The Detroit times., 1909-12-23
HOSPITAL UNDER
CLOSE SCRUTINY
Poor Commission and Red Cross Es-
tablishment at Swords Points
Over Contested Bills.


read from Emory W. Clark. treasurer
OF the Michigan branch of the Anieri-
can Red Cross. asking that the board
take steps TO close the Red Cross hos
pital. The institution, he explained
had been the source OF considerable
embarrassment To the national and
state Red Cross societies. The board
was In doubt as TO its authority in the
premises aud will ask the corporation
counsel for an opinion.
The poor commission has been at
odds with the management OF the Red
Cross hospital since last winter when
II was alleged that attempts had been
made TO collect money from the poor
commission and also from patients for
the same services. The commission
has also been dissatisfied with treat
mont Aof patients.
"Thc hospital is not a proper place
for the cure OF the sick" says Supt.
Dolan. OF the poor commission.
Emergency casey are taken In and
not gwen the proper care"
Prosecutors Office Called On.
The attention OF the health board
will be called 10 a number OF affida-
Wits which were secured by poor COM
mission officials at the time of the
trouble months ago. These were first
referred TO Assistant Prosecuting At
torney Fred II Aldrich, who gave an
opinion to the effect that no double
charge had actually been made. 1t
was then referred. on his advice. TO
Corporation Counsel Hally. who has
not yet rendered an opinion.
The Red Cross hospital was for
merly managed and owned by Mrs. G..
j Fox. who later operated the Smith
Fox home for old people. which WAS
closed recently. leaving a number Of
its aged inmates in straitened oiroum-
stances Mrs. Cross sold the property
10 Mrs. Lottie Chambers. who had
conducted a rooming house. Hugh
Rogers was made manager.
Rogers is not a physician. He is a
large man with n booming voice and
a commanding manner. He came into
collision with the police department a
short time ago when he made COM
plant that Patrolman Arthur Richards
had Obstructcd the Red Cross ambu-
lance. Police Supt Downey admits
that the police investigated Rogers
ar that tine, hut says that no report
was made to him as to the findings.
Red Cross hospital has an excellent
ambulance service. II also has the
telephone number formerly used by
Emergency hospital The hospital re-
ceiyes a large number OF emergency
cases.
AZ she present time, the poor com.
mission insists that all city cases
which 20 to Rcd Cross hospital be
transferred to ST. Mary's hospital.
Atdavits in Detail.
The afTidavits sent To Corporation
Counsel Hally deal with four cases.
Patrick V. Cannon swears that he
fell from a street car. Feb. 7, 1909.
and was taken TO Red Cross hospital,
where he remained until Feb. % He
says that he did not wish to be made
q city charge. but told the manage
ment he would pay as soon as he was
able after his recovery. In spite of
this, he says. his watch and jewelry.
valued AT $17.50. was retained when
he was discharged. as security for a
bill of $40 The poor commission rec
ortls show that q charge Of $l5.1l was
made To the poor commission for the
case.
Ella Sutherland. alias Jones, who
conducts a rooming house at 2S3 First
ST.. alleges that on Dec. II last wo
man named Annie Laurain got into an
alteration with two others and had
10 be sent 10 the hospital She was
discharged Dec. II, but IL is alleged
that two gold rings we're kept as Sc
curity for her bill. On Jan. 49, Mrs.
Sutherland says the sum OF s6 was
paid and the rings returned. The poor
l. D..I a
hospital dated Dec 81. which shows
a charge OF $2s6 for the care OF the
woman.
Another affidavit is from Fred Hun
tleman. who says that he sprained his
ankle Feb. last. and was at tho hos
pital two days He was ordered dis
charged by City Physician Hoffman
and charge OF s214 made TO the
poor commission for his care. Hun
tleman says that his clothes were held
as security for his paving his bill and
that. even after he had given an order
on his employers for $3.50, an over
coat was retained by the hospital man
ager 10 assure the payment Of tho
order.
Harold Haskell. newsboy. fell In
an epileptic fl Feb. % His sister.
Mrs Charles Carrieri. called to see
him and asked that he be discharged
The affidavit In the case charges that
the boy vas not allowed TO go at first,
n bill of 81 being rendered. and that
after he was given his clothes and
allowed 10 go, n ring belonging TO him
was missed. which was returned to
him when the boy came TO the hospi-
tai with Patrolman Harder. "A charge
OF $i43 was made TO the poor COM
mission for the boys care, and the
file includes letter from Rogers to
Supt. Dolan which states that Haskell
should be in the county house and Is
a nuisance for the hospitals.
All OF these bills In regard to which
the afildavits were made were investi-
gated by the poor commission aud II
appears that none OF them were paid
by the city.
Hot Denial Is Entered.
Those charges are all lies, every
one Of them" hotly declared Mrs.
Chambers to The Times, Wednesday
afternoon. This whole matter was
inspired by Supt Dclan, of the poor
commission, who has II in for our
place because we wouldn't take city
cases for S. | don't propose to LET
my hospital be used as dumping
ground by the poor commission for
cases that nobody else wants unless !
tho e.p,a urICa that pfhpr hoSuit a q