The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-30
Red Bank Physician Now
in Charge Of Trenton
State Hospital.
VROOM ON STAND TODAY
Head of Board of Managers Ex-
plains TO Hahn Committee Why
SiIvers's Death Was Not Re-
ported to the Proper
Authorities.
Especial to tho Evening star,l

TRENTON, July 3e.--As the EVEN
ING STAR predicted in it's earlier edi-
ditions yesterday and published in its
sporting edition. DR.. John w. Ward, j.
medical director of the State Hospital
for the Insane, was dismissed from his
position by the board of managers
at a meeting held in the afternoon
in the Trenton Office of Judge Garret
D. w. vroom. president of the board. A
long resolution, prepared at a brief
morning session of the board. was
passed. 1t was Immediately embodied
in formal statement and issued as an
explanation of the dismissal OF DIR.
Ward.
Contrary to expectation. Warden
William p Hayes, of the asylum, was
not dismissed. He and DR.. Ward are
involved in the testimony given before
the Hahn Assembly investigating COM
mittee on the death of Enoch Silvers,
an inmate of the institution. who was
fatally beaten by attendants last year.
Apparently the board of managers laid
more stress on the alleged misrepre
sentation of the board before the AS
sembly committee than on tho confess
sion of DIR. Ward that the cause Of the
death of Silvers had been given as
paresis and his murder hushed up.
The members of the board who at
tended the meeting discussed the case
of the warden, but decided to take no
action for the present. voting to wait
until the Hahn committee is through
with Hayes before reaching any con-
clusion.
The board of managers is itself under
the Assembly probe and the members
will be given an opportunity to tell on
the witness stand what they know Of
the things that John II. Backes. coun-
sci to the Hahn committee, has brought
to light in his examination of DIR. Ward,
Warden Hayes, and others connected
with the immediate management of the
hospital.
DIR. Wards testimony before the
Hahn committee reflected gravely on
Judge Vroom in his official capacity as
head of the hospital board
The statement issued by the board
is as follows
special meeting OF the board Of
managers of the New Jersey State
Hospital, Of Trenton, was held this day !
at the office of G. d. W. Vroom, presi-
dent of the board. at IL o'clock a. m.
The purpose of the meeting was to
Inquire into the startling testimony
given by Dr. John NV w Ward, the
committee of the House of Assembly.
A copy of the testimony given by Or.
Ward before the Hahn committee was
before the board of managers and was
compared with the written reports
made by the medical director on March
/, 1906. After waiting a considerable
time fer the presence, OF Managers
Hoffman, Allen and Halsey, the board
proceeded with the business Of the
meeting and unanimously adopted the
following resolution:
Whereas, In the testimony taken
on the 25th day of July inst, before
the investigating committee Of the
House of Assembly Of the State of
New Jersey, Il appears that DR.. john
w Ward, medical director of this
hospital, In referring to the death OF
one Enoch Silvers gave evidence in
direct conflict with the written report
of said medical director made to this
board on March !. 1906, as to the cause
of the death of said Sllvers, and also
In conflict with the verbal report made
by him to said board relating thereto
on the same March /, 1896 and also in
direct conflict with the testimony Of
said medical director before the medi-
cal committee of this board during the
investigation OF the cause of death Of
said S.lvers: and,
"Whereas, The testimony of Or.
John ". Ward before the said investi-
eating committee is In other respects
to the knowledge of this board untrue
ana an unjust reflection upon the in
stitution and Its board of managers;
and,
"Whereas, 1t is the conviction of this
board that the conduct of the said Dr.
John w Ward Is highly prejudicial
to the interests of said hospital and
grave reflection upon this board, and
that further cooperation with said Dr.
John W. Ward In the management Of
said hospital is impossible; therefore,
"Resolved. That said DR. John w.
Ward be removed at once from the
position of medical director of the New
Jersey State Hospital for the Insane
at Trenton and that he at once turn
over to Or. Peter p. Rafferty,, chair
man of the medical committee Of this
board, all the records; papers, properly.
etc, belonging to this institution or
the State of New Jersey now In his
charge or custody
DR. Halsey was reached by telephone
and. after hearing the resolution read, he
entirely soncurred in it,
A certified copy of the resolution was
delivered to Dr. Ward by Dr. Rafferty,.
the chairman of the medical committee,
who was placed in temporary charge OF
the institution,
All of the board Of managers were
present at the afternoon meeting ex-
cept DIR. Luther M. Halsey. Of Will
iamstown, Cornelius S. Hoffman. OF
Somerville, and DIR. L. A. ID. Alien. OF
Woodstown.
When the Hahn investigating committee
met today Judge c.. ID. w yroorn was
called to the stand as the first witness.
He said he has been member Of the
board Of managers Of the asylum for
eighteen years and president Of the board
for twelve years Mr.. Backes asked him
IL DR.. Ward had called upon him relative
to keeping quiet the circumstances sur
rounding the death OF Enoch Silvefs
Iudza vroom then made this statemant