The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1901-04-17

ms WARD or heHfAh IN open session
last night heard the charges Of ne.
sheet ~ duty and malfeamnee In
oaice preferred against Or. Mekreh-
ME, the city physician. BY the editor
81 the star. These charges were
made in response To Or. McKeehuio's
written request.
The board went into the ease thor
oughly and patiently and then an
nouneed that II desired further time
20 consider the matter, An adjourn
mcnt was then taken subject 70 tho
sali Of the chairman.
The Charges
Ths charges made BY the star are
embodied in the following speeinca-
tons
I. That the health oilcer violated
both the spirit and better u ordin-
Rnce Ne. ss75. subdivision Z. where
In the duties OF the ofnccr are set
forth.
3 That he neglected his duty IN
refusing q respond 70 the call % the
police Feb. a 20 look after an lnjur-
81 man. Thomas Lynch. whose hand
had been shot or.
= That he neglected his eHicisi
duties IN falling II place enicient
quarantine restrictions on the prem
ises where Contagious and infectious
Diseases existed. thus allowing the
Diseases 20 spread.
The charges were taken UP enc By
one. each being supported by many
af'idavits- Al the conclusion Of the
case Of the public. Or Aokechnle
made his defense.
To Expisia the Case.
In order that somewhat clearer
snderssandlAk 81 the case may he
had. Dr Mckee hnle.s defense 10 each
charge i given in CONFIRMATION 20
that charge. and not In n single
statement ~ II Was rcaiiy made
This = done 10 order that ur. Nc
kechrie's defense may he taken az
It's fun value. as Il IL nuW and al
ways has been the stars wish - be
perfectly fair 70 that functionary.
Ordinance No. ssf7 sub -dlvision :.
Provides that e shah b. The duty Of
the city physician 20 report 20 the
Tarian and TO the superintendent %
public schools, and % the principals
81 private schools. all ccssss u con-
faEicus diseases.
In support Of the fFst specification
tn It's charges the star presented "a
eases e smallpox. diphtheria and
srartef fever. which occurred in this
city between March and March "a
last. none u shieh bad been re-
ported 70 TIE police.
Mcksehnis's Dsfeass.
Dr. ncKschnles defense 70 this
charge was 10 shrlg his shoulders
and LET the blame slide 20 those ~
another man, Quarantine Inpsct1r
De Vscmou.
The charge f. true said nr. Nc
Kerhnie. nut 1 am not to blame
IL IL the duty 81 the quarantine in-
spertor to make these reports. lie
tells me that he noticed that the po-
lice didn't seem Interested when be
made his reports II such cases and
threw them aaide. 50 he stopped
making them. BE should not have
done this. He did report 20 the
schools and public library. however"
AMI with this he dismissed the
subject and took up his defense 81
charge number two.
psnIe. Statement
In Standardization Of this charge
the Star presented an affidavit from
Police sergt. WIN. r. I.aubscher. who
swore that on Feb. "a Thoe. Lynch
was brought % the police station a.
5 O'clock In the morning. his hand
having been accidentally shot on
That be had called DR. McKeohnle
by telephone and that the latter had
refused 10 attend To the case. tell
ing him 10 call DIR. Carroll. That he
could not get Dr. Carroll and that
Lynch vent for over an hour with
out medical attendance. and that
finally a private physician was eall-
ed IN 70 dress the wound. which was
stu bleeding profnseiy. That Or.
McKechnis DID not call at the police
station Al all that day. but that he
had met him In the street IN the aft
ernoon when the physician had said
20 him: What the III do you mean
by calling me up AZ that hour Of the
night. disturbing my rest p
Tailor corbett's Story.
The star also presented the sworn
statement OF Tailor Corbett to the
effect that prisoners in need Of med
teal attendance were compelled 10
90 frequently for days without e.
owing 20 the negligence u Dr. Nc
Kechnie.
DR.. MeRechnie met this charge
with an air Of injured Innocence.
lie explained deliberately. and some
what mOurnfuliy. that when he was
called to attend to Lynch. he was
already up. Yes. gentlemen" he
said, strange as II may seem. I had
been up for two hours. Two hours.
and u was then FIVE In the mhrninR.
7 had = patient with me. a gambler
who was suffering from heart d.
sease.
II told the sergeant could not
go, and told him 70 call Carroll.
AS \ matter u fact ~ wasn't my
business TO go in any event The
man was going on q hunting trip.
ne had money. and he should have
called a private physician"
kokeehnle Forgot
Or. MeKechnie forgot. or perhaps
purpose1y neglected n give the name
~ his gambler patient. nor did he
explain how AZ o'clock IN the morn
ing ne knew that Lynch was going
on a hunting trip and had money"
The police simply reported that the
mans hand had been shot of.
II saw sergt. Laubacher the next
day" continued Or. McEechnie, "ana
asked him what the case WIS. dld
not say anything about being aWak-
sned. ] couldn't be awakened when
] WAS already uD. ] had been up
two hours"
You are certain OF this9" asked
the editor Of the star.
Yes" said Or. NICK echHie; ~
never said ? word about being dis
turbed"
"Then uiae sergt. Iaubscher
has PERU bin Heif when he sWeara
that you saio ~ him What the HI