The Portland daily press., 1901-02-21
WHAT DIR. HOLT SAYS.
characterIzes sir. Haskeirs Attack as
Absurd.

Dr. L. E. Holt, the executive surgeon
Of the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary, was
seen last night by a PRESS reporter and
given the PROOF sheets Of Representative
Haskell's attack on the management OF
the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary made
yesterday In the House at Augusta, DIT.
Holt read the most of the spesoh and
commented upon 1t to some extent as ne
read. He said In substance that he did
not know as he cared to say much about
this attack at this time, but 10 sssmet to
him that any fair minded man would say
on reading Representative Haskells at
tack that he had not taken the proper
course II he wished to oppose the resolve
in favor OF the InfirmRry. A notice had
been printed according to law in the pa
pers or the state OF the hearing which
was to be held before the finance commit
tee. 1t would have been proper at that
time for MIR. Haskell or any other man
who thought that the institution WAS not
being properly managed to have appeared
before this committee and made his
charges. AT this hearing there were
trustees OF the Inf1rmary present who
would have been able to have replied TO
Mr.. Haskell or any other man who had
anything to say or who would have been
abIs to answer any of the charges which
Mr. Haskell saw fit to make against the
Institution, Mr.. Haskell did not come
before this committee as he would have
done had he been acting in the interest of
| Justice, as he claims to be. That did not
satisfy him. he had to wait until the
resolve had been unanimously reported
ought to pass to the House and then he
made his attack when there WAS none OF
the trustees OF the Institution present to
make reply. 1t was neither fair nor Just
on MIR. Haskell's part and DIR. Holt said
that ne Thought all fair minded men
would agree with him in this.
"rhis attack Ia just the same old story
that was ra ked up two years ago and has
no more rou ndation than the stories cir
cuIAted then had. The same people are
| behind 1t and Mr.. Haskell Is acting In
their interest. How easy 1t is for this
man TO max q personal attack upon me,
10 have spread broadcast over this stats
| this speech of his with its charges against
| me and the institution. No matter how
untrue they are. how unjust they are or
how soon this is proved to be the fact,
the INJURY he has done Is irrep arabic. II
is like slandering woman In public
place or in the puhIic printa. She may
be pure and above reproach and such may
be shown to be the facts, but when it II
shown that she has been unjustly at
| tackled that does not lessen the fact that
she has been besmirched and the injury
which has been done ner character can
never be rectined."
Dr. Holt went on to say in the course
of his conversation with the PRESS re-
porter that many of Mr.. Haskeil's state
ments were perfectly absurd, and That he
had SO mixed things up that the impress
aion he gave regarding the institution
was most unjust.
al have not been connected with the
business management of the institution
for some tims." said Dr. Holt, land
have been trying for several years to bs
relieved of the financial management and
have succeeded in a large degree so that
am not as familiar with the fnancin
condition as 1 would otherwise be, know