The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-03

DR.. Dewing 10 tho superintendent. and
naturally went 10 him. ,..
'This is q very serious matter Thomp-
son Is said to have told the herdsman. Il
will have to see our friend at Albany about
It,"
Marston took 1t that by 'our friend at
Albany" Thompson meant Gov. Odell.
After Aldridge was discharged 1t began to
be whispered about that DR.. Dewing was
slated for transfer. A few weeks later 1t
became known that Or. Dewing was to be
transferred to the Flatbush Hospital upon
his own request" This was considered
strange, in view Of the superintendent
we'll known interest In the place, which
he had seen grow from a comparatively
insignificant asylum to one Of the great
hospitals OF the State. So strange did 1t
seem to the employees that they made no
concealment of their belief that he had been
forced to apply for the transfer with the
alternative of being kicked out OF the State
service altogether.
Friends OF the dismissed men now recall
that in 1902. when Gov. Odell was attacked
for injecting politics and political methods
into the management Of the State hos
pitfalls, he was vigorously defended by
T. f. McGarr, secretary Of the Lunacy
Commission, who in pamphlet, presum-
ably authorized by the Governor. said
Gov. Odell, at the very Inauguration Of this
legislation (abolshing local boards OF man
agers) insisted upon the insertion Of provi-
sion the effect Of which is to immensely
strengthen the civil service protection af-
forded to every State hospital employee.
This provided that every employee. In either
the competitive or the non-competltive class.
must be afforded the privilege OF hearing
before dismissal.
This provision, which Gov. Odell was 80
set on having in the law. did not seem to
operate in favor OF johnson and his fellow
unfortunates, and they hold that II will
never be Of practical value to employees
Of State hospitals 80 long as their positions
can be abolished at the pleasure OF their
superiors.
To SUN reporter DR.. Macy said: 1T is
true that have abolished several positions
among the working force Of the hospital.
My reason? 1t ia simple enough The
places were abolished in the interest OF
economy. / had to cut down expenses.
when took charge here my attention
was called informally by my superiors to
the fact that the per capita cost OF main
tanning the inmates at Kings Park was
considerably more than at Central 1slip,
where there Ia a similar institution. and
determined to cut down expenses with a
view to making as good a record here as is
maintained in the neighboring hospital.
There ia no reason why our per capita cost
should not be as low, or nearly as low. as at
Islip, except perhaps that we have to dis
tribute heat over more extensive area
"Did the fact that the men had q hand in
the discharge OF Aldridge have anything
to do with their Dismissal" DR.. Macy was
asked.
Directly. no; indirectly, yes was the
answer. Il felt that these men were parti-
sans, inasmuch as they had taken sides
in that matter. did not think 1t would
be wise to transfer them, because believed
that trouble would follow wherever they
went. But the direct reason for abolish
ing the places was to reduce the per capita
cost"
DO you intend to recreate these posi-
| tons under new titles and fill them AGAIN.
Il do not. We have all the help we need
When the attention Of several OF the
older employees was called to what DR..
Macy had said. they declared that not
only was the asylum short handed. but
1t would be impossible to get along
without filing the places Of the dismissed
men, notably the chief supervisor, no
matter what titles might be given to the
jobs. As to reducing the per capita cost.
one Of them did little figuring.
The total OF the salaries Of the discharged
employees, he said, was $3.50 q month, or
| g, $50 a year, exclusive Of their board
The average number Of patients in the
! hospital, he said, is $500, and the average
| annual per capita cost Of maintaining
them Is about $500 So the reduction,
he declared, in the cost Of maintaining the
inmates resulting from the abolition Of
the FIVE places would be trife less than
81 conts q year each.