West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-08-31
From the Parkersburg sentinel

] from the farAersburg Sentinel.
The action Of the board OF directors
Of the Weston asylum in acquitting
DIR. Stathers was no surprise. for il
had been generally understood from
the beginning that that would be the
result. From the very tirst il was
evident that evervthing that possibly
| could be done was being done to
/ shield and protect him. The prose
cntion represented 10y attorneys !. NJ.
Foster Geo. C. Cole. K. Ad Hall and
a. r smith presented strong case
and managed IT we'll out the court
was against them
As stated last week. a good Repuh-
licar OF high standing both as man
and AZ "A Republican. stated the case
properly when he said that his board
having been appointed for the sole
purpose Of making DR.. Stathers su-
perintendent, could no nothing but
sustain him. Whether the governor
had given direct instructions TO the
! board. as has been charged. or not
the board knew hIs sentiments in the
matter and may have been Influenced
10y them. The governor knew earlv
IN the investigation that il was NOT
being conducted in manner to in.
spire conf 'ence in its impartjahty.
lie knew the board WAS being OPENLY
criticised for it, favoritism To DR.
Stnthers lie not only had this in
formation from the press but he had
verbal Information conveyed 10 him
direct from the board room. u.
knew that the investigation was not
being fairly and impartiully conducted
bnt he permitted it to- go Oh in tho
same way and therefore il is TO bc
! presumed that I've approved OF their
course even II he did not direct il
! The governor Is known To- have passed
! judgment upon the case b..for, the
! inve>tigation began, stating that he
! knew Stathers was not guilty be,.,.e
he had told him so.
! One member OF the board s,id h.
knew the old fellow was guilty but
they would have TO stand bv him.
One Of DR.. Stathers' attorneys made
admissions as 10 his guilt hcfore tho
q
the witness stand, refused to DENY
three of the eight charges against him
admitting that they might be truc
| hey were proven by the witnesses
not denied by the doctor and not
conirad'etcd by any one, and vet the
h'"rd found that thc charges had not
! been sustained
| The board from the very first re-.
tnsed 10 conduct an Investigate,
! PRESIDENT Meighen stated that the
BOARD would listen To any evidence
when might be presented on either
SIDE and after that wus all in. il IN.
BOARD cnosc ~ would conduct an IN
Ve''gnhon. Eut when the evidence
was All presented the board refused 70
i"veati8 ate, although an effort was
made to carry the Investigation
farther Pruposititions we're made
! "hIeh ~ agreed to would have deter
I mined certainly whether Harriet
Green was in St. Louis with
| Dr StatherS, az charged. o. in Wash
ington as she claimed, but the board
evidently did not wish TO learn the
facts and refused TO take anv stem,
toward ascertaining them.
/ An effort was also made 10 postpore
/ the decision in the matter untu
/ later date. II that had been done
public opinion might have had il,
effect on .hs board and caused a
different result. Bot President
Meighon prevented that Upon the
Z motion 20 postpone the ayes were
crooks. Horst and Miller. The noes
I were Gibson, Sterling and Toler BE
I ing tie the president cast the dccid.
ing vote against pOstponemcnt
/ Then the question Of verdict was
I taken up. The board Rrst met al X
o'clock Saturday morning. but adj
| Iourned from time so time. while ~,r.
cuscs and conferences were being held.
until 8:l5 .. m. when the decision was
rendered and the following order was
entered, all the mcm bers ~ the board
votiHg for IT except Mr.. Miller;
"On motion " ia ordered that the
/ BOARD proceed TO consider tire cbarges
bied against the superintendent. and
aU evideacc presented in connection
WIN lN'Nc, dFN after mature csuafd-
| Grafton the board is Of the opinion that
t'e prosecution has failed 20 subotan-
/ lia'o their charges rs filed against Dr.
2lalhcrs, superintendent. and there.
'ore hnd him not guilty as charged
Members Of the board are of the
opinion that tho additional cbarges are
not very serious and will not be su.-
/ tanned
Two heads have fallen 40 result n
/ the Stathers iuvcsricatiou and two Of
The employees Of Or. Statbers have Loaf
their jobs. The Grst victim who told
The iruib and lost his place, is A. g..
pe zoe. of Wayne county. who was
here today m hrs way BONE.
Mr De Foe wos one ~ the uitpessss
iu The investigation and syvors gi,at lac
knew botb Mrs Somme-viIls and Miss
AIfaretta WilsoD, that their reputation
for truth and veraeitY was good and
( that he would believe them ON oath M