Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-07-21
Special to the Register.

by charges against hospital officials, es-
pecially among Republicans, who now
control the hospital. The charges are
public and are known by almost every
one
Recently a committee of Republicans
of the county formally presented TO the
Board OF Directors of the hospital writ
ten charges against the administration
of the asylum. These charges referred
in a general way to immoral conduct,
but they were indefinite as to specit-
cations at first. They were subsequent
ly made definite enough to justify
most rigid investigation.
DR.. w E. Stathers, superintendent of
the asylum, and his friends deny any
improper or immoral conduct on his
part, and assert that the charges are
the result of blackmailing scheme.
The charges, as presented TO the
Board of Directors, are signed by w. S.
Waddell, c. w. Swint ana R. A. Hail.
leading and influential Republicans of
Lewis county.
The charges against DR.. Stathers are
of gross misconduct towards female en-
ployes of the asylum, the substance OF
which are as follows:
First, that he used the power of his
position to attempt TO degrade young
women in his employ, to-wit: That on
the Both day of April, 1899, he entered
the sleeping apartment of one of the
female employees of the institution at
nearly midnight; that he turned out
the light and attempted familiarites;
that later when be learned that she
had told her mother of the aHair, he
asked her TO deny its truth and threat
ened to discharge her ii she did not.
She would not deny and afterwards he
did discharge her.
Second, that on another date he ap-
preached another employe and sought
to persuade her to take a trip to Pitts
burg with him, and in his conversation
sought to induce her to do wrong, and
later when he was informed of mis-
conduct between two employees he mere
ly laughed at the matter.
Third, that when he was informed
of improper conduct between en-
ployes of the hospital, he declined to
take any action in the matter and
gave as a reason that these things
we're all right unless they were found
out.
Fourth, that he sought to embrace
another lady of the hospital, but she
ran away from him.
Fifth, that he approached a patient
in the hospital, who was afterwards
discharged, and frequently annoyed
and insulted her. That when he learn
ed she had made a statement OF MS
conduct towards her, that he tried 10
coerce her into signing a counter
statement and also tried 10 induce her
to leave town until after the board
had adjourned.
Sixth. that DR.. Stathers told DR..
Snider that he would give half years
salary if he could mislead one OF his
employees, and in the same converse
ton told DR.. Snider that he was wei
come TO bring about anything he could
with her.
Seventh. that DR.. Stathers on a GER
tain day pointed out TO David Snlder,
who was in the hospital at the time,
one of the female employees and told
Suider that she was an improper
character, and for Snider to cultivate
her acquaintance and it would be all
right with him. DR.. Stathers, and that
this woman continued in the employ
of the asylum for months afterwards,
and was finally discharged because her
condition was such that she needed TO
retire to a hospital.
The next allegation is a general one
and calling upon the board to protect
the subordinate employees. The board
is called upon TO investigate thorough
Nv. fully and impartially, and II is In
sisted upon that no technicalities of
the law shall be employed TO suppress
anv facts bearing upon the guilt or In
nocence of the people mentioned in
these charges.
The final charge in the specifications
is that the superintendent endeayored
to persuade a certain woman who was
then q patient in the hospital to ac-
company him on a trip for improper
purposes; and that he did persuade one
of the employees TO accompany him TO st.
Louis and that he admitted this fact
and that his conduct in the asylum
was such as to indicate an improper
friendship: that when they were ready
to take the journey she started east,
but later changed of on a train and
went west, and that he sought to bride
the party who had seen her go west 10
say that they had seen her go east
The charge further says that they went
TO st. Louis and stopped az hotel
there. registering as married couple,
and it is further alleged the supertnten-
dent has admitted these charges.
It is further alleged that he has been
in correspondence with this lady during
her stay in Parkersburg. and the speci-
hcations allege that he has her In
school there.
After the matter was taken up by the
board and after 9 consultation, the