The Savannah morning news., 1902-07-10
CLOAKED IN MYSTERY
o.yMEST OF McIxINLEY's PHYSI-
CLANS KEPT DARK.
$4,000 NOT YET DIVIDED.
DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS REFUSE
INFORMATION.


why There should Be Any Secret
AbOut Its Disbursement No One
understands. Unless 1t Is the De-
partment Officials and They Are
keeping Mum-EIeven Physicians
VIII Share in AppropriatiOn-Dr.
Rixey and the Two Army Surgeons
Get Nothing.
washington, July 9.-There appears
m be an unnecessary amount of Off
cial mystery surrounding the payment
of the surgeons who attended the late
President Mckinley. In the closing
hours of the recent session of Congress
q provision was inserted in the gen.
eral deficiency bill appropriating s45,-
mo to compensate the Mckinley doc
tors.
1t was generally understood imme-
diately after the death of President
Mckinley that Congress would be
asked to compensate the doctors who
attended the murdered President. Not
word of protest went up from the
general public against such a propo-
sition, for the government had already
set a precedent after Lincoln and Car
field were assassinated. The universal
love and sympathy expressed for Mr..
Mckinley would have naturally pre-
vented any opposition to the govern
ment making a reasonable return to
the eminent physicians who served
the nations chief at Buffalo.
Under the circumstances it is not
easy to account for the profound Sc
crecy which has attended every step
that has so far been taken to secure
the $4,000 so readily appropriated by
Congress. All efforts to ascertain how
the money is to be divided and how
much the various doctors are to re-
ceive are met with a mysterious shake
Of the head and the vague statement
that nothing is to be said on the sub
ject at present. 1t is an open secret
that the trustees of the Mckinley es-
ate, Senator Hanna, Secretary Cortel-
you. and Judge Day, former Secretary
of State, agreed that a liberal COM
pensation should be paid the doctors
who attended President Mckinley.
That conclusion was reached notwith-
standing a majority if not all of the
surgeons in attendance publicly an
nOunced that they had, no intention of
making any claim either upon the Nc
Kinley estate or the government for
services rendered at Buffalo.
Only Civilians to BE Paid.
The trustees, however, concluded
that a reasonable allowance should be
paid to the doctors, and after much
correspondence and consultation. with
those interested Senator Allison, chair
man of the Committee on Appropria-
tons in the Senate, was selected to in
troduce an amendment to the deficien-
cy bill appropriating forty-five thou
sand dollars. A provision was insert
A ed excluding DR.. Rixey of the navy
and the two army surgeons who as
sisted the corps of civilian surgeons
and attendants. The names of the
doctors were not included in the bill.
nor is there any official record OBJ
tainable as to how many doctors are
to be paid or the amounts they are to
receive respectively. There was not
one word of debate on the subject in
the Senate, and even "Uncle Joe" Can
non In the House moved a concurrence
without asking for or volunteering any
explanation of the item.
According to the last official bulle-
TIN issued just after the death of Pres
ident Mckinley the following doctors
were in attendance: Harvey D.Gaylord,
Herman G. Matzinger. Matthew D.
Mann, Herman Mynter, Roswell Park,
Eugene Wadsden, Charles G. Stockton,
Edward G. Janeway, w. w. Johnson,
Charles Cary, Hermanus L. Baer; also
|. NJ. Rixey, u. S. N, William P. Ken
day, U. S. A., and Edward L. Munson,
U. S. A
Must File Their Claims.
The law provides that the Secretary
OF the Treasury shall disburse the
forty-five thousand dollars thus appro-
priated after the claims for services
nave been filed and approved. The
claimants are allowed two months
from the passage of the act in which
THESE claims may be filed. If none are
presented the money will be covered
pack into the treasury as unexpended.
AT the Treasury Department no traces
OF any claims on account of medical
services or attendance in CON
necton with the late President
Mckinley can be located. The files of
me Department do not, at thisgwriting,
disclose and information whatever
bearing upon this subject. Officials
Who usually are called upon to supply
congress with information bearing up
On the appropriation of public money
confess to having some unofficial
knowledge on the subject, but there
any treasury estimate was submitted
N behalf of the doctors. The trustees
oI the Mckinley estate and other Of
Meals who assisted in securing this
legislation simply decline to discuss
mis- subject or any of its details.
No Necessity for Mystery.
There is no probability of criticism or
tonsure for those who have acted in
,hlS manner, because it is generally
DeneVed that the whole country will
Ieel a personal pride in knowing that
me American people indirectly contri-
outed TO compensate the surgeons who
IIled TO save President McKinleys life.
II Is because of the mystery that his
sHFeloped this subject that Curiosity
.LaS been aroused as to how the dis
s'louuon of the funds provided is to
De made. 1t is understood that the
improvisation of each doctor in atten-
uance will be regulated in accordance
"llh each mans professional standing,
THsth of service, etc. 1t is believed
.,le surgeon who performed the opera
uon viii receive the highest amount,
anu those who simply signed an occa-
sIonal bulletin will be allowed sums of
ton.
thin the next two months a de-
La4ied statement of the account will
" made by the Controller of the
treasury, for 1t is understood that all
nose who are to be compensated have
dNQuleSced in the a1lofuoenfS rnada nv