The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-05-17
HICKMAN WANTS
INVESTIGATION
Member of Mississippi Board
of Health Makes Defense
SUSPICION IS SHIFTED
Other Members of Board Feel the
Situation keenly and Want the
Matter Cleared Up Without
Any Delay.

Jackson. Miss, May Is.-(special. DIR.
w. w. Hickman has eonditionally re-
signed his office as member of the state
board of health in the following note to
Governor Noel:
Dear Governor: On account of the no.
toriety given by the press in which my
name was used as being the probable
source OF information by which the ap-
plicants for the practice of medicine OBJ
tanned the questions of examination, I
feel that 1t is right toward the public that
tender to you my resignation as a mem
Der of the state board of health, pending
ian investigation of this matter by the
board. l assure you of my willingness to
abide the result of a full and fair investi,
cation, and am frank to say that 1t is
my wish that the light be turned on to
the fullest extent; and will further state
that | will insist In any honorable way
the committee of investigation In its eff
forts to fix the responsibility In this very
regrettable circumstance.
Il assure you that in coaching my
brother to the extent I did was with no
intention of wrong-doing on my part and
as stated beforelto the press, this consti-
tutes the fullest extent of my participa-
ton in the affair."
The other members of the board are
evidently at sea as to Just what the
above resignation" means, and appear
to be divided as to what steps should be
taken 1t is argued that in the event
the board takes no action and makes no
investigation, DR.. Hickman is out and
there Is no necessity of action On the
other hand, it is claimed that if the
board does not investigate at this session
DR.. Hickman is still member.
There are those on the board who are
convinced there was some other leak be-
sides that admitted by DR.. Hickman. IL
he did no more than he says he did-sim-
ply coaching his brother in general
way-the questions could not have been
gotten down SO pat as they were There
are also those who believe that DR.. Hick-
man should sever his connection with the
board; that the days of his usefulness are
ended unless he proves that there was
another leak
In the meantime certain of the ap-
plicants before the board have held a
meeting at one of the hotels of the city,
and at which they adopted resolutions
expressing their confidence in Dr.@Hfck-
man to the fullest extent and that they
believe ne is wholly innocent of the
charges.
suspicion seems to have shifted from
Dr. Hickman to other shoulders. and it
Is possible that an investigation Will show
q, QeeD-lAld DlOt a Of
zeal college, or the representatives of a
medical college, to secure the passage of
their graduates or students, and with
which scheme DR.. Hickman was as ignor-
ant as a newborn babe.
The members Of the board of health
seem to have determined to get right
down to the bottom of the matter, feeling
keenly the disgrace that is attached to
the exposures that have already been
made, and it Is stated that something is
liable to come from the vicinity of Mem
suspected by some of, the members of
who was here the first day of the examin-
ations, could tell whole lot about the
leakage of the questions, If he would,
and efforts are being made to get hold
of him.
1t is known that the board has deter
. mined not to issue certificates of pro-
ficiency to any applicant until this trouble
is settled. and 1t Is stated that those ap-
piicants who admit they had an oppor-
tunty to purchase sets of questions will
not be given certificates unless they tell
who was the party who offered them for