison's con- /
Duct TO her father, but told an old lady /
lying next door, who informed her father /
Iuesqay. When DR.. Morrison came /
TUESDAY afternoon he was ordered away |
by her father. Miss Samson referred TO |
several physicians, who had treated her |
IN the past, whom she said would give |
EVIDENCE as 20 her good character
Mr. Samson said that on account of the |
cohducl on the part of Dr. Morrison, MI. |
-. Il. Schaffer, druggist at West Broad !
ana Henry streets. with whom DR.. Nor, |
rlson had an office, had ordered the doc~ |
tor TO move elsewhere. Mr.. Schaffer
When seen. said that rnis was an error, |
as he and DR.. Morrison had been for a |
!ong time and are still good friends. In |
the treatment of the city patients there. |
Mr.. Schaffer said he had noticed that |
their feelings, and that ne avoided doin.s |
or saying anything that might indicate |
they were not entitled to everything that |
ne coulu 90 Tor them.
The charges are infamous and abso- |
1utely raise, and will be so proven at the |
prop proper time said DIR. Morrison.
1uTtnef ABOUT the matter. When oues-
TONED as TO the details of Miss Samson's |
statement, he said it was true that he |
mace an examination a her own request |
as she stated that she had never been able |
TO prevail upon other physicians 10 make |
such an examination. The examination
was conducted in the room Immediately |
ADJOINING the room in which her father |
was ana the door between the two rooms |
was open. Miss Samson, he said made
no request that any third person be pres |
eht ana gave no indication whatever when |
tne examination was concluded of having |
been offended in the slightest degree
Dr Morrison said that he heard that |
tne charges were being circulated bv the |
Samsons early last week and he at once |
called at their home to demand an exnie !
nation. The old man came 70 the door
and refused to let him in. He then v,ent |
10 Acting Mayor Hamilton and fold him
what he had heard. Mr.. Hamilton advised
MIN 70 take no notice of the report re
called to see Mayor Medium about Tho |
matter after the mayors return 10 The |
city; The mayor was out, however, and
ne then wrote a note 90 Mr. Hamilton
asking him to explain the matter 20 he
mayor. " NiV
Bond was placed at 800 by Justice Ma.
thans. DIR. NJ. L. Boyd immediately went
security for the amount Or. Morrison /
has resided in Savannah about four wears
having been house physician at the Sa-
Vannah hospital until recently. when he
was elected city physician There has
been nothing in DR. Morrison's conduct
heretofore to warrant his friends ia lend.