Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-05-03
NURSE DID NO WORK
But BUT DREW $40 MONTH
Investigators Are Getting Down 10
Bed Rock IN The Scandals
at Williamsburg.
COLE THE FIRST ONE TO TALK
Witness Says That He Had the
Woman Discharsed-Denles That
He is influenced by clowes-Dr.
Foster Demands That He be Al
lowed to Have an Attorney
Especial to the Daily Press.)

Especial to the Daily PreSs)
WILLIAMSBURG, VA, May q
The legislative committee to inves-
tigate the conditions in the Eastern
State hospital began work this morn
ing at eleven o'clock.
Until today no witnesses have
been heard, the. committee spending
all OF yesterday Inspecting the build.
ings and grounds, of the institution.
Special Accountant H. C. Boudar
arrived this morning to look over
the books OF the institution.
Superintendent Foster and E. H..
Cloves are both. present.
Cole the First Witness.
Denison Cole, the Williamsburg
member who has been upon the board
for eleven years, was the first wit.
ness.
Chairman sadler asked the wit
nass ,fo.soutline the relations exist
ing between the board and Dr. Eos.
ter
Cole Objected to a Nurse.
AT the outset Mr.. Cole said he saw
no sarsasslaRt aglllys 9thlesssssate should pay
TftFeiasd fAaHl + 81; TseH va a. month when
she was OF little or no benefit to
the institution, and when somebody
else did the work. He wanted this
nurse dismissed. but Dr. Foster
would not consent. Upon this he
and; DR.. Foster could not agree.
Mr.. Cole denied he was dominat-
ed' by Mr.. Cloves. He said that
the great Improvements in the
grounds was largely due to Mr..
Cloves.
The chairman here suggested that
Mr.. Cloves and DIR. Foster leave the
room, but it was decided that this
was not necessary.
Purchasing of Supplies Explained.
Chairman Sadler asked witness to
tell the difference in the method OF
purchasing supplies by this local
board and former boards, DR.. Foster
having found fault with the present
system. Bids were asked for, an.
swered witness, and samples submit,
ted. The systems were the same
the only difference being that now
but two members decided upon the
awarding of the contracts.
Nine-tenths of these contracts
went out of Williamsburg When
samples submitted were not salts
factory, the board did not hesitate
to direct the steward TO purchase
supplies in the open market, and by
this plan the board had saved mon.
-sha, Others Did Her Work.
The questioning here went back
to the trained nurse, whose services
witness had said he considered I'M
necessary Mr.. Cole said that he
had the nurse dismissed; though
Superintendent Foster did not APP
prove of the dismissal. Mr.. Cole re-
peated that she was paid about forty
dollars a month and that others did
the work. The name of this nurse
was not given.
The witness, said that Miss Per.
ry had been appointed matron OF
this institute by Superintendent Eos
ter who had recently been an inmate
Of the Staunton asylum. The board
would not confirm this appointment
Superlntendent Did Not Know.
The witness said that he had been
told by the superintendent that
: when he (tke superintendent an.
pointed Miss Perry he did not know
that she had been an inmate OF the
Stanton institution. He did not at
any time seem to approve OF the
boards refusal to confirm.
member of the committee ask.
ed a question bearing upon the use
Of @hiskey in the institute, The
whisky question was of no import,
ance. \;
Witness was asked if there had