The sun., 1900-12-21
DR.. PETER N. WISE REMOVED
THE GOvERNOR ACTS PROMPTLY AFTER
0IJTyG A NEARING.


New President Of the Commis.io In
were Proved BY Ills Own Admissions.
ALnASy. Dec 90 DIR. Peter NJ Wise Of
Now York city to-day was removed from
his offlce "a President Of the State Commis-
sion in Lunncy by Gov. Roosevelt because
the Governor thought he hid used his of,ics
to help his private business ventures. DR..
Wise is a Republican. on Dec. 10 DR. Wise
was Informed by Gov. Roosevelt Of informa-
ton filed against him by DR. Alexander
Lambert Of New York city The Governor
questioned Or. Wise at length regarding the
matter and then gave him until to-day to
answer charges OF misconduct made by the
Governor himself. based upon the informa-
tion furnished by DR.. Lambert and upon
DR.. wse's own admissions.
Al the hearing to-day the attorneys for
Or. Wise wanted to examine certain wit
nesses which Or. Wise desired TO have sub
ppnaed but the Governor said that DR.. Wise
should have had here to-day any witnesses
he desired to question. After a half hours
eros. fire between the attorneys and the
Governor regar ding Dr.. Wises right TO
postponement, which the Governor refused
TO grant. Or. Wise's attorney said there was
no more TO be said further than that the doc
tor had not done anything which would affect
his integrity as a State official. The Cow
ernor said ne could not agree with the proposi-
ton that It was right for DR.. Wise TO be Presi-
dent OF the State Commission In Lunacy and
be connected In the manner he was with tho
business interests.
IF that rule Is applied to all the other de-
partments your Excellency would have
good time in cutting of the heads of State
officials. said DR.. Wise's attorney.
You give Inc any evidence such as is in this
case and will apply II. ! will cut them on
In a wink. replied the Governor.
The hearing was then closed and five hours
afterward Gov. Roosevelt announced the
dismissal Of Dr. Wise Gov, Roosevelt Will
leave 70 Governor Odell the task OF filling
the vacancy caused by DR.. Wise's removal.
as the latter's term OF Office expires on Dec. al
Although it wa. contended that Gov. Roose-
vet could not. under the Constitution. re-
move DR.. Wise, 1t is not believed the question
will be brought into the courts. Dr. Wise
has been connected with the State Hospital
service for over thirty years and for five
ycars has been President Of the state Com
mission in Lunaoy.
In removing DR.. Wise from Office Gov
Roosevelt filed the following memorandum;
"Dr. Wise Is hereby removed from Office
as President OF the State Commission in Lun-
acy In making this removal consider moth
Ing but the statements and admissions OF
Dr. Wise himself. rs made In his testimony
taken before me on Dec. 10 and II. The
accuracy Of this testimony was Acknowledged
by Or. Wises counsel.
.Dr. Wise was guilty Of gross impropriety
In. directly or Indirectly. by suggestion and
otherwiss soliciting subscriptions 70 the
Copper Hill Mining Company Of which he
was Presidsrt from his official suoordinates
Of both seAes.~ including supeTintsndents.
doctors, stewards. And In at least two cases
tho heads private asylums which are under
the supefvfiion OF the state Commission In
Lunacy. Such conduct would be improper
In any public officer. 1t Is peculiarly I'm
oroper In the case OF the head Of tho state
Comnission In Luuacy. This commission
has e1 sraordinary power. controls vast sums
of money and deals with peculiarly help
less class Of people: 50 that 1t calls FOR par
uoulariy high type Of Off cial recttudc'
when the head Of department suggests
in any way to q subordinate 20 take stock in
any company which Is under the control OF
the said head, the effect Is two-foid In the
frrt place there must In many cases be
epecles Of moral coercion upon the suoordi-
mates In the st oond place II he takes stock
at the request Of his chief the latter Is TO
grest%r or less extent under such relations
To him as must inevitably impair proper dis
ciplne They become confederates; ana such
n relation necessarily lowers the entire morale
Of The force In the case OF private asylums
wharein any abuses In connection with the
insane are especially likely 10 take place.
- is of course especially incumbent upon the
Iunacy Commissioners TO avoid any relation
which m.sht haTrer TIER 1yrTdoin =, Gi h,s arrSH
dency OF the copper mine company IN question
and his efforts 10 have the stock iaken by
subordina,.s Tas ,ow NTH '"sS n,u nob lS['hsr
having seven doctors and steward indorse
n note for q 900 on one occasion and trying
TO huS M f h On
ssylups Seemingly thS SSoppct S0pp, nun" n,i;,d G2m
The inter iuproprie,y Of the head OF a de-
partment using the iniluehoe given by his
official position tS pershiu sai,Iie, su"o,hhf to ,,nhar
sons Of their slender earnings IN suoh VEN
ture ,to i,ohouo. ,, ~, rlouu-b
ASYLUM rec lrd ~ more serious still Here
Dr Mise Gle irly sought to make money out
Of his official po;it,9nn t. wns n. part Ht MS
thejess. Ie usuryed this function of one Of his
subordinates and himself directed the erect
Ing Of ,n1 Gqd'rs la ne Of the
a. NV The 81 lie II was intended 10 nso tho
icehouse "a an experiment IN n1kine ice
Snss|,1i SndeI neT p'TS Wse hSd 3 n7nc i rcrtions
with the company, such that he would have
benefited greatly by the, success OF tho eX-
periinent lie cl'lms that the eNpcrinent
II suocessful would also have benefited the
81 te. but thIs. Of course, does not alter tho
ntter impropri.tv ot his using his position MS
a state official 10 secure p"cuninry advgn-
taoas 10 himself from n corporation which
through him was to establish relations with
the Stlte ,
while In the interest Of the company he was
building tho icehouse on state land and partly
n" State labor He has himSelf admitted the
iunropriet of this conduct by stating that
whcn the construction of the house was under
taken he gave M hiI interest In the COMPANY,
vat n aup.ars from his letter. that h" never
urvc il Nh nj ali certainly not FOR eight months
after The construction of the houee wnS under
taken and until IL was believed that the proc
ess was a failure
ware written To oflclHls or gents Of tho
cn,np>ny Or Wise Gsscrts that he reilly
L,d given nm his Interest. hut thnt he was
dcceiying his business nssoci 'tes durinc
| thoir long corrcs~ondcnce, lrst'ng for eight
months Taking into occount such n letter
ga that partially quoted III his testimony
of Dec H. written by him to Mr. Vaughn.
| I, is absolutely impossible 10 credit this state
rlcnt or TO believe tn he entered into such
| n long, complicated and utterly purroseless
deception Moreover, IL his nle1 Is admit
| ted, II simply makes him guilty of another
TYNE of morrl turnitpde Vt IL not possible
10 cxqct a high st7ndqrd of public service
o,J .ha time 10 cDptoue such COM