The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-06-23
WHO SHOULD Be
BLAMED FOR IT
Why Suffering Woman Was
Turned From Rex.
mot ONE VACANT BED"
Mayor Powell Speaks of Having Pre-.
vious Trouble.
DR.. HlkIs SAYS REJECTION WAS RIGHT
The Various Circumstances Surrounding the
Refusing Of Admission 10 a Woman
Suffering With Approach.

Suffering With Approach.
ing Labor.
There was much talk in the city yes
terday concerning the turning away from
Rex Hospital of the negro woman, Fannie
to a child on the Insane Asylum grounds
last Monday.
The child was born dead, according to
the mother. who was arrested. tried by
a coroners jury, released and sent to
Rex Hospital by authority of the city.
Monday morning she was turned away,
but sick and taken from prison she rested
in Rex Hospital on Thursday night. But
she had had a horrible experience.
In order that the public might have the
facts in the case various parties who
were connected with the matter were
interviewed yesterday.
DR.. J. W. MCGEE Jr., had stated after
the trial before Acting Coroner Maroon
that the woman came to him and that he
had sent her to DR.. Hubert Register, who
wanted to send labor patient to St.
Agnes Hospital. Dr. Hubert Royster was
not in, and DR.. w. /. Register attended to
the woman
he made no examination, but took her
statement of her condition as true. He
filled out the usual card, telling of the
case and sent the woman to Rex Hospital.
IL is the rule here that the physician in
charge examine all patients who apply for
admission, and see if they are subjects
which properly belong in the hospital If
SO they are then received
At the Rex Hospital Miss Hayes, the
acting head nurse, was interviewed. In
response to questions she said: Fannie
Cooley asked for admittance here Monday
morning. She came twice. The first time
she was seen only by Lydia, the colored
nurse. She had no permit to enter She
was sent to Dr.. MCGEE to get one. Re-
turning she had one frcm DR.. w. /.
Royster who simply said. on the scard:
This woman wants to be admitted She
was refused admittance because there
was not single vacant bed in the col
ored charity ward for women Every bed
was occupied and there are six beds Two
of the patients in the ward had infants
Here the reporter asked Miss Hayes
if she could give the names Of the occu-
pants of the colored female ward on
to examine into the matter and return
ing said, Il am very busy now and
will be glad If you will get further in
formation from DR.. Hines. don't think
this information concerns the public
However, in response to other questions
some additional information was obtained.
The acting head nurse said that no
physician at the hospital had seen the
woman, and that the woman seemed half
witted and not to know what was wrong
with her That she, the acting head
nurse, did not know what was the mat
ter when she turned the woman away
Being asked why the woman was now
cared for at the hospital, Miss Hayes said,
Because She came on an emergency
card, signed by the city physician, DR..
James Niece. Jr., and was brought here
by direction of the mayor There was a
vacant bed on Thursday night and she
was taken in. She was refused on Mon
day because there was no room for her
here
Mayor Powell was next called upon
Being asked if he had ordered an inves-
tigation into the matter he said, mo,
| have no authority to do so. The direc-
tors of Rex Hospital were elected for
life by the board of aldermen and con-
firmed by the Supreme Court. They have
the power to make Investigations Their
appointment was in accordance with the
will of Mr.. Rex. The city gives $4,000 a
year to Rex Hospital and have threat
ened several times TO have the money
withheld when patients were refused adj
mission. This is not the first case in
which more than one application for adj
mission had to be made. The directors
are not in touch with the people, GER
tainly not with the board of aldermen
the body that elected Them"
ANY doctor in Raleigh has the right
to issue a card asking admittance for q
patient. l have heard that the board of
directors had passed resolution deciin-
ing to admit labor cases to the hospi-
tai
Dr. P. e. Hines. one of the directors
was next called on. He said that the
woman was refused admittance because
there was no room for her, that the
beds were all occupied and that nobody
had right to send her to Rex as she
was not resident of Raleigh The di-
rectors are, said DR.. Hines, Mr.. Rich
ard Battle, chairman; Mr.. julius Lewis,
DR.. James Mckee, Mr.. Robert Gray and
DIR. +. e. Hines That no admission to
the hospital. could be had except through
the doctor on duty, and that no physician
had right to give a card to Fannie
cooley as she was not resident of Raj
elgh, and had not a particle of claim
on the hospital 1T was right to refuse
admittance 10 her and If / had been on
duty would have done So If, even after
being admitted, it was found she was not
resident of Raleigh she should have
been put out. There is no blame to be
attached to Rex Hospital"
Here ends the interviews. The state
nent of those concerned is before the pub
lie. The sad and shocking story of Fan
ME Cooley is known. No open door was
for her in her hour of pain. All she
Knocked at we're closed. There was no
room for her.