The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-11
Charges of Senator Noel Cause
Debate But Not Re-
duetion
LACK OF JUDGMENT
BUT NO DISHONESTY
Senator Makes This Explanation
and Other Senator'S Give Tu-
bercu,osis Sanatorium Clean 1
Bill of Health.
Much ado about nothing

Much ado about nothing"
This Shakespearean title naight
more or less appropriately be bor~
rowed to characterize the Statements
made against the Board OF Health ~
Senator Noel, OF Lee county. in tia
Senate Thursday night and Friday
morning Senator NaeEs- allesa4S9Ae
of mis1udgment on the part Of Dr.
Williams not only did not impress
the Senate to the extent Of lowering Y
the boards appropriation or deciding 4
to investigate the bouy. but resulted
in some hot shots being fred at the
Southwest soion and clean bill 81
health" for the board and Commits
sicEer Enion Williams. S
Senator Noel disclaimed any inten-
ton to charge dishonesty to tho
board. and continued reading from q
document in which DIR. Robert VIII
iiams. the resigned superintendent ~
the Catawha Sanitartuxa,- whe stated Y
that the whole scheme OF the inst1-
tuition was askew and awry with
things as they should have BEEN
Senators Lassiter. Rison. KeexeIi.
Sims and Halsey dissipated the Aile~s
CATIONS of misjudgment and paid thetf
compliments to Senator Noel for maxi
ing his statements because he Maa
criticised IN newspaper.
When the dove of peace axaiSk
spread it's wings over the Senate. ft8Gs
$4,000 appropriation to the Board az
Health was made without dfasefat-
ing voice, and things began running
smooth again.
Noel Continues Charges.
When the Senate convened Frfdays
Mr., Noel 3aId he did not wish u.
charge dishonesty on the part Of thu;
administration OF catawba SauS-|
Il. L. II m5aaa
an egregicus blunder had been ma64s
at the institution. ~
Senators Elan and Rfson queeeton@
ed Mr.. Noel how long he had b4eA
ia possession of the fnformHtiun On
which he based his charges. He -
piled five or six days. Senator HfppSR
wanted 70 know why the charges wsr4
not made before. Mr.. Noel rspateA
that he had had no opportunity 0xl<M
ting the rpnst week. but added f611 I'M
H.ade charges when the Fiekch1F I4l
was being considered several W&&k~
ago. but no one thought enough On
them to ask for the facts on whlrxE
he based his charges.
Objections to the Site. s@
Senator Noel read two letters teHsl-l
ing to show that Delegate Spes1as6
endeavored to dissuade the health
officials from selecting the old K0A.
noke Red Springs as the site Of tiA
Catawba Sanatarium. Two letters
from Delegate Spessard to DIR. wits
itarias and one from the health coma
missioner to the delegate were reaA.
The senator continued TO read from
the report of DIR. Robert Williams.
who resigned from the sanatarft,1m
and who stated in writing that thk
entire site. including the drainaes.
buildings. view and soil. were un41f.
The resigned superintendent also stat-
ed that because of the inaccssa biliey
of the sanatarium the patients Asaf-
fered from home sickness and lAniE
I OF change of scene, and II was necce-
sary to haul drinking water some dts~
lance to tho institution.
At this juEl,ture Senator HalsaYS
rose to point OF order, saying SenA-
tor Noefs remarks were out OF order
as he had withdrawn his CHARGES.
Senator Noel disclaimed havinn
charged more than blunder, H1
added that 1t was an egregious blundxx
to spend $4,000 to repair an old.
hetel building on an improper rita.
when $4,000 would have erected =
new- and model structure on prUpSx
+, site. MI
Senator Halsey called upon Mr.. Noel
I for the source of his Information and
where he got the report Of Or. Rob-
ert Williams. The gentleman from
I Lee said his informant was w. 81.
Watkins, formerly stenographer 10 the
I health commissioner. Asked. Ii the
( stenographic notes were taken III ~
executive session, Mr.. Noel said NJ
did not know. IN
! Pay of DIR. Robert Williams.
| Commenting on the payment OF two
months salary and $3.50 to DR. R0h-
ert Williams, Senator Noel said III
could not understand it, unless the
/ attorney general believed the physa@
clan had a right of action against tha
I State because of representations IN =
letter to him from the health coua-S
4 missioner. In closing, Senator Noel
said check should be put on the
practice of allowing departments III
draw money without vouchers. ssI
have put this matter fairly before the
Senate. Gentlemen. do as you see NJ.
said Mr.. Noel.
Defends the Institution.
Senator fassster replied to Seuxt0r'
! Noel. The Petersburg senator dctiaf~
ed investigation Of real estate valu1e
had shown that the Board OF HeAltk
| got good bargain when II purchases
the building and site for $4,000. HI
read a report showing that In To-
weeks 40 patients at the sanatortuxE
most OF them from Senator N04eH
congressional district. gained an aver
age Of l-2 pounds per man. whll
] one man lost pounds. saE
Senator Noel said DIR. Robert WIN
lliams declared that consumptirea oxx
ways gained weight In the mountMf
of Virginia Senator Gravatt ro1I
from report showing that out ~ fI
I52 patients at the institutions 3 l
been cured and 40 materially iInps
cd a Sk1
4 Senator Lassiter began to ~
the statement that Delegate B0yvx
son lawyer. received eI2S - n
amining the title to nine ptec9Q
mountain property. and said 16S
had a right to charge fesG. M ~
1 Senator Noel. an attorney. GA1l
fees. Senator Noel then rose a.
he had been informed that HG1G
Bowmnn's con received 31.0ee H1&
gotiatinG the deal In which ~
purchased the sanatQrtnIsa Sd
I Mr.. LaSsiter satd he attends
University of Virginia With
Williams. and alth0uRh ~