Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1901-04-30
ASYLUM MIDDLE.
DR.. Mccormick Asked to Resign
From His Position.
dives Out a Salty Statement,
Charging a Political conspir-
acy-The Board Stands
BY Him.

BY Him.
For some time there. have been
signs of trouble in the Western
Asylum, growing out of the fact
that DR.. Mccormick was disposed
to run the institution according to
his own ideas, which did not at
times coincide with the notions of
his subordinates. These troubles
eliminated two weeks ago in
formal charges brought by w. J.
Chiles and Mrs. Chiles, alleging
that DR.. Mccormick had been guilty
of immoral conduct with Miss
Hannah York, an attendant who
has since married 1t was alleged
that he spent several hours in
room on the fourth floor with Miss
York, the charges being based on
this circumstance.
The following signed statement
was given to the daily papers
Sunday afternoon by Dr.. McCor-
mick;
DR.. McCOrmick's Statement.
lin view of the fact that reports
of charges against me have APP
peared in the newspapers, deem
IT best to make plain statement of
the matters as far as touched upon
in the press dispatches, aud also
in order to show my reasons for
counting and demanding an inves-
tigatiOu and to explain why l have
not resigned as urged by State In
spector Hines.
"Miss Hannah York, now Mrs.
/ c. d. Mason, of Clinton, Ind, the
attendant slandered by Chlles, was
in the asylum when l took charge,
my predecessor, DIR. T. w. Gardi-
ner, of Madisonville. Ky, recon-
mended her highly as young lady
of excellent character and a most
efficient attendant. / found her to
be such, and no reflection upon her
character had been heard from auy
source prior to Chlles' mendacious
assault On the day l called to see
Miss York on business, she had
that morning, in the presence of
another attendant, asked to have a
consultation with me after her DAVIS
duties were concluded at 3 o'clock.
AS l was going to be otherwise en-
gagged that evening, | called at her
ward and was told by the atten-
dant, who had relieved her, that
she could be found in another at
tendant s room on the floor above.
/ went to the room and held a con-
versation with Miss York, lasting
perhaps forty minutes. She asked
me not TO allow her to be changed
from the ward she then had charge
OF, it having been proposed to trans
fer her on account of her efficiency
to ward in one of the cottages.
She also discussed the matter of
quitting the asylum, as she was, ]
afterwards learned, engaged to be
married to c. d. Mason, of Clinton,
Ind, an attendant under the former
administration. Nothing occurred
in the entire interview in any wise
improper. 1t was purely official
and relating to Miss York's bust
ness relations with the institution.
Any statement to the contrary is
mendacious and malicious.
"After learning ofChiles charges
against me, laid the entire matter
before the Board and asked an in.
vestigation, and the Board officially |
requested the Governor to order
full legal inquiry.
This was not granted to
me.
"Prior to this | had been in
person to see the Governor. When
! returned, Chlles accompanied by
DR.. w. e. Lackey, first assistant
physician, went to Frankfort and
both held an interview with the
Governor. A member of the Board |
at the same time called on the Gov,
ernor and laid before him the reso-
lutions adopted by the Board and
told him that l was anxious for an
opportunity to establish my inno-
cence. The Governor told this gem