Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1906-11-30
A DEEP PLOT IF TRUE.

of Virginia, which, Ike jury
is composed of twelve good and
lawful men, having gotten their halOs
rightly adjusted, last week swooped
down Oh the ancient town of Williams
burg, awoke it from sleep it has long
enjoyed, shook the foundations of Gen.
Washington's headquarte 8 and kicked
up dust Oh the Duke of Gloucester
street. The result was that
the superintendent and two assistant
physicians of the Eastern State Hos
pital, located there, were taken by the
nape of their necks and the seat OF
pants and thrown out of their positions
into the street. There were no charges
against these men pending before the
board when the meeting began, but
three of it's members who had been |
appointed to look over some evidence !.
taken before Legislative committee
appointed last March and which have
been heaping up volumes, went into
that evidence, framed charges, brought
ttbem before the Board, and in the
twiukllng of an eye, without giving
the members who wanted to see the ev-
| idence on which the charges were has
ed, and also to see whether there were
any extenuatiDg circumstances OF
contradictory testimony-a moment to
examine the records, brought on the
hurricane, and the storm burst. where
by three most reputable physicians
were blasted in professional reputa.
tion, in private character, and In i'm.
mediate means of livelihood. So ram
pant was the majority of this body. so
bent on securing scalps, that they
were with difficulty dissuaded and re-
strained from kicking out these men
In Ten days, time much shorter
than the law accords an ordinary ten.
ant, and shorter than one would Ordi-
ne rlly give tenant of the lowest de-
gree, whom he had caught robbing bis
hen roost. But by dint Of persuasion
they were given until January lst next
to get their traps and get out.
The charges on which this most
summary action was taken, have been
published and have in them no ref1ec
tons on character against the physic-
iaus. The hospital over which they
have had charge has certainly been in
the pink of perfection since the in
vestigation began in March last. and
10 so today. The terms for which these
gentlemen were elected would have
expired In less than three months.
When they actually leave the hospital
.. they would have scarcely two months
more to serve. If they have such
} characters and regulations as would
permit of their serving to January LIST
it would have been no great stretch OF
conscience or abuse of official duty te
. have retained them just two months
more, then refused re- election instead
!. Of disgracing them. This would have
:. saved their good names. the State's
o reputation and the gentlemen of the
General Board from the Suspicion
o that there is something behind thii
> rapid transit movement which the
a public has not yet fully grasped, pro
badly SOME POLITICS. The public
will doubt whether any boare
f ever sat supinely down, as this board
a has done, with years Of miscarriage
! ment going on, such as Is now charged
against Superintendent Foster anc
:, First Assistant Henderson and Secont
t Assistant Southall. and then suddenl.
y awakened to situation with no create
q impsIling force behind them than tn
!. public good. II the public good wa
q what was sought. the managing boa rd
:. the public will think, should hav
,s come in for some criticism at least AN
q the punishment not all have fallen o.
q the SERVANTS and the MASTERS gon
~ unWhipt.
There were charges as to characte
against some of the members OF th
managing board present and pasl
The Legislative committee has pu
OF these charges in cold type, there ar
- no charges, however, as to characte
"a against the dismissed physicians, 1
es the indictme nt of the board which dil
re missed them. As against a recen
or member of the managing board it Wa
is found by the Legislative committs
be that at least five tons of coal went int
y his cellar, from party to whom col
II contract Of the hospital had bee
'r, given. AS to another member b
father-in-law's store had profited b
~ many purchases, and he by some hin
q. self. These may have all been mer
torious transactions, but the publ
re will doubt the wisdom Of the transa
* tions if nothing more.
to In the little town Of Williamsbul
6g the largest amount of the money pr
- in circulation comes through the HO
vol pital. There is grocery store an
only one of any eize In the town, b.
e. longing to the firm of L. w. Lane
~ Co. l. W. Lane, Jr.. is tho Oommi
Rs sioner of Hospitals, but not now
member of the ifm-he resigned fro
,g, it when he took his Office. On tt
~, Hospital Board, and its president pl
tenn, is Il. D. Cole, son.in-law Of L. '
on Lane, ST., who owns the said grocer
,rt store. 1t is at this grocery that crit
cisms have been directed, and it
his from it that many thousand of dolla
\. worth Of supplies have been purchase
re re- 1t is hard to bring even a kind
in public to believe that former mel
Der of this firm and the son of ii
present owner, aud son.in-law of tt
present owner-one the Commission
y" Of Hospitals. the other the ruling mel
Der of the board-will not take care
1