The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-10-22
CHARGES AGAINST DR.. SMITH
INVESTIG GATED BY THE PENITEN-
TIARY BOARD
The Board Goes Into Executive Session on
the Matter After Examining DR.. Kirby,
the Hampton Woman and Several Other
Witnesses-The Board Decides Against
Leasing the Penitentiary-Superin
ent Smith to be Retained on Certain Con
ditions
Especial to The Messenger

tertiary directors devoted this afternoon
to examination of Kirby Smith, "ex-
supervisor of criminal insane at the
penitentiary.
The first witness was Frank Williams
an attendant, who swore that Miss
Hampton, one of the patients, reported
something wrong on the night Of August
22nd: that Smith had gone to her room
alone: that she told him Smith had been
staying with her and she wanted him
CWiliams) to stay; that he declined, and
she said it did not matter, as she would
put it on Smith in case there was trouble
Williams reported the matter to Dr.
Kirby. Mrs. Franklin told Williams
Smith took liberties with her. Williams
had for some time been suspicious Of
Smith.
The second witness Mrs. Franklin, one
Of the criminal insane, said Smith had
taken improper liberties with her and
had also talked improperly. She corrob-
Grated the evidence which Miss Hamp.
ton gave later.
The third witness, Assistant Physician
Mott. of the central hospital, swore Miss
Hampton was woman of supicious and
bad character, and it was thought she
had attempted to set fire to the Western
hospital.
Miss Hampton was the fourth witness.
She is ugly woman, and says she is p
years old She swore Kirby Smith had
improper intercourse with her the first
night she was in the penitentiary; that
he told her he would go to her room in
his stocking feet and stay with her, and
he did so; that he told Mrs. Franklin not
to follow him about; that he once tried
to push Mrs. Franklin into her ROOM
and she told him the guard would see
him; that she had told Williams of
Smiths conduct and asked him why he
Gid not come up to her room instead of
Kirby Smith, that she would put any
blame on Smith; that Williams did not
go, but always treated her politely;
that She had been in a house Of i'll fame
at Wilmington, and first went to the
Western hospital when she was 13 years
old
The fifth witness was a guard name
Lowrey. who said Smith got his
keys three four times to go
to the woman's department.; that
T. thought Smith the ply
sfcian in charge; that SO far as he
knew Smith didn't stay long, though one
night while he was in the kitchen he did
know the length of Smiths stay.
The last witness was DR.. George L.
Kirby, who swore that late in August
Williams reported that he did not like
the way things were going on; that
Kirby Smith wanted to go into the female
insane ward too much The next day a
telephone message was received that
Miss Hampton charged Kirby Smith with
improper conduct the night before; that
he went to the penitentiary; that Mrs.
Franklin then said she did not know of
Kirby Smith. staying in the women's
ward any length of time, and that his
conduct to her was polite; that Miss
Hampton said Smith had made an ap
point tment with her and kept it. This
Smith denied. Miss Hampton told her
today's story, but not so fully. DR.. Kirby
said he then told Smith he had been
guilty of gross imprudence in going alone
into the female ward, and that while
he did not believe him guilty as charged
by Miss Hampton, yet he must give up
tke keys to Williams and never go into
the ward again DR.. Kirby did not dis
miss him. but Superintendent Smith, his
father did upon complaint that Kirby
Smith was drinking. DR.. Kirby said Miss
Hampton's character was bad; that she
made trouble wherever she went and was
in the penitentiary because she tried to
set fire to the Western hospital. He was
asked if she had been convicted of any
crime and said he did not know; she was,
he thought. sent to the Western hospital
simply to confne her and keep her away
from mem that he did not consider her
insane; that she had no business in the
penitentiary, and he was going to dismiss
her; that it was merely desired to de-
velop the fact whether or not she was
insane; that DR.. Murphy, of the Western
hospital said she q dangerous wo-
man, who WAS constantly bringing
charges of unlawful intercourse asasIgist
officials.
DR.. Mott said he thought she had tried
TO burn property at Asheville.
br. Kirby said she was pyromaniae,
w. constant desire was to burn. Dr.
AkuFl hy's endorsement on her commit
ment papers is: she is sly and entirely
@ntrlat worthy. She has hallucinations
ahd thinks she is going to marry" DR..
Kirby said superintendent Smith ap-
pointed Kirby Smith, but with his assent,
as attendant and not as physician; that
there was a conflict in the new Saw as
TO who should appoint.
John r. Smith said he had appointed
his son as kind of head nurse, and that
as soon as DR.. Kirby said he ought to be
removed, he removed him.
Chairman Dockery said there was 10
criminal responsibility on either DR..
Kirby or John r. Smith on Kirby Smiths
appointment.
DR.. Kirby said he had thought the
latter competent
The board went into executive session
on the case.
The board IN executive session decided
against leasing tie peniteptiasy. 1t was