The Jersey City news., 1901-10-26

managers have every assurance VIM be
forthcoming.
The inquiry itself, while embracing =
multiplicity of witnesses and topics. was
In many hues Of . transparently perfume
tory character.
Notably was this the case when the
question Of the purchase Of supplies came
up. this part Of the performance icing
CLOSED over in the most approved fash
ion.
Such of the accused managers as chose
TO take the stand were subjected to a
most formal examination. Manager Jo-
seph Rice undertook to prove that he was
not directly interested in the sale OF
clothing to the institution which is pur-
chased from the Rice Clothing Company
The question as to his indirect interest
was nor considered. yet this by State law
and the rules of the board is as strongly
prohibited in the part of a manager as Is
direct interest
Manager Hoffman, who was accused OF
controlling the coal supply of the hospi-
tai, was not questioned. He was present
and it had been announced that he
would take the stand. This leaves unan-
swered the question as to why he failed
TO testify.
In an accidental way through an appar-
ent blunder of witness. it was broughf
out that the hospital makes a profit OIL
the clothing furnished to county patients
Yet in the face of this development no
questions were asked by any Of the coun-
sci as to the profits made on the food
supplies with reference to the amounts
charged by the counties.
During the ten sessions of the commit
tee, in which seventy-four witnesses We're
examined, all but those directly in snield-
ing themselves or their superiors. swore
to the most fragrant abuses and the az
missions Of the interested witnesses We're
in some instances more damaging than
the statements Of those who took the
stand simply with the view of telling
what they knew without fear or favor or
effort at concealment.
At the very first session it was brought
out by corroborative testimony that the
prescribed dietary of the board OF mana
gers was a farce. DR.. Ward admitted
that it was not followed by the warden,
and his assertion was substantiated py
the records of his office showing daliy
deviations and omissions, after over
whelming testimony to this effect mad
been adduced at subsequent sessions
Warden Hayes tried to excuse this
wholesale robbhng of the patients by the
same excuse that the dietary was re-
garded as TOO full, and this in the race
of former assertions of the board OF man
ayers that the patients could not be un-
der fed because there was dietary pre-
scribed by them which was observed to
the letter.
But it was not only the absence OF
proper food that was proven. for II was
shown also by conclusive testimony tnal
much of what was served was unht u
eat. This was shown to be due not alone
n the character of the food purchased,
but TO inefficiency and mismanagemehl
all along the line which caused It's ser
vice in such condition as to frequently
nauseate even the unfortunate insane VINO
attempted to eat it, while the attendants
who had their faculties preferred going
hungry than to make such an attempt
THAT there had been a constant ciash
between the medical and business depart
ments was clearly proven and 1t was also
sbown that their failure to meet on a
common ground left many loophoies
which resulted in nonperformances OF
dutv. lack of discipline and general as
cord.
Dr. Allen's testimony was conclusive a.
n the general mismanagement and lack
of discipline.
DR.. Ward admitted that he was not con-
versant with the working of the lnstitu-
ton in many respects.
Warden Hayes declared he was only
responsible for the purchase and prepara-
tian Of the food, not for the condition IN
which it reached the tables
The supervisors showed doubt as 10
xvhat If any. were their duties, admitting
that while they were supposed to report
abuses they frequently failed to do So
The attendants with one voice testified
that it was an understood rule among
tbe employees of the establishment that
nerson wishing to retain his position
there must observe silence regarding
many evils.
In the face of this mass Oh condemnlns
testimony the managers and their counsel
insist that the public shall accept their
assertion that the hospital is a model and
well managed institution.