The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-09-15
Directors ofthe State Hospital in Ses-
sion.
j. INFORMATION DESIRED
Several Witnesses Were Examined.
Prominent Physicians REQUESTED to
Appear and Give Expert Testimony
Female Attendants ut the Hospital
Will be Put on The Stand Today.
Especial to The Messenger.l

Raleigh, y c., September 13-At 10
o clock this morning the special session
of the directors of the state hospital
for the insane here began, this having
been called by Governor Glenn.
through DR.. James Mckee. the super
intendant Of the hospital. The follow
ing directors met at the hour named:
L. !. Picot, r. II. Stancill. S. O. Mid
dleton, John d. Biggs, J. NJ. Parrot. T.
G. Hunt, Edwin Smith. and John w.
Thompson. DR.. Whitehead did not ar
rive until later in the day.
IN the course of talks with some of
the directors before the meeting they
stated that they thought it best to con-
duct the proceedings quietly and to
close doors so far as the general public
is concerned, because in this way they
could make a more complete investiga-
ton, without the presence of attorneys
for either side in the case now before
the courts, concerning the killing of
Thomas Nall, which is the cause of this
extraordinary meeting Of the board. A
stenOgrapher was taken out to the hos
pital to report the proceedings and the
full report will be given to the public.
Central hospital directors and
seven hours session, John Thompson
presided. They examined eight male
attendants. Some of these were now
men. Some take places of the men
in Jail under the charge of killing
Nall. Some Of the male attendants
have resigned or have been discharg
ed since the Nall affair."
It is said they are continually COM
ing and going, and that as rule they
hold on not over three months Their
nay is only $14 monthly, and it is
asserted that it is hard to get men at
that figure.
After the investigation had been in
progress a little while, the board de-
cided to ask the counsel of state to
give it attorneys as advisory counsel
This the council of state declined to
do. but told the board to go ahead and
do the best it could. The board will
do so, and it calls on the North Car
olina public for any xnd all informa-
ton it may have in the shape of
charges, if any, or otherwise. This
1ulO-ludllOu Is SOlIClLcu Ill peISOu NY
letter. wire or telephone.
An ex-patient, named Lindsay, was
examined as a witness and he made
complaints as to his treatment while
in the institution, which are said to
be of no Importance. Seven of the
most prominent physicians in the state
outside Of Raleigh and also some isa-
leigh physicians of high repute, have
been requested by the board to appear
before it tomorrow and give evidence
as experts Tomorrow the female at
tendants will be examined, also other
persons connected with the institution,
including gardener, the examination
of male attendants now there having
been finished today. No subpoenas
have as yet been issued. 1t is not
yet known whether any of the atten-
dants who have recently resigned or
been discharged will be examined.
There will be another long session
Of course it is not known how many
of the experts invited to appear and
give evidence will be here. The sup
erintendent and assistant physicians
may be examined tomorrow. No
stress is laid by the board upon the
recent changes of male attendants as
these are so frequent. The head male
nurse has been at the hospital five
years.