The San Francisco call., 1908-12-27
LEGAL BATTLE FOR
WOMAN'S HOSPITAL
Reform Faction Prepares to At
tack Administration in
Court and Meeting

Determined TO wrest the California
woman's hospital from the control of
the present administration and devote
it to the purposes for which it was
founded. the reform faction among
those interested in the institution has
perfected an Organization, and during
the first few weeks of the new year
it is probable that legal battle for
the property will be commenced. Many
leading men and women of the city
have become deeply interested in the
fight, which undoubtedly viii be waged
with vigor by both sides. The con-
fiict revoives around DR.. f. w Vow
nickel. surgeon in charge of the in
stitution.
Since the board of trustees. through
I w. Fl. Metson. president, issued state
ment generating DR.. VQwinckel from
the charges preferred by the finance
committee the opponents of the sur
geon have chosen Mrs. Elizabeth Ger
berdipg, head of the women's auxiliary
Of the League of Justice as president
Of their organization, and Mrs. Clinton
+. Worden secretary. Clinton r. Wor-
den. prominent in San Francfsco's bust
ness circles; eN-Mayor James D. sPhe-
Ian, A. Chesebrough, Mrs. A. N Towne,
Mrs. Laura Bride Powers and other
prominent men and women of the city
are more or less interested fn, the
movement.
BENEFACTORS FOR MANY YEARS
All those interested in the new or
ganizatio have been friends and bene-
factors of the institution, and several
OF them have contributed to it's SUD-
port for more than 30 years.
70. -, L. i.
the organization existed has been care
fully guarded, and the various mem
bers refuse absolutely to make known
their plans. 1t is known. however, that
attaches of the county assessors office
and also Of the recorders office have
been making an abstract of the title to
the property on which the hospital
stands.
This abstract has developed the fact
that the hospital stands on land which
was dedicated to the city in the year
1879 for charitable purposes. Major
Y. 7. Hoyt and Adolph- Lowe leading
citizens of San Francisco at that time
interested themselves in the project OF
free hospital for women. They were
active in the organizat ton of the Cali
fornia woman's hospital corporation.
which was then granted lease on the
ground for 80 years.
ACTION TO RECOVER LAND
The reform faction asserts that the
hospital has long been devoted TO the
enriching of DR.. +. ". Vowinckel. and
that the charity done has been incon-
siderable. 1t is practically certain
that within few weeks attorneys will
file suit demanding the return of the
property to the city. basing their
action on the allegation that the land
is not being devoted to the charitable
purposes for which the lease was
granted.
The annual meeting of stock holders
Of the hospital will be held in the
third week of January, and both fac
tions have been endeavoring to secure
proxies TO be used at that time in the
election OF a board Of trustees IT is
reported that the present adininistr
tion has secured a majority or the
proxies, hut this could not be verified.
There are men of wealth behind the
reform factionsswh viii not hesita te
TO buy life membership in the hospital
sufficient TO secure a majority of the
votes al the coming election