Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-02
Board Of Charities Campaign
Of Investigation.
REINFORCED BY NELL
FRACTIONAL TROUBLES IN THE
EMERGENCY HOSPITAL.
Date Back, It is Said, to Dismissal OF
Dr. Stuart, Who Was Resi-
dent Physician

The District board of charities, reinforced
by the presence of DR.. Charles p. Nelii'
who was 50 long absent from the city In
connection with his duties on the anthracite
coal strike commission, has begun a cam
paign of investigation which is likely 10
extend over quite period of time and 10
create quite a stir in District circles.
When Dr. Neill was called away the
board was about to enter upon an OK
haustive investigation Of conditions at the
Washington Asylum. especially with refer
ence to the escape of several prisoners and
matters connected with the administration.
w. H. Stoutenburgh. intendant of the asy-
lum. which includes the workhouse the
almshouse and the hospital, was publicly
reprimanded by the Commissioners for al
lowing the escape Of three noted criminals
who had been rounded up by the detectives
during the Grand Army encampment.
During the time DR.. Neill was away an
other matter came to the attention of the
board, matter deemed OF sufficient i'm
portance to take precedence over the pro-
posed workhouse inquiry, and to be gone
into as soon as the fifth member of the
board was able to be present. This matter
Is commonly referred to in District circles
as 1.-The Emergency Hospital muddle.''
Two factions have developed in the board
of directors of the institution and many
wrangles have ensued The trouble dates
back. 1t is said.. to the dismissal of DR..
Stuart, the resident physician at the inst-
tuition, by DR.. H. L. E. Johnson of tine
board Of directors who had immediate
charge Of the hospital staff at the time.
At meeting of the board subsequent to
this action the rules Of the institution were
SO amended as to take away the power OF
dismissal in this manner and requiring
the sanction of the majority of the board.
First Public Evidence Of Friction.
This was the first public evidence Of the
friction that had begun to grind among the
members Of the board The next public evil
dence was the strong effort made at the last
session of Congress to place the hospital
under the immediate control of the Com
missioners and to give to them the appoint
ing power.
At the present time the Central Dispen-
sary and Emergency Hospital, although
supported almost in entirety by the Dis
trict funds, Is private corporation. The
incorporators elect their own officers and
manage the hospital in their own way. The
board of charities is supposed to exercise a
general supervision of the institution, in SO
far as the District funds are APPLIED to it's
support. but has had little power to act
1t soon became apparent that an inves-
LEGATION was needed and was welcomed by
both sides to the controversy. The directors
VINO IOStereO the movement place the
hospital in control of the Commissioners
were regarded something In the light of
traitors by the members of the board who
were in favor Of a continuance of the old
system.
The fight among the directors has brought
out many charges and counter charges re-
garding the affairs Of the hospital itself
The board of charities is now investigating
the affairs of the institution. 1t is thought
the investigation Is mainly for the purpose
of deciding whether or not the board shall
recommend to Congress the transfer of the
institution to the guardianship Of the Com
mfssioners.
The leaders Of the opposing forces in the
fight are DR.. II. L. e. johnson, on the one side,
and DR.. Ge1fkH M. Kober on the other. Dr.
Johnson Is SSt.nFly in favor Of the hospital
being placed u,der the control OF the Com
missioners. He Is open In his favor of such
a plan. and believes that in this way only
can the discussions be brought to an end
Board Of Charities Will Act.
Now that the investigation has been in
augurated, the board Of charities will go
into the affair on its own initiative. The
board will not stop with the differences ex-
listing in the board of directors. The man.
bers are watching every turn the investiga-
tion takes and are SUNNI oning witnesses on
their own account. Even present and past
employees are being brought before the
board to give their version Of affairs at
the institution and to testify regarding the
many incidents that have entered into the
inquiry.
The board Of charities Is composed as fol-
lows: 8. w. Woodward. president; Dr.
Charles P. Neill, vice president; John Joy
Edison, Simon Wolf and George W. Cook
George 8. Wilson is secretary.
The investigation Is being held behind
closed doors. When the inquiry Is COM
pleted the board will report to the Commits
sioners Just what the result will be is
problematical. The power of the District
authorities Is somewhat limited, except as
to the recommendations to Congress re-
garding the appropriation for the institu-
ton. Congress can so limit the approprta-
ton as to give the Commissioners authority
in the premises, If that step should be
deemed desirable In the end.
The board Of directors of the Emergency
Hospital Is composed Of many prominent
physicians and laymen. It's personnel is
as follows: President, w. J. Boardman
vice president. H F. Blount; secretary,
W. H. Hawkes.; treasurer, A. T. Brice;
George Lothrop Bradley, Arthur T. Brice
DIR. Swan M. Burnett, DIR. William P. Carr,
John w. Foster, Mrs. Arnold Hague. Mrs
Joseph r. Hawley. Charles E. Howe DR..
H. L. f. Johnson, DR.. ]. Taber Johnson.
DR.. G. L. Magruder. George w. McIana-
han. Frederick A. Miller. Mrs. Richard T.
Mulligan, DR.. T. Morris Murray Sidney c.
Neale. DR.. Sterling Ruffln, DIR. E. L. Tomp-
kins, DR.. George T. Vaughan. Miss Mary
T. Waite. H. Randall Webb. Henry L.
Walsh, DR.. Ralph Walsh. Ex-officio: DR..
William c. Woodward, health officer, Dis
trict of Columbia: John A. Frank, sanitary
officer. District OF Columbia.
The superintendent Of the hospital Is Miss
Irene B. Lenig. The workhouse investiga-