The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-21
PROXIES FOR6
YEARS WANTED
BY VOW|NCKEL
Manager of California WOmen's
Hospital Again Tries to Sc
cure Control of Institution
Lady Managers Term Conduct
as High Handed" and
Outrageous"
Mrs. Laura B. Powers Says
Doctor Stated Women Were
Without Brains

War has again broken forth in the
California women's hospital, and the
storm Of indignation that now whirls
about the head of DR.. T. w. Vowinckel
threatens official decapitation. In the
shape Of requests for proxies, Doctor
Vowinckel has inaugurated what Mrs
Laura. Bride Powers, Mrs. A n. Towne
and others term "a high handed at
tempt to secure absolute control of the
hospital and its destinies for the next
six years"
The annual election Of the hospital
takes place next Monday. but the fight
against Doctor VOwinckel viii not CEN
ter in the election. An organization
known as "the friends of the Cali
fOrnis women's hospital has been
formed by those who charge that, in
the light Of recent exposures. Doctor
NowinckeTs action is trageous." and
the courts may be resorted to to block
the surgeons move.
Many OF the most prominent men
and women connected with the hos
pital are members of the organization.
The finance committee of the board of
lady managers, Mrs Laura Bride Pow
ers and Mrs. A W. Scott, after an in
vestigation recently brought in a report
charging large financial discrepancies
in the hospital management. Then the
two women resig ned, charging that
their report, by order Of President
Nelson of the board Of trustees, had
been smothered. Metson is the attor-
ney for DR.. Vowinckel, and the investi-
cation was ordered while he was alb
sent in Alaska He returned just about
the time the report was brought in and
the document was for some unac-
countable reason laid aside and no Of
hcial action taken thereon.
DOCTOR WANTS PROXIES
Now DIT. Vowinckel has sent letters
10 many Of those entitled to vote at
the coming hospital election, requesting
proxies in all matters pertaining TO the
. hospital including the election Of di-
rectors, for the next six years It is
this action that has aroused the storm
OF indignation, and has been termed
high handed" and Outrageous
This is the most high handed action
ever taken in a corporation in this
state" said Mrs Laura Bride Powers
last night. Tt is an attempt to prolong
for six years the present mismanage-
ment OF the hospital It is outrageous
Mrs. Powers statements were re-
itersted by Mrs. A. n Towne and Mrs.
Elizabeth Gerberding. Mrs. Towne was
member of the board OF lady mana
gers for almost IS years and resigned
on account Of the manner in which the
hospital was being run by Dr. Vo-
WinckeL Mrs. Gerberding, president of
the Women's League Of Justice, is a
daughter Of one Of the hospitals
founders and a niece of another
founder. Mrs. Hoyt.
WOMEN HAVE NO BRAINS
"Dr. VOwinckel told me in effect"
said Mrs. Powers, that women had no
brains and that the board of lady man
ayers was merely for the purpose of
raising money and should not attempt
TO interfere in the management of
the hospital"
Mrs. Clinton A. Worden is secretary
Of the Friends Of the California Vom-
ems Hospital, and Clinton A Worden
IS a thoroughly active member. Mrs.
J. r. Ferrell Mrs. A w Scott. Mrs.
Laura Bride Powers, Mrs. A N Towne.
Mrs Elizabeth Gerberding and Mrs.
Hoyt are among the members Of the
organization.
The letter accompanying the request
for the proxy asks that the name of
DR.. Nowinckel be inserted in the blank
space.