The Washington bee., 1898-07-02
ordered by the Secretary of the Interi-
MRS. BROWNS LETTER

Following is Mrs. Browns letter TO
DR.. Curtis IN reply TO his of June gard.
DR.. A. NJ. Curtis,
Surgeon-in-Chief of the
Freedmen's Hospital.
Dear Sir
In reply TO your communication
dated June 23rd, 1898, requesting an
answer why | should not be removed
for INSTRUMENTATION and that nv re-
tention is prejudicial to the successful
administration of the institution of
which you are surgeon-in. chief, have
this TO say:
Ist Since my appointment as ma
tron of the Freedman Hospital, have
endeavored TO successfully conduct
the Office of matron. deny that |
have been insubordinate TO my supe.
rior officer since his appointment as
surgeon-in-chief of the Freedmen's
Hospital.
2nd | respectfully request YOU to
specify one act of INSTRUMENTATION OF
my part TO you since your appoint
ment as rgeon-in-Chief or to any
superior officer.
3rd. As matron of the Freedmen's
Hospital, | recognize from your own
statement, but one head, and that is
the surgeon-in chief. And certainly
have never committed one act of in
subordination, directly or indirectly.
If In the exercise of my official duties,
| have subjected the help TO the rules,
approved by you, constituted acts of
INSTRUMENTATION, then | plead guilty.
respectfully deny the charges in toto
and ask that YOU point out one act Of
INSTRUMENTATION on my part
Very respectfully,
Mary J. Brown,
Our representative next called at
the Interior Department and had
talk with the appointment clerk, who
had talk with the private secretary
to the Secretary of the Interior, as
the Secretary had gone to a Cabinet
meeting He is a very affiable gentle
man who could not give the represent
atlve more specific copy of the spec
lfcation and charges He was inform
ed that our representative had been
sent by Senator Jones of Nevada, to
get copy of specification and charges
against Mrs. Brown. The appoint |
clerk informed our representative,
very politely to inform Senator Jones, |
that the department did not allow at
torneyS In such cases; that Mrs. ,
Brown had been furnished with a copy
OF the charges and that our represen-
tatlve could see her and get a copy. |
He was informed that such was not so. |
He retired to ascertain whether our
representative had made the correct
statement. He found out that such
was the case. Our representative
asked to see the Secretary, but was
informed that the Secretary had gone
to Cabinet meeting.
Our representative then called upon
the private secretary of the Secretary.
He is refined gentleman and very
affiable. Our representative laid the
whole matter before him. who seemed
10 be very much interested in Mrs
Browns case. He was asked to hold
up the dismissal of Mrs Brown until
she was given an opportunity 10 show )
cause of an alleged insubordination. /
That Mrs. Brown was victim of per-
sonal prejudice against her on the
part of the people in the hospital. |
That the trouble has grown out of the /
superintendent of the train nurse de-
partment, white woman, who don't /
want to serve under colored woman.
Then again the committee that the
Secretary sent out to examine such |
witnesses were prejudiced to Mrs. |
Brown. What right had the superin- !
tendent of the train nurse department /
TO show the committee through the /
wards, when there was colored ma
tron TO do it. Can't you see, said Our
representative, the milk in the cocoa
nut? What would you do. if some of |
your subordinaIes attempted to exer- |
else the function of your office without |
your authority "'I would not allow |
it." This is precisely the case of Mrs. |
Brown.
You had better, said the private sec
retary, let Mrs. Brown prepare a let
ter to the Secretary at once, our rep
resentative left and returned Wednes-
day morning with the following letter
from Mrs. Brown:
TO THE SECRETARY.
Washington, d. c., June 2e, 1898. |
Hon e. n Bliss