The sun., 1902-03-11
ODELL'S CHARGES ANSWERED
BY MANHATTAN STATE HOSPITAL
hoard or MANAGERS.
Why City Quarters Were Maintained - Re-
ports Made NJ Monthly Meetings
Frauds I'm Purchases Explained
Laundry Work Done I'm Sanitary Way.

Why City Quarters Were Maintained - Re-
ports Made at Monthly Meetings
Frauds I'm Purchases Explained
Laundry work Done In Sanitary Way.
The Board Of Managers OF the Manhattan
State Hospital has issued a statement
in answer to the charges OF Gov. Odell,
which they consider TO affect themselves
directly. 1T is a source OF profound re-
gret," says this statement, that the Gov
ernor should have given publicity to ac-
cusations affecting the discharge Of duty
on the part of State officials, without in
vestigation to substantiate them, and
should have constituted himself both ac-
cuser and Judge"
The Governors charges are taken UP
seriatim. The first concerned the main
tenance Of quarters in the city at 81, 400
a year, instead Of meeting at the hospital
itself" To this the managers say:
II the Manhattan State Hospital were
one institution in one place. the Governors
criticism might DE pertinent But this is
not the, fact. u Is not one, but a system OF
hospitals. tntil recently tho Board of Man
ayers had under its charge -four large in
stitutions, widely separated from one an
ot at Central Islp, and Oh llarts Island,
Wards Island and Backwells lsland-all
under the general title Of the Manhattan
journey by rail and boat from New York
city, and two on islands dilcult OF access
Their population has at times been over
700 patients and 1000 employees Would
II have been practicable for the board TO hold
its meotings, which frequently require the
ATTENDANCE OF thirty TO forty people, at any
one Of these places?
The Governors second charge was that
100000 was spent in unauthorized pur-
chases through fraudulent system, which
- y
and that 5000 Of this sum never was aC-
counted for. The managers reply that
the sums were S4s ,642 Is and S2,722.22
instead Of 10000 and 5000; that most
Of the supplies were needed and would
have been purchased anyway, and all
so bought were used and hat the man
ayers were deceived by an unfaithful
steward. who falsified and substituted
vouchers and used the superintendent
certificates twice over This was man
who had been employed a long time by
the state Comptroller and the Lunacy
Commission. and whose name was at the
head Of the civil service list.
The third charge is the old one, which
has been answered already, that there
are no entries in the visiting book of the
Manhattan State Hospital at any of its
branches back Of 1898. Instead Of making
such entries the managers presented de-
tailed reports al the monthly meetings,
method they found to be better than
entering criticisms in an open book which
the employees could inspect.
The managers say that the Governors
general charges OF extravaganza have
no present application, hut
belong to time when the reckless prodi-
guilty Of uncontrolled hospital boards brought
about the creation of a IunaCy Commission,
and the transf ieuce to them of full financial
power No board since the appointment
Of this board hn- had 4 dollar TO spend. ex-
C-pt a. granted, with miuut" directions,
by the lunucy Commission.
The charge about the laundry machines
that deprived patients Of work and amus.A-
ment halls that cost money is considered
again:
Washing machines are required for sani-
t1ry reasons. n for no other In une Of the
hospitals dlpu" the average number Of pieces
Numbered every month l. 2sJ. coo. the ironing
Of these being done almost entirely 10y hand
by patients On" amusement hall has been
arranged by this board, which l. used OF
sunday Tor religious purposes. az a cost OF
$500 to the state This X the only structure
OF the kind completed in its time
In conclusion the statement of the man
ayers says;
The Manhattan State Hospital Board does
not contend that the Law, nor the boards
u!nmcut OF u, has been free from imper-
fcctIuu~. hut II does deny with emphasis
and with n sense of official injury tho charges
made by GOV Odell. both in general and in
particular.