The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-19
WOMAN AS A POLITICIAN
MISS MARY WILSON AND THE SOUTH
ERN INSANE ASYLUM.
Governor Durbin Says She Has Per-
sisted in Dabbling i'm Politics
Reasons for Changes.

The various stories purporting to identi-
fly Governor Durbin with the recent up
heaval in the Southern Indiana Hospital
for the Insane at Evansville, and to place
on him the responsibility for various
changes in the management, have led the
Governor to make a statement in regard
to the situation.
"It has been stated that there has been
politics in connection with the manage
ment of the Southern Hospital" said the
Governor to the Journal yesterday after
noon, "and from the information that has
come to me / am inclined TO believe that
such has been the case. In fact the
Evansville asylum and the Jeffersonville
Reformatory have been the only state in
stitutions, to my knowledge, where there
has been politics in the management.
However, the action towards a change
in superintendents at the Evansville insti-
tuition and the subsequent requests for the
designations of the other officers, were
made by the board of trustees after con-
sultation with the officers of the State
Board of Charities before / had any in
formation in regard to the matter: The
statement of Timothy Nicholson, OF Rich
mond, president of the State Board or
Charities, certainly shows where the in
itiative Dame from. 1t had been conceded
some months ago that a change In super
intendents was advisable for the best in
terests of the institution and DR.. Stoker
had indicated that his resignation would
be forthcoming. 1t was at his suggestion,
after he had filed his resignation. that the
trustees requested the designations OF the
other officers in order that the new super
intendent might have clear field ana be
entirely unembarrassed in arranging his
staff. In changing the head OF an institu-
tion Ii is customary, l understand, for all
subordinate officers to tender their res
ignations, although 1t does not necessarily
tired. and such doubtless would not have
been the result in this case. The new su-
perintendent would in all probability have
!TneI The destinations sigma of of ali the suborGinates
were promptly handed in except that of
Miss Mary Wilson, who refused to resign
and has indicated that she will fight re-
moval. Miss Wilson has been the cause OF
about all the newspaper prominence given
to the affair." so far as 1 can learn. She
rushed into print and last week sent two
formed that have nothing whatever to do
with her case and that she Is in the hands
of the trustees.
Miss Wilson, as 1 am informed, has been
responsible for about all the politics that
has been injected into the management Of
the asylum. She has for several years.
am told, attempted to take a hand in local
politics in Evansville and Vanderburg
county, and has persisted in this in the face
of intimations that such action on her part
was injurious both to the institution and
to herself and seriously impaired her USE
fulness as one of the officials"
The Governor has taken no cognizance of
the situation and il is not within his prov
ince to take any official action. The board
of trustees and the State Board of Charities
have the matter in hand and the Governor
has no desire 20 interfere. His only in
terest in the matter lies in his desire to see
the management of the institution and it's
general condition placed on a par with the
other State institutions.