Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-10
CAUSES OF DELAY,
George S. Wilson Replies to Reflections
Upon Board of Charities,


Mr.. George S. Wilson, secretary of the
board Of charities. has prepared a state
ment relative to the question of delay i'll
the investigation of the condition Of affairs
at the Washington Asylum. While no d.
rect charge has been made that there was
unusual delay in prosecuting the investiga-
ton, the members Of the board Of charities
feel that the intimatfons contained in the
comments on the report Of the investigation
just finished reflect on them as whole and
on their efforts to have the asylum investi-
gated.
There has been no unnecessary delay in
the investigation of the Washington Asy-
lum,' Mr.. Wilson states. THE board OF
charities was organized in 1900, and dur
ing the first year of it's existence its COM
mittee on miscellaneous institutions, con-
ssting of Prof. Neill and Mr.. Simon Wolf,
gave considerable attention to the affairs
of the Washington Asylum. After the
presentation of the first annual report of
that institution, made to the board of char
tiles in the fall of 1902, the board felt that
the report did not furnish the information
necessary for intelligent review of the
work and basis for estimates of future
appropriations. The committee then decid-
ed to make more thorough investigation
of the institution, with view of present.
ing the matter formally to the Commits
sioners. Before this could be done, how
ever, the estimates came up for considera-
ton in Congress, and, in reply to questions
by members of the appropriations commit
tee of the House of Representatives, Prof.
Neill made some criticism of the manage
ment of the institution, stating that 1t was
the purpose of the board of charities to
bring the matter formally to the attention
of the Commissioners soon the in
quiries of Its committee had proceeded far
enough to enable them to formulate their
criticisms
Immediately after this expression of opin-
ion by Prof. Neill before the congressional
committee the Commissioners requested the
board of charities to prepare formal
charges in writing, in order that the Com
IniSSlOnerS might make thorough inVeSti-
CATION. These charges were presented June
%. 1902. Before this investigation could be
undertaken Commissioner Ross, who was
in charge of the Washington Asylum was
taken sick, and his Illness and death, fol-
lowed by vacancy in the board of Com
misslonerS, which was not filled until Oc-
tober, rendered 1t practically impossible
for the Commissioners to give the time
necessary to make an investigation, and on
August l. 1902, the matter was formally re-
ferred to the board of charities by the Com
miSSioners. with the request that that
beard make the investigation.
The formal investigation and taking of
testimony was begun in November, but was
soon suspended on account of the absence
| of Prof. Neill, the chairman of the COM
| mittee. who had been appointed by the
President as assistant recorder to the an
thraciee coal strike commission Prof
Neill had given so much time to the exam
ination OF the affairs of the institution that
his knowledge of the situation was neces-
| sary to proper conduct of the investiga-
ton, and the committee decided that 1t was
best under the circumstances to postpone
the work until the chairman could be pres
ent. This is why the matter was delayed
until the present time"