Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-02-02
AGAINST
'SCAPEG0AT' PLAN
IN Or. DILL PROBE
Director 0ugheltree Declares
Some Subordinate Officials in
Asylum Are Equally TO Blame.
DEMAND ELIMINATION OF
POLITICS IN INSTITUTION
Outcry Forces Freeholders to In
clude Drs. Bolton and Nc
COrmick in Investigation.

1
\ Declaring that some of the subor-
dinate officials at the asylum need
investigation. as much, If not more
than DR.. Dill" Director Wallace Ough-
eltree has stirred the freeholders' hos
pital committee to include DIR. James
Bolton and DIR. Henry Mccormick and
other ernployeesl of the institution In
the investigation of the asylum affairs.
which was brought about by the finding
of a oiiarred skeleton In the abandoned
South Orange avenue building.
This action Of the freeholders will
please tho friends Of Dr.. Dill, who, as
told in the EVENING STAR of Jam
uary II. declared that DIR. Dill should
not be made a martyr, and that If. there
was the gross mismanagement alleged
at the asylum. others were equally. if
NOT more, to blame than DR.. Dill.
T'cllowing is an extract from the arti-
Gle in the EVENING STAR: t"While
citizens do. not attempt to excuse DR..
Dill for sene of the conditions which
existed at the asylum, they declare that
he was severely handicapped in his
management of the institution; that he
meier was really the head of the insti-
tuition; that he had to take orders and
place men under him who got their po-
sitions through political influence, and
that asa result of this he was only q
1igurehead and was not permitted to ex-
ercise the authority he should"
l1oy Ia ri fipIfa ic a G
follows: Defenders of DIR. Dill say
that If the freeholders are sincere in
their efforts to reform the conditions
At the institution they should go further
than DR. Dill and make d sweeping
change at the Institution, a change
which would forever place the irstitu-
ton beyond the influence Of politics.
Another interesting development to-
day IN the asylum. mix-up is the seein-
ingiy Observation-Disclosures report that DR..
John o..sGaston. who told the. free-
Folders, committee OF bacchanaiian rev
elrles5of the attendants on tie night of
the last graduation exercises in the
South Orange Avenue Asylu.i, intends
TO resign.
Dr Castor, it is said, has found
conditions unhearable in the asylum
since he gave his testimony. 1t is said
that he is preparing 30 send in his res
ignation at the next meeting OF the
rreehoiders. 1t IS also reported that he
y anxious 80 tell the committee just
why he resigned and to- enlighten the
s%urlittee further ON what is and has
been going on at the asylum
should proceed at Once.
This is what Director Ougheltree said
at Yesterdays meeting
"Wfe should proceed at once with so
thorough an investigation that none OF
ti1o employees of the hospital can es-
cape II guilty of not properly discharg-
ing their duties. There is no doubt in
my mind that the institution should be
reorganized, SO that We can get rid OF
some of the deadWood.
II would suggest that we particu-
larry investigate DR. Bolton and DR..
Mccormick. The conclusions could
then be reported TO the board, and IL
some lawyer wants to certiorari the
proceedings let him do it. Bolton's
action in the Bauer case indicates that
IT is about time to get some ono else
TO do his work. a system that per-
naits such 'laxity as has been proven in
that case is not fit to use in the OPP
director Oughe%rees also said that IL
The committee wants to .lay down. on
the Case he wants the probe to not
only continue but be extended. 4 Chair
lnan Bentainin Haskell wanted to
know If there had been any disposition
Z on the part of members to LAY down
upon the work Of pushing the investi-
cation but the director did not reply.
several members thereupon declared
they were willing and eager to proceed.
In the discussion that followed it was
decided to hold the next meeting at the
asylum at 10 o'clock tomorrow morn
Ing.
County Supervisor Frederick J..
Baldwin said that the probe should be
continued regardless OF who Is hit.
County, Counsel Mum said that in a
talk he had with Chandler w. Riker.
counsel fu, Dr Dill Mr.. Riker had
advised that the posts of physician
and executive head be created to as
sumo the duties of the superintendent.
Although, this plan did not seem to
meet with much favor by the Freehold
ers present, there is growing senti-
nnent in the community that some such
executive plan will have to be adopted
as the institution is too largo to be
run by one man.
VIII Investigate All.
County Counsel Joseph L. Mum
said today;
.'The object Of the committee is to
investigate generally into the records
and management of the institution.
particularly during the last two or
three years. If any trail it may pur
sue leads TO criticism of particular
persons other than Or. Dill it will not
hesitate 10 follow said trail, and If
psrsoral blame In the Judgment Of the
committee Is attributable to any per-
son Or persons who are in Inferior
positions. or who are in advanced posi-
lions In the institution, the committee
viii not hesitate to make such pur-
suit" -,
Mr.. Ougteltree said that the object