The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-17
Lavish Expenditure Is
One Cause.
INMATES ARE NEGLECTED
DIR. SUssDoRF USES THE CITY's
MONEY FOR LUXURIEs.
Threatens the Health of Employees
and Patients by Deprtving the
Main Corridor Of
Light.

Luxury and want go hand In hand ut
the City and County Hospital. Within
the decayed and reeking halls Of the old
structure on Potrero avenue the super
!ntendent of the institution, G. E. Suss-
dorf lives life of an epicure, while the
400 or more inmates sent under his care
are huddled together and deprived of
necessaries.
The latest outrage complained of
among the many perpetrated upon these
unfortunates of public charity is the re-
cent erection of magnificent dining
room in the upper or southerly end Of
the main corridor, which completely
shuts out whatever light was formerly
afforded the corridor by the windows
facing Potrero avenue. Sussdorfs object
in committing this outrage upon the
health of both employees and patients was
TO provide a means whereby he and his
family could hold aloof from what he is
pleased to call the common horde"
Although the main dining room was
considered good enough for all of Suss-
DORIS predecessors 1t was found TO be
dntolerable by both him and his family.
The new room as erected is about ten
feet square and is furnished and adorned
in a style seldom seen in the finest homes.
The walls are tinted and Beautifully dec
GRATED with what is known in high art as
Egyptian red effects. The entire apart
ment is placed under lock and key and is
reserved for Sussdorf. his wife and her
brother (the latter brought out from the
East TO share the fortunes and hopes OF
his sisters husband at the County hos-
pttaD and the superintendents son. Mrs.
Sussdorf's brother lives at the hospital,
enjoys the privileges of more than the
highest subordinate, drives behind the
coachman in the carriage supplied at the
citys expense and enjoys generally the
easy and lazy life mapped out for him py
his sister and her indulgent husband.
Sussdorf not only refuses to associate
at table with his internes and other en-
ployes but refuses to submit to the d.
gestion Of the same food supplied to their
receives his instructions daily as to the
menu to be provided for the little dining
table at the end Of the main eoT IF nb
tain and prepare the best and the cost
Hest viands obtainable on pain of dis
At dinner two walters are kept in con.
slant attendance behind the chairs Of
those seated around the sumptuous
board in the private apartment. Dinner
over, it is the custom of the .Sussdorf
dynasty to indulge in recreation and
pleasure until late in the night The
employees. without exception, aver that
the superintendent never leaves the room
in a normal state, but on the contrary, is
always in that stage of exhilaration
cort him to his sleeping apartments.
Nevertheless, Sussdorf is a Keely cure
expert. having had charge OF the old
institution ct Los Gatos. From. every
employee he demands homage, and unless
the proper and regulation salaam is af-
forded him the culprit is admonished and
called to account for his INSTRUMENTATION
the following day.
AS consequence of Sussdorfs dicta-
torial and domineering treatment, the in
ternes under his supervision have delved
into history for a proper regal appella
ton with which to refer to their SUI
perior The title considered most appro-
pirate is drawn from the sobriquet made
in ridicule Of James the First, of Eng
land. of his "sowship." The superin-
Iarc fIa
doris in his revels with the title of his
It is found absolutely necessary to the
comfort of Sussdorfs wife that she have
maid to attend to her wants. In order
to supply proper apartments for this adj
ditional luxury the internes, who for
mally We're installed in the front room
overlooking the main entrance to the
building, have had to sacrifice 1t to the
dorf A dingy and unhealthful den has
been provided for the unlucky young doc
tors in the rear Of the hospital building
where they have urgent necessity of us
ing their skill In warding off and prevent
ing the incubation of disease germs.
AS a consequence of the fragrant out
RACES at the hospital more money is need
ed. The Supervisors and the members
Of the Board of Health are either I'M
aware or blind to the actions of the SUI
perintendent, to whom they award appro-
priation after appropriation, without car
ing to Investigate whether the money
awarded is expended legitimately and for
used by the superintendent in the fur
therance of his own comfort.
Although the dining room alluded to
ana an deliberately erected bathroom (also
built by SuSsdorf for himself and family
have been lately erected, more money
SgaS asked Se1s BY him at the meeting Of the
ployes
Supervisor Dodge and encouraged by the
superintendent of the hospital. The ex-
act quotation following is from a pub
lished report of the matron:
Supervisor Dodge stated that the hospital ap
preparation should not be disturbed. He said
that since 1891 revenues of the City and County
now they were 80 1-3 per cent less than thew
were in 1891 The hospital gave employment TO
have be SIXTY II s and the
oil this additional expense, said DR.. Dodge,
you you expect t US to run the hospital at lower
extra clerical force, and suppose 1t has got
DR.. sussdorf supported DIR. Dodge in a plea
Tor good appropriation for the hospital.
Although this additional appropriation
Is asked the amount expended already by
Sussdorf is far in excess of that made
for the entire previous year
The petty fund which serves as a.
sou Of revenue to the institution from
ed; It has been stated that as soon as
this fund would assume any dimensions
It would suddenly disappear. Where it
know, or in fact has a right to know
since the key to the little Golfer where
the money Is stored is held by the super
jntendent
To eXemplify the total laxity OF method
IN conducting the affairs of the Institution
one of the internes recently made re0lIi-
sition for an apron for use in the operat-
ing room and was told by Sussdorf that
there was no money in the petty fund to
defray the. expense of furnishing the re-
quired article. From this assertion II
would appear that the supplies for the
institution were bought from the money in
the petty fund; and that the yearly ap-
preparation made for such supplies was
expended In the erection Of private din
ing rooms and bathrooms, salaries for
maids and specially hired men to walt
upon the superintendent and his family
and minions. palatable viands, coachmen,
cooks, walters. etc.
Whether Sussdorf will be permitted
longer to outrage the trust imposed in
him by neglecting the patients sent under
his care by deprfving them of food and
other necessaries will be decided by the
Board of Health. the majority of the
members of which body have already
taken cogniZance Of his laxity In con-
Quoting the institution.
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