The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-11
EXCUSE FOR VIOLATING Law.
,or ODELL GETS TT PROMPTLY
" ny ASKING FOR 1T.


=. ,he Commission In Two Instances.
,o.xv April lo.-Gov. Odell was told
Iav NV Secretary T. f. McGarr OF the
s,a,s Commission in Lunacy that he could
-. , nassably good answer to the pub
- criticisms regarding the payment OF
=, an eut of the State Treasury TO Goodwin
o.own for promoting legislation In WASH
,,,,on and with reference TO the desigpa-
,ipn ~ F.. A. Wheeler. the purchasing stew
"a ~ he Long Island State Hospital. to
-, "a purchasing steward for the Man.
sa,,an state Hospital. also In violation OF
,"r Accordingly, Gov. Odell wrote Mr..
W,Isrra letter asking II the law authorized
Mr. Browns designation and compensation
md Mr. Wheeler's acting as purchasing
s,evard for the Long Island and Manhattan
STATE hospitals.
Mr. McGarr's reply was ready . before
~ Governors letter OF inquiry. In this
Utter Mr.. McGarr admits that Mr.. Wheeler
va. acting as purchasing steward for both
Institutions in violation OF law. and that
Al the outset Mr.. Wheeler's designation to
ar, for the Manhattan institution was In
violation Of the Civil Service law.
He also admits that the Ramsperger bill,
which is awaiting the Governors sigma.
nra. was Introduced for the purpose OF
esalzing Mr. wheeler's designation to act
as purchasing agent for the Manhattan
state Hospital as well as the Long Island
State Hospital. although he does not say
that the bill goes further and would allow
Mr. Wheeler to be made purchasing steward
for all Of the State hospitals. 1t Is easier
ior those who desire to secure the groceries
and provision patronage OF the state hos
pitals TO deal through one purchasing
steward than through ten, one at each IN
Mr. McGarr says that MIR. Brown was
employed under this provision OF the In
sanity law:
The commission may endeavor TO secure
legislation from Congress TO provide more
enectualy for the removal OF alien and non.
resident insane, and may eNpend reasonable
Jun therefor from the moneys appropriated
or the use OF the hospitals.
Others do not interpret this provision as
Nr. McGarr and the lunacy commission,
bit say that the expenditure referred to
IS for the purpose OF meeting the expenses
81 removing the alien and nonresident
mare after such legislation has been
secured.
IS matter Of fact, Mr. Brown was APP
pointed in 1901, when Congress was not
in session, to perform service at wash
ingon. He was in Albany during the
winer Of 1902, aiding Gov. Odell in pre-
parhg and defending the Governors iegis-
latim Centralizing the control OF the State
hospitals in the State Commission In Lunacy
at Abany.
ceivel $500 out of the State treasury. The
Governor and the State Commission in
Luuasy say il was for promotion work
al Wshin gton. Others do not believe that
Mr. Brown would have received that 81 500
e1cep. for the aid he gave Gov. Odell in
..gx5 81 al .tral
lation. -
Mr.. Wheeler is a brother in-law Of Senator
John aaines of Canandaigua. When he
was purchasing steward for the Long Island
State Hospital he received a salary OF O,iOO.
A. purchasing steward for that institution
and the Manhattan State Hospital he re-
ceived a salary Of 80 600.
The man who practically runs the State
Commission In Lunacy is commissioner
William L. Parkhurst of Canandaigua.
OF course, politics does not enter into the
Senator Raines was one OF the foremost
advocates OF Coy. Odell's bill centralizing
the control u the State hospitals IN Albany
in the State Commission In Lunacy. Sen
ator Rainess son-in-law, DR.. William f.
Sylvester. has been licensed by the State
Commission In Lunacy TO conduct private
insane asylum at College Point, on Long
Island, which is known as knickerbooker
Hall. >,
few wears ago UT. sylvester was mt1-
cal Superintendent OF the branches OF the
Long Island State Hospital at Flathush and
Kings Park. H retirs d from that place and
rec ivd an appointment as confdt initial
clerk in the New York city offic' Of the State
For ST, Fish and Game Commission.
II il rport1 d that DR.. Sylvester seldom
puts in an app arance at tho Office. and thu n
only al the nd OF each month TO draw the
proportion OF his salary OF 81 800. II is
said that Ne b came tird Of the incon-
wnienca Il calling at the offica for his
salary and asked II it could not be mailed
to him. me question is ask VIII ther
tho n asons which l. d DIR. Sylvester to re-
tire as m deal sup rint ndent OF branch
of the Long Island State Hospital were
not sufficient to cause the State Commits
sion in Luiscy to n fuse a license to conduct
private Insane asylum.