The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-06-07
BOARD OF HEALTH HEARING
ON MES. VAUGHAN'S APPLICATION
FOR TRANSFER OF LICENSE.

Held in city Hall Yesterday Afternoon
Large Number of Prominent Citizens
Appeared to Object to the Transfer
Application Made for Revocation of
the demonstrating Adjourned Until
Saturday Afternoon.
Rooms ten and eleven in city hall were
filled yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock
when the public hearing by the board Of
health was opened on the application
of Mrs. Gertrude A. Vaughan to have
her license to conduct maternity hos
pital at No. As Stevens street trans
ferred so as to allow her to conduct
hospital at No. Prospect Place. The
citizens present included some of the
most prominent citizens of New Ha-
ven, among them being Judge Stod-
dard, Captain Craft, Professor Ladd,
Professor Beebe, Professor Bourne,
Professor Schwab, Professor Seymour,
Rev. DR.. Munger, Rev. DR.. Smyth, At
torney John w. Alling, Attorney James
H. Webb, Attorney S. G. Morehouse,
Walter Allen and Clarence Deming.
S. ?. Thrasher, state agent of the Law
and Order league, was also present.
Attorney J. p. Goodhart appeared as
attorney for Mrs. Vaughan and Judge
Stoddard represented the remonstrants.
Mr.. Goodhart opened the hearing by
reading Mrs. Vaughan's application to
the board of health for the transfer of
her license. Judge Stoddard then call
ed attention to the fact that an appli-
cation had been made to have Mrs.
Vaughan's license revoked. He then
said that Mrs. Vaughan was not a
proper person to have a license of this
character and that her hospital on
Prospect Place was not properly con-
Quoted. Mr.. Goodhart held that since
no notice of an application for a revo-
cation of the license had been given,
such an application was not to be con-
sidered in the hearing. He said that
the board of health had already passed
upon the first objection, that Is, as to
Mrs. Vaughan's being a. proper person
to conduct the hospital, and that the
only question which remained to be
tried was as to the suitability Of where
she desires to conduct the hospital.
DIR. Fleischner, president of the board,
then ruled that the hearing was on the
application for the granting of a license
for maternity hospital at No. Pros
pect Place.
Judge Stoddard referred to the fact
that Mrs. Vaughans former applica-
ton had been referred to a committee
of the board Of health and that such
holding a hearing. He then said: 1.-THE
people whom represent have been in
vestigating this woman's history and
character and are now engaged in do
ing so. We have developed to a certain
extent matters of very grave impor-
lance which impeaches very essentially
the moral character of this woman.
I desire to cross examine her at the
very outset. I desire that the board
shall know this woman's life and his
tory and I Furthermore desire certain
statements from her to assist in our in
vestigation and I suggest that your
predecessors in Office have taken some
action in regard to this woman, which
can have but one result and that is, te
make this investigation a farce. l sub
nit that when resident inhabitants of
New Haven come before you and state
that their Investigations have resulted
in convincing them that this woman
ought not to be trusted with this mat.
ter then 1t should be required, if nee
essary, by an order of the court that
she submit herself to the scrutiny
which her letter to this board invites
Public morality requires that such q
course be taken. 1t is your duty as
members of the board to begin the in
vestigation de novo and irrespective OF
the action of your predecessors. This
is the ordinary course in any court OF
justice and certainly ought to be 81
when the public interests are to be pro-
tected by this board.
Nothing is more injurious to the com
naunity than to license a person to TAX
charge of the birth Of illegitimate chill
dren.
Now, we Eever heard Of the licensin,
of the place at Is Stevens street, an,
this application is for a new license
The supreme court has decided tina
the question of place as well as person
is involved in this hearing. Only som
six or seven days since this application
was filed the clerk Of the board o
health certified that no hearing ha
been held or advertised when the Ii
cense was granted for the place at 4
Stevens street. But whether this
true or not, an application is now file
for the revocation of that license Thi
application for revocation is not, how
ever, up for a hearing now, but tn
hearing is on the suitability of tn
place and whether or not she Is a prop
er person.
I don't know how doctor looks a
things, but when I come out of m
house and come down town pass tina
place, which is an immoral stencil,
place where illegitimate children ar
born, where an immoral business i
conducted place which is damagin
our property thousands of dollars an
destroying the peace and comfort c
our homes, with your authority. ]
you mean to rule that the committe
of your predecessors ruled on this cues
ton and to consider that as evidence
then / say that we were no party t
that proceeding and that this is an en-
tirely new proceeding.