The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-03
CLOVES STANDS
FOR FULL INQUIRY.
Committee of Sen ate.
viii Sift Middle to
the Bottom.
STARTLING RUMORS
OF COMING CHARGES
-
Looks Like Move From Either
Mr.. Cloves or DR.. Foster
Will Percipitate Sensa-
tional Charges Which
Will Be Far
reaching.

While it is within the bounds dY pos
sibllity. though remotely. that the smoke
may, after all, mean more fuss than FIRE.
tho sensational stories that have gained
currency within tho past few days In con-
nection with the Cloves investigation
before the Senate OF Virginia have
whcttcd the public appetite 10 fine
point, and have bred in many quarters
an urgent and nnmIs,akablc demand thnt
The hearing to begin carly next week
shall be stripped OF It's mystery and that
IL there arc inssreaiity developments of
Importance to enste. tile people of the
state shall be placed In possession of ali
lie facts.
i, is unnecessary to conceal further that
the fight is on TO the knife between the
superintendent OF the Eastern State Hos
pital, DR.. L.. 8. Foster, and the Rich
tnond member Of the board OF directors.
Mr.. II. II. Cloves and that charges of
the gravest nature are emanaing from
both sides. OF such character are these
stories that IL the allegations of DIR.
Foster, or. at least. of tho opposition he
's supposed TO represent, are officially
made and eventually sustained. the ex-
pulsion of Mr.. Ciokes will follow prompt
ly md as a matter OF course. On the
other hand, if Mr.. Cloves, in defending
ais record against attack, shall lay be-
fore the Senate committee the informa-
,ion In his possession, as 1t Is stated by
men leading his fight that he unquestion-
ably Will do. shall prove this information
20 be correct. and thereby establish his
own innocence then condition of af-
fairs remarkable in the last degree will
have been presented. demanding n swcep-
ing inquiry, not TO say thorough iip-
henvai in the affairs of the Williamsburg
3 asylum. -ssslstgf - 49,. s
From Whatever point OF view IL II takcn,
therefore. the situation is sufficiently scri-
ouS to arouse the public to a speculative
attitude and to provoke N protest against
anything like star-ciamber proceeding
Many members OF the Legislature ex-
press themselves In n similar manner
There Is evidently something at the
bottom of all OF this" declared o we'll
known Senator yesterday "and 1t is up
TO us to find out what It is. The peope
of Virginia whose money Is appropriated
FOR the benefit OF the hospital have
right TO know the conditions prevailing
there. and i for one shall steadily oppose
an executive hearing. believe this hear
Ing Will rseult in a general investigation
at the Williamsburg hospital and will
probably lead TO an inspection of all the
State hospitals II this is truc i, should
certainly be conducted openly.
Hour Set for Hearing.
During yesterday and Thursday there
vents several interesting developments
in the Cloves matter. Announcement was
made by Mr.. Thomas. of Lynchburs
chairman OF the investigating committee,
that the committee would meet at 10
o'clock Tuesday morning next to take
up It's work Mr.. Thomas received and
replied at once to lengthy letter from
Mr.. Cloves innuiring as to the rules of
procedure. He indicated that considerable
latitude would he permitted and declared
hat Mr.. Cloves would be allowed repre-
Rcntation by counsel 1t was brought out
in this connection that Mr. Cloves has
engaged Colonel George Wayne Anderson
to represent him.
Have any charges been filcd against
Mr.. Clowes?" Mr.. Thomas was asked.
NO" he replied.
"On what basis will the committee go
to work thcn?'
'The committee will hear statements
from all interested parties. but will not
summon any witnesses of Its own. II
there are no charges made before the
committee against Mr.. Cloves the COM
mittec Will simply report to this effect"
what will be the procedure?''
1.-THE ordinary rules OF evidence will
not obtain. Tho committee will hear any
testimony that has a bearing upon the
record of Mr.. Cloves with view to de-
ter1llining his fitness to serve on the
board"
.Wil the public be admitted to the
hearlng?''
'.rl.e session will be behind closed
doors. Personally am in favor OF pub-
licity, but the Senate ruled otherwise
In Justice to Mr.. Thomas 1t should be
f1f ryp1f f1,t tn, IT,
that he is not the senator quoted in the
nrst instance above as referring to the
probable effects of the hearing AS
chairman of the committe, Mr.. Thomas
u not In position to discuss tile mat
Ter at all, and confined himself strictly
to an official statement OF the method
Of procedure. The important features OF
this statement are that no charges have
been filed against Mr. Cloves and that
The ordinary rules of evidence Will not
pc enforced by the committee. This
: latter means that with considerable lati-
tude the hearing will be more likely
>han ever to produce thorough results.
Nature Of Charges.
II is somewhat difficult to ascertain
the precise mode Of attack that will be
made upon the Richmond man. The on
position has not shown Its hand, and
f, indeed, so far as is known 1t has not
been signhed officially from any quarter
that any charges will he fled 1t ia
<carcsly conceivable. however, that after
III the disturbance over tho Cloves ap-
to,ntment the investigation should lapse
Ior want Of pressing, Mr.. Thomas states
,uthoritively that the committee will not
,earcl, for evidencce on Its. own account
Sr even summon witnesses. but will only
Near what those voluntarily appearing.
VIII have to say. DIR. Foster Is almost
yertain{ to be llere Senator r. Boyd
Sears. Of Mathews, who has heen to
lertain extent making the opposition to
hr, Cloves on the iioor of the Senate