The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-02-15
THE ASYLUM INVESTIGATION.

uulo VOAoO10 w LILO OOAU4uJGO1S w
gentleman may represent a profession
whose members are supposed to know
nothing about such matters, and per-
sonally he does not, The Gazette is
willing to vouch, but he is a man of
much experience and great observa-
tion and knows how such things are
done and the results usually to be ex-
pected when a committee is to report
ON men whose unstinted and lavish
hospitality they have enjoyed. Con-
tact with the world and worldly peo-
pie has taught him that the average
man does not possess a heart stony
enough to permit him to say anything
harmful of another whose wines he
has drank aud at whose we'll served
table he has enjoyed the delights of
gustatory indulgence. With this knowl-
edge firmly Embedded On his mind Mr..
Stull knew he incurred no risk of con-
tradiction by events transporting subse-
quent to his declaration. He also
knew that were it not for the sake of
appearance and the wish to take a
pleasant ride the members of the con
mittee would probably adjourn to
some convenient place at Helena and
formulate their report, for if gossip is
to be credited the quantity and quail
ity Of the liquids and edibles kept in
stock at Helena is fairly good. The
gentlemen willing to provide the
amount of money necessary to obtain
a reasonable supply of both were right
at hand and not at all averse to assum-
ing the part of hosts for the occasion.
One of the members of the commit
tee in an interview with an inquisl-
tive reporter admitted that they had
not conducted the investigation along
the lines suggested by Mr.. Stull and
with becoming modesty added that
they thought they knew as we'll how
to go about the matter as did the gen.
tleman on whose motion they ''inves-
tigated "the asylum. AS if wishing
to place Mr.. Stull in the position of
appearing afraid to go into the matter
himself the same ingenious member
said that the gentleman had been re-
quested to accompany the committee,
but had declined to do SO. No doubt
the member quoted thought he had
made a strong point against Mr.. Stull.
It is only charitable to assume that his
mind had not yet fully recovered from
the effects of the vapors Of Warm
Springs or he would not have made
the statement.
Mr.. Stull's refusal to accompany
the committee was right and proper.
Had he accepted the invitation he
would have shown bad taste aud faul-
ty Judgment and would have laid
himself open to slight and probably
insult. He would not have been
clothed with any Of the authority OF
power possessed by the members Of the
committee. At best he would have
been no more than a guest of that
committee likely to find the doc,
closed IN his face had he presented
himself at the asylum. Even had hi
been permitted to accompany the
members while they strolled about the
institution smoking their post prandia
cigars answer need not have beer
made to any questions he might have
cared to ask or information of AM
kind given had he sought to Obtain
any The probability is that from tn
first he would have been given to un
derstand that he was there on suffranc'
only and anything suggesting a desir'
on his part to learn and see more thai
the contractors were willing to tel
and show would very likely have re
suited in consequences unpleasant t.
himself.
MI. Stull knew and understood al
this and he very properly declined t
go with the junketing party. He ais
knew that no matter what he reporte'
to the house, based upon his observa
tions,. it would have received but scar
consideration AMI that, in the Ian
guage of the street. the committee ha'
the "bulge on him."
OVER AT HELENA.
The middle of the fusionists at He