The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-21
HOPPER UNDER FIRE
NAN WHO CHANGED HIS VOTE Is
BEFORE THE HOSPITAL IN
VESTIGATORS.
AUVAH EASTMAN LIKEWISE
Is PER MITTED TO TELL WHAT HE
KNOWS ABOUT THE
DEAL.
HE AND DIR. SMITH HAVE A TILT.
They Cannot Get Together As to
What Occurred at the Fergus
Falls Meeting,

So far as the investigating committee
Is concerned, at least. it seems likely
that there will be little temporizing
with the Anoka- Hastings hospital To-
cation fight.
There is a suspicion abroad in the
committee that the fight is being used
as club for forcing trades on other
legislation, and Judge Hicks, of the
committee, wanted the eleven members
to sit down last night and fight the
thing out at one session AS it was,
the committee spent four hours listen
ing to evidence and arguments, which
were enlivened by many a brisk tilt
between the opposing factions
When the committee met at 2:30 in
the senate railroad committee room
Harris Richardson, for the commission
said they would like to know whether
they We're to be investigated by the
committee or by the city of Hastings,
or whether they were there to try
a law suit between the two cities. an
impeachment, or some more intricate
form Of litigation. He thought they
were entitled to know what issues they
We're expected to meet.
Senator Sheehan referred Mr., Rich
Rrdson to the resolution under which
the committee was acting
Chairman Culkn said the committee
was ready to hear any evidence Of
fered.
Attorney Seymour, in behalf of Hast
1ngs. said the question seemed to him
TO bear on whether any good re son
had been or could be shown for the
of the commission. He was anxious
to assist the committee in any way de-
sired by it.
Judge Hicks suggested that there
was no desire on the part of the COM
mittee to employ any attorney. He
renewed the former motion. If there
was no evidence to be offered. then
he suggested that the committee go
into executive session.
Senator Young thought the commit
tee might legitimately inquire of the
one commissioner whose course had
not been entirely consistent, Mr..
Hopper.
Messrs. Richardson and Seymour
then engaged in some controversy as
to whether the supreme court had ever
strictly located" the hospital at Hast
ings.
Senator Culkin finally urged some
one of the committee to call witness,
and at Senator YOung's suggestion.
Commissioner Hopper, of Stephen, Mar
shall county, was called. Mr.. Dougles
moved that the counsel for the re-
spective cities examine him within the
scope Of the resolution.
SRVTca1l led M, Honar
the preliminary testimony and down
to the inspection of the locations pro-
posed. Mr.. Hopper said the commits
sion had inspected the Hastings site
as thoroughly as any of the other
sites. He answered negatively Mr..
SeymOur's question as 10 whether he
was notified that the meeting of Dec.
Is 1895, was for the purpose of voting
on the location question. The witness
said the notice called for a visit to
the various hospitals. He heard that
1t would be brought up. before the
meeting, and he voted for Hastings.
because he then thought that was the
best site. He did not remember SEN
atOr Schaller then thanking the COM
mission for its action.
Coming down to the Fergus Falls
meeting, Mr. Hopper said that he knew
the resolution to reconsider the first
vote was to be introduced before the
meeting, but he did not think that he
had told other members Of the COM
mission that he would vote for the
Eastman resolution. He might have
said to some of them that he had
changed his mind. and he was now
favorable to AnOka. He did not re-
member which Of the commissioners
he had talked with about 1t. On the
way to Fergus Falls. he received a
number of petitions asking that the
hospital be located at AnOka. but this
only ho Dr Or
his mind. One reason was that after
viewing the other hospitals he chang
ed his opinion as to the desirability
Of the site as to drainage and the like
Then it occurred to him that Anoka
being nearer to the Twin Cities would
be cheaper in transportation expenses
and thirdly that when he compared the