The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-02
DR.. FITCH MAKES REPLY.
HIS POSITION IN THE INFrRMARH
CONTROVERSY.

cure an Affidavit From Him Con-
trary to the One Previously Given
DIR. FItch-The Latter Submits His
Case to the Publican Explana-
ton of How DIR. Doughty Came TO
Perform the Operation in cues
ton.
The Fitch Charlton controversy is sti
the topic among the physicians and he
friends Of the two doctors involved.
After the statements by DR.. Charl-
ton at the hearing before the City COUNSEL
Wednesday night, rejecting upon the pro
fessional conduct of DR.. Fitch, the latter,
on the following day, secured affidavis
from Hannah Johnson, the patient whom
he had treated at the Georgia Infirmary,
and her husband, to the effect that they
never paid nor had they been asked to pay
anything for the operation performed by
DIR. Doughty at the Georgia Infirmary by
request of DR.. Fitch. These affidavits
were published in Fridays Morning News
According 10 a subsequent affidavit OBJ
tanned by DR.. Fitch from E. W. johnson,
DR.. Weichselbaum took him to DR.. Charl-
ton, the object being to secure affidavits
contrary to those published by
DIR. Fitch. After leaving Drs. Charl-
ton and Weichselbaum, johnson
went to DR.. Fitch to whom he made a
statement of what had occurred. He was
taken before notary and the statement
was taken down and sworn to. This state
ment was reserved by DR.. Fitch for flu
ture use.
In Yesterdays Morning News, DR.. Charl-
ton published a statement of the case from
his standpoint together with the evidence
which he had gathered in support Of the
statement made by him before Council,
that he had been informed that DR.. Fitch
had received pay from charity padsnt
for the operation performed by DR..
Doughty at the Georgia Infirmary. Dr.
Fitch, in reply, offers the affidavit con-
tanned by him from Johnson on Friday,
together with a signed statement OF his
position in the matter. DR.. Fitch's state
ment is as follows:
I'm answering the uncalel for at
tack of DR.. Charlton, 1 desire TO
say that it is plainly seen that the evil
dence and afidavits as offered by him, in
part at least, are indirect and hearsay,
while the affidavits offered by myself are
directly from the parties interested.
AT the OOuiCll CAdllDeI idcl w SuiiNSudy
night l branded the charge as false
hood and have furnished affidavits sus-
tanning my assertions DIR. Charlton takes
offense at my extending 90 DR.. Doughty
the courtesy of operating, which is often
done in the case of visiting physicians,
and from this imaginary Insult has sought
an avenue through which he might get
even with me. Judging fronrthe follow
ing affidavit of E. w Johnson, duly wit
messed by a notary, and made in the
presence of three prominent gentlemen of
this city, It viii seem mat some people
are not as discreet as prudence would die
tate.
State of Georgia, Cha ham county-Per-
scnally, before me, j. w. Leigh, a notary
public in and for the county and state
afo resaid, appeared f. w. Johnson, who
he ng duly sworn, deposeth and says that
this morning about $50 O clock DR.. WEIGH
sci aum came. 10 my shop and said, did
you receive my orders?" I said, Il did,
but was out late and thinking you had
work for me l did not come" and asked
him what he had for me 20 do He said he
wanted to see me about my wifes being
at the hospital and there is some trouble
and that he wanted to know if I had paid
DR. Fitch any money, and asked me 20 go
to DR.. Charltons Office with him. ] walk
ed with him 10 Dr. Charton's office, and
on the way he ated that l had told Miss
de Wolfe, the matron at the Georgia In
frmary, that I had paid DIR. Fitch, and
that her word was better than
mine. told him I had not
told Miss de Wolfe anything of the
kind. He then threatened to have me
arrested and put in Jail and sent to the
| penitentiary If l did not swear to having
| paid DR.. Fitch. This l refused to do, as
l told him I could not swear to lie.
We at this time met DR.. Charlton, to
whom DR. Weichseibaum stated, Here is
/ Dr
l don't want 10 make it hard with you,
| but come and see the Recorder" l went
! TO the barracks. TIE Recorder was not
there l was told to wait. 1 waited on
the green in front of the barracks. The
doctors did not call for me, and they went
off.
! l now positively swear that I have
never, directly nor indirectly, paid Dr.
! Fitch anything for the medical services
performed al the hospital. nor has he ever
rendered bill for any services or asked
for payment. e. w. Johnson
Sworn to and subscribed to before me-
this Goth day of December, 1885,
J. w. Leigh.
Notary Public Chatham County. Georgia
am in Savannah, comparatively a
! stranger, while DR.. Charlton, having been
born and raised here, is well known but
l am perfectly willing to allow the public
to be the jury in this case and to draw
their own conclusions, and have nothing
| more to say on the subject.
w f. Fitch
Johnson's second affidavit makes inter-
esting reading. and brings DR.. Welchsel-
baum into the controversy. DR.. WEIGH
selbaum is superintendent of the Georgia
! Infrmary, and 1t was he who gave Dr.
| Fitch permission to perform the operation
upon Hannah johnson. This operation was
| actually performed by DR.. Doughty of
| Augusta, who was visiting the city at the
! time. and II was this to which DR.. Charl-
ton took umbrage, that a physician from
| another city had been invited to perform
| an operation upon a charity patient in
| hospital Of which he Is medical head with
! out his having been consulted In the mat
| ter.
A physician whose nome has not been
| mentioned in this affair, but who Is a
member Of the st. James Medical Society
OF which Or. Fitch is also a member, in
| discussing this matter casually few days
| ago gave the following explanation Of the
| cause of the ill-feeling which has arisen.