The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-12-27
following will show all that is necessary

Mr.. Harker said in substances: Gamma
Harker is my sister and / consider her a
good cook. She has kept house for seve.
raj different people. 1 knew that charges
had been preferred against her. Mr.. LOT.
land came to my hotel few days after the
charges had been made public and we
had a conversation on the subject" Mr..
Harker said: "Well, don't know much
about it, MIR. Lofiand, but there is some OF
those charges you will be ready to quit on
after you find out more about it. He
asked me what part and said in regard
to the cook and assistant cook | told
him what I knew about 1t, that she had
worked there about six years and did all
of her own work. told him the cook is
my sister and the assistant is my daughter.
He said the charges were In his possession
and would not be pushed, would not be
presented In fact and he asked me If
would not come over to the asylum and SO
inform my sister and daughter" Mr. Jor-
dan asked this question: II understand
you to say he told you they would not be
pushed, those charges he had made 2" Mr..
Harker replied Eyes, that is what he
said; he said: Those charges are in my
possession. They will never be presented
l will tear them mp; burn them up. This
remark was considered to refer to the cook
and assistant only" In answer to'a ques-
ton by Mr.. Dubell. Mr. Harker said this
conversation with Mr.. Lofland was after
the charges were made public. lit will
not do any harm to call attention to the
fact that the charges were not then In the
possession of Mr.. Lofiand and that he did
not possess the power to destroy them in
any manner.-Editor THE News.
Another charge was that Mrs. John
Hillary had made protracted visits at the
asylum, but this was easily explained. A
charge that she had purchased goods at
WetherillPs store and had them charged to
the asylum was disproved by Mr.. Wether-
Ill, who said Mrs. Hillary had meyer
bought anything at his store for the
asylum. She did buy eight cents worth
of wool at one time, which was charged
to Clarence Deacon's personal account.
The charge that bills were Jumped and
not itemized was shown to be absolutely
without foundation, as the bills for years
back were on file, every purchase being
itemized with the price in plain figures.
In view Of the testimony adduced the
committee rendered the following report:
1.-THE committee summoned every one
whom 1t thought could throw any light on
this subject. The matter has naturally been
talked about, and when any one has given
reason to think there was knowledge in
his possession, he has been questioned.
Mr.. Henry B. Wright, of Westampton
township, in barber shop, in public
manner, said he did not think 1t would be
any trouble to substantiate at least one of
the charges, and that he knew enough Of
his own knowledge to prove It, He was
summoned to appear before the committee
but he refused to appear.
In this same connection the committee
wishes to say that 1t had some little diff
Guilty in getting an answer from a member
of the committee on insane. This is the
evidence of Mr.. Joyce:
Question-"Did you ever know of Mrs
Louisa Deacon, or any other person, Mrs
Clarence Deacon, or any one, buying
goods for their own personal use and hav-
ing them charged to the countyH
| Answer-"That couldn't say"
Q-"l say, did you ever hear of it2"
A-"Well, couldn't answer that ques-
ton"
Dwell, you know it; have you ever
heard of it2"
A-'Yes, have heard of it; oh, yes,
have heard of it.
Q-"Did you ever investigate it as a
member of the committee p
A-"No, never made any investigation
of it."
Q-"How is that2"
A-'Well. 1t has just lately been. that
is, have just heard of 1t lately"
Q-"What did you hear2"
A-"Well, l don't think am going to
answer that"
Q-"All right, do just as you please
You are putting yourself In funny posi-
ton, though, as a member of the commit
tee if you won't answer the question. The
thing may come back on the committee on
insane and there have been absolute denials
of that. Now, then. If somebody is not
telling the truth we want to know it. You
decline to answer that question 2"
| Ayes, think do"
| Q-.'Just put that down, Mr.. steno-
grapher, that Mr.. Joyce declines to
answer that question"
Mr.. THAT is something that has
probably been started. you know, since
this; that only came to me through hear
say, you know"
After carefully considering the testi-
mony, which covers many pages and
which would take up a a large space in
your proceedings If read infull, but which
we are perfectly willing to read If so de.
sired, the committee has reached the fol.
lowing conclusion: The charges made
against the management of the asylum are
too trivial to give grave attention to and
should never have been allowed to occupy
the time that has been devoted to them
The only item that can be said to call fol
especial mention Is that charging that
there has been too much company and
that it stayed too long. Just how much
company the superintendent Is to be
privileged to entertain and how long his
friends and relatives may stay is a matter
to be adjusted by your Board. If the
committee in charge of the asylum sees
that privileges are being abused it is theil
province and their duty to call the atten.
ton of the superintendent to the matter
and If he does not heed their iniunctions
then the Board should be notified We
feel, from the testimony adduced and
from observations while at the asylum,
that the institution Is being conducted for
the benefit and to the benefit of the tax
payers of this county, and we recommend
that the charges be dismissed"
On the conclusion of the reading of
this report Mr.. Hilton moved that
1t be received and the recommends
tion be adopted, to which Mr.. Evan Of
fered an amendment that the committee
be discharged with the thanks of the
Board. The motion and amendment were
adopted.
There had been some surprise that Mr..
Lofiand SO quietly acquiesced in these
motions but it did not take long to show
that he was not yet through with the mat
ter and that he intended to get another
'slap" at the asylum. He arose and
waved paper which he said was another
set of charges and he wanted a chance to
have them presented and to have an open
meeting at which the taxpayers could
have chance to be present and listen to
what might be said.
Mr.. Hilton moved that further dis.
cussion of the entire matter be deferred
until the first regular meeting after the
ni1ott0r Of tho rarry p0ard