The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-26
CHARGES ARE HEARD
City Hospital Enbrog1io Taken Up
by c. and c. Board.
McCoNvILLE DEFENDS HIMSELF
Both Sides Lay Claim to the Better
Showing as to the
Facts.

Charges made by City Physician Nelson
| against James McConville, the recently
discharged engineer Of the city hospital,
We're heard by the charities and correc-
lions board last night and the evidence
was considered this afternoon in special
session at the city hall.
The issue last night was seemingly i'll
some doubt. Dr.. Nelson's friends insist
| that he made out sufficiently strong
case against the engineer to justify his
discharge. McConville's sympathizers take
quite the contrary view of the matter.
They assert that all the more serious
| charges made were amply proved to be
unfounded and that those that were sub
stantiated were minor acts OF negligence
which should count for nothing against
his long record Of service at the hospital.
DR.. Nelson's witnesses were Worthy
Fillmore, the second engineer; James E.
Edwards, a former fireman, now one or
the engineers; Edkin Carlson, an Otis ele-
vator expert: James Clegg, janitor; Mrs.
Elizabeth Weeks, the matron; l.. A.
Lamoreaux, the architect of the hospital;
F. c.. Miller, the bookkeeper; Miss Erd-
mann, the superintendent of nurses, and
two or three minor employees.
Engineer Fillmore and Mr.. LamOreaux
gave perhaps the most damaging testi-
mony against McConville Fillmore de-
clared that frequently when he came Oh
watch in the winter the steam would be
at low ebb, the building cold, sinks
clogged and an insufficiency of hot water.
All this was due to carelessness and negll-
gence on the part Of his associate, he de-
clared. He thought also that it was Nc
Conville's fault that the elevator worked
so badly. Mr.. LamOreauX said that NC
Conville had been negligent in caring for
the screens covering the cold air Ventlla-
| ton shaft. Instead of cleaning them every
| few days he allowed them to remain UNI
| pieces He also complained OF waste CT
heat in the main building through the
| carelessness of the engineer and ad-
mitted that he had told Dr.. Nelson that
in his estimation McConville was not the
right man for. chief engineer.
! Other witnesses testified to difficulty IL
| getting sufficient supply OF hot water
! for the operating room, also to negll-
| gence on the part of the engineer in max
! ing repairs to the sterilizing apparatus
| laundry machinery, etc. Since McConVl!le
| left there had been no trouble along one
! of the above lines, they testified. Carl
son, the elevator expert, thought thai
| some of the fault for the failure OF the
| elevator to be in good running condition
| was due to poor management by the en-
| gineer He admitted, however. that the
| trouble was mostly due to conditions oVel
| which the engineer had no control. He
said that the elevator had of late weeks
been running smoothly and satisfactorily
! DR.. Nelson himself, and Miller, the
! bookkeeper, told of the water tank trans
| action where it was alleged that McCon
vile worked in collision with the com
pany having the heating contract to wiring
! an extra s75 out Of the city.
While McConville had a lawyer will
| him last night, he largely conducted hi:
! own defense and did it with consld
cradle show of skill. There appeared II
Of hn
ing company; Mrs. Jennie Cobb, the ma
tron discharged by DR.. Nelson when ne
/ assumed charge of the hospital; FREQ
Slocum, another Otis elevator expert
| James Ryan, a fireman, and DR.. w.
J Byrnes, the former city physician. Pre-
!, vious to hearing the above witnesses, NC
/ Convile read a written statement, II
| which he denied the charges in toto, ant
| explained them in part. AS for the 81;
bill for the tank, he said that he never
took the bill to DR.. Nelson and never
! tried to deceive him in the matter. Oh
the contrary, he refused to attach nj:
| o. X. to it, and when DR.. Nelson sough
| him out in the engine room and asked fo1
| an explanation he told him plainly tina
it was matter of new construction, ove1
which he had no jurisdiction, and that HI
had no right to figure in the matter, ant
that he would not O. K. the bill.
| Mr. Moore testified to the fairness o
! the bill, and said that it had been ap
proved by the board and paid.
McConville explained that the lack O
hot water in the operating room was dut
to insufficient connection with the cit!
mains. There had been the same trouble
in the previous administration, especlall.
during the hours when the kitchen ant
/ the laundry were in use. Two weeks be-
fore he was discharged a new connectio:
had been made with the Sixth stree
main, which explained why there hat
been no troubles since.
McConville did not explain SATISFACTORY,
the charges that he failed to keep tn
| air shaft; screens clean. -,
Mr.. Slocum, the elevator expert tesu
fed that the trouble with the elevate
was due, in his opinion, more to defect
in it's installation than carelessness or in
competency in it's operation. The fac
that it was now running more satlsfac
torily was due to recent repairs made b.
1.-the company, he thought.
| DR.. Byrnes testified briefly that McCon
VILE had been chief engineer during hi
two years at the head Of the hospital an
had given satisfactory service.