The Wichita daily eagle., 1904-05-10
/
DIR, COWDR|CK'S
CASE RECITED
Governor Ferguson Discusses
the Facts in the Affair."
CoNFESSES ONE LETTER
Replied in Kind to az Epistle
Charging Wrong Doing.

Guthrie, May "a recent dispatch from
Guthrie to an Oklahoma City paper stated
that charges had been preferred against
DR.. E. E. Cowdrick, secretary of the
Board of Health, by the Oklahoma Medi-
cal society, and that the governor had
refused TO countenance the charges. That
he had retained Cowdrick in office
against the wishes of said medical So
ciety The governor was seen this morn
| ing by the representative of this paper
and interrogated as to the facts in the
| case.
| He stated that the charges were first
preferred by DR.. Barker, of this city,
who had a personal controversy with
! Dr. Cowdrick. DR.. Barker has for years
been a candidate for the position Dr.
| Cowdrick now occupies and has inces-
sanity fought him. The governor fur
ther stated tnat DR.. Barker had carried
his grievances against Cowdrick to the
Medical association and committee Of
three physicians were appointed by the
association to investigate the charges.
These physicians called at the governors
residence one evening, accompanied by
DIR. Barker, and filed their charges. Gov
ernor Ferguson states that he Informed
the physicians that their charges were
not sufficiently supported by evidence,
and that they were allegations unsub-
stantiated by proof. The charges alleged
that DIR. Cowdrick had registered ply
sicians holding diplomas from bogus med
ical colleges. That he had registered un-
dergraduates. That he had written un-
professional letters to doctors residing
in Oklahoma and that he had registered
physicians who had offered to bribe his
predecessor in office. These accusations
We're submitted without single scin-
tilla of truth to support them. The gov
ernor called attention of the committee to
this fact and requested them to furnish
proof OF heir allegations, but their reply
was that DIR. Cowdrick would not deny
any of the charges The governor in
sisted that they defer filing their report
until they could secure competent evil
dence or place him in possession of evil
dence or means that would enable him to
ascertain the facts in the case. This
they did not do, stating that Cowdrick
would not deny the charges. When the
accusations were submitted to Dr. Cow
drick, for answer he stated that he might
have registered some physicians who did
not hold diplomas from reputable schools, |
but that If he cid so he was not aware OF
it at the time He stated that "a certain
institution that had no been considered
repuable in one state had been sustained
by the courts of another. He also stated
I hat No
graduates, as his records would show |
and that he had never even received an !
application from any undergraduates for |
registration. When the committee of |
doctors reported to the governor and he |
requested them for proof. asking them |
for the address and addresses of these |
who had been registered |
these doctors stated that Cowdrick would |
not deny it. However they did not fur
nish the names of the undergraduates |
who were alleged to have been unTawfully
registered The governor simply asked |
for the names, but they failed to fur
nish them. stating that Cowdrick would
not deny the charges.
DR.. Cowdrick stated in his reply that
If anyone had attempted to bribe his
predecessor he did not know it. He said
hat no one had attempted to bribe him.
and that he did not understand what
relation that incient hod to do with the
case in question.
In regard to DR.. Cowdricll writing un-
letters, the governor stated
hat he had heard OF this before and had
written Cowdrick a letter reproving him
'or such Il breach of official courtesy. |
Dr. Cowdrick replied that he had written
| letter to a certain doctor while an
,eced. informing him that it would afford
lim (Cowdrick) much pleasure to toss
hat doctor out bodily OF his upper -story
window He said that he regretted hav-
ng written the letter, but that it was
written in answer to letter from the
anne doctor in which he called Cowdrick
n substance. thief, a villain. and every
hing else that was detestable because the
3oard of Health had not acceded TO
ONE of his demands
In conclusion the governor said that he
iad expected the committee OF doctors
. furnish reasonable proof upon which
o base an Investigation of this matters
'ut that their report simply contained
ome unsupported allegations. He stated
hat he is not disposed to remove men
rom office on the statement of a few
len who fail to support their allegations
nth evidence. especially when, it IS
nown that the AFFAIR started over con- {
roversy between Cowdrck and Barker. {
'owdrick having removed Barker from, | {
nice. Barker served under Cowdrick as {
Iperintendent OF health of Logan coun-
8 Cowdrick removed him from that {
flee and Barker then went 10 the gov
rnor's office and asked that Cowdrick
e removed