Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1899-04-14

Fearing tor reelection ano Voteo
to sustain his bill. l was per-
fectly satisfied with this course
and thought when l lett the
meeting that DR.. Fearing
would be re elected. ] did not
approach any member of the
Board of Commissioners about
this matter, said nothing to
either one of them regarding 1t
until one of them came to my
office and after Informing me
that DR.. Fearing would not be
reelected, asked me if would
consider The matter and If /
would have the place if elected.
After a few moments | told him
that l would consider it, and
give him an answer the mex
day. On the next morning two
of the Commissioners came to
me and said that til y would not
re elect DR.. Fearing. and that
would be glad il l would accept
it. In the meantime | had con-
suited a number of my friends
and prominent citizens of the
town, and all but one advised
me to accept the place if tender
ed. There was nothing said
about the salary until after my
election. l was elected OIL Wed
nesday the 8th inst and was sent
for by the Board and notified by
them Of my election. l told them
in the presence of a number of
citizens that l would accept the
place at less salary than'was paid
D-.Fearing TheBoard then mott
fed me that they had fixed the
salary at $3.50 per month for at
tending to the small pox aud
vaccination extra, and said this
was the same that they had al
lowed DR.. Fearing, except that
they had allowed him $50 mole,
which was for extras. At the
time l did not know whether
this had been accepted by DR..
Fearing or not, and then com
menced to discharge the duties
of the Health Officer of the
County, the position to which l
had been elected.
You will see that there had
been no course adopted by the
Board On the evening of the 9th
conflicting with my course.
Nothing had been said or done
against any one else accepting
the place, provided the Commits
sioners should fail to re elect DR..
Fearing, and l suppose no one
thought at that m -eting but
that Or. Fearing would be re-
elected.
After it was determined that
he would not be reelected, |
could see no reason why I sholld
not be as eligible to the posit>
ion as any one else.
l in no way sought the place
either directly or indirectly, and
made no effort to secure the
place, and there was no under>
standing about less salary than
was paid DR.. Fearing.
At the time that l was ap>
proach by the Commissioners On
Wednesday morning, l had in>
formation from reliable source
that one of your members had
applied tor the place in the
event that DR.. Fearing was not
reelected, and would have been
glad to have accepted it at 500
per month. had not even done
this or anything like it.
You will see that this course
was not at variance with the
proceedings of the meeting of
the evening Of the 9th, and was
not subversive of the best inter-
ests of the medical profession Of
this community.
l thank that you are in error
about saying March 9TH, and
you mean March 9th, because if
there way any meeting on
March 9TH, l was not present
and have never known any>
thing about what was done at
that time.
In answer to your second
specification, to Wit: "In accept
ing professional service for a |
lesser fee than had been charged
by your predecessor for services
insane position, and from which
position the previous incumbent
had been practically forced to
resign because the employing
power refused, and continues to
refuse adequate reward for ser
vices already rendered." l never
knew that DR.. Fearing was
practically forced to resign.
Never heard it before your let
:er. He nor any of them made
such a charge at the meeting on
he 9th inst. The County Com
nissioners, l am informed, nev r
'efused to pay his bill, but when
lis bill was put in, they wanted
o investigate the matter and
consider it, as l am informed,
nd DIR. Fearing Immediately
endered his resignation.