The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-10

munication in reference to the said
election; but this board. understanding
| that its discretion as to the election
! of a surgeon was absolute and COM
plcte, did not consider It relevant to
consider of these matters. and that
! the sole question to bio disposed IL
was whether OF not the refusal of DR..
! CarrSngton to answer questions at the
request of the board. which were neces-
sary to inform the board OF the work
| ings of the penitentiary, and the as
| sault upon the board and Its members
by the said c. V. Darlington. consti-
tuted such misbehavior as to justify
in the Judgment of the board, the re-
moval of said arlington.
Position of Board.
THE alleged willingness OF the said
Darlington to give information now.
which he deliberately refused when
he was officially called upon to give IT,.
is not considered by the board as any
excuse for his misbehavior on that
occasion.
III DR.. Darlington had not been in
! a position to give the information
which was required at the time Of
his reply to the letter of October o.,
! he should have SO stated In order that
the board could have acted; but in
stead of making such statement, he
replied that, pending an investigation
by a legislative committee, he did not
think II proper to go into the charges
which were to be laid before such a
committee OF Investigation. The board
had the right TO this information, ir-
respective of any investigation by any
legislative committee. The board saw
clearly that, IL the surgeon of the
penitentiary would not give this in
| formation. which was necessary and
essential to the discipline of the pcni-
fnatI Tor hat = -
have q surgeon who would give them
the required information, and that It
was not proper, to walt for an In
definite period for a position lesis-
lative investigation g General AS
sembly, which WOULD not meet before
the 10th Of January. 1912.
THE board was the more surprised
at such a statement because in fire.
quent reports made by the said C. v.
Darlington to the board. the said Car
rington had commended In the highest
terms the conduct and the discipline OF
the pcnitentiary. AS far back as Oc-
tober 1. 1907. DR.. Darlington stated
in his official report to the board us
follows: "A great deal has been said
recently about punishment In the peni-
Tertiary. For seven years have
given this subject the closest atten-
ton. and any one who knows me or
knows anything about my record as
surgeon at the penitentiary. knows
that l stand for nothing more or less
than a square deal to the convict and
firm but just and impartial enforce
ment Of the rules and regulations OF
the institution; and have no hesita-
tion in saying that during the last few
years punishments have been admins
tered with equity, tirmness and Justice
In other words. the spirit that now
prevails In the prison is to give the
convict square DEAL
Darlington Quoted.
DIR Darlington further stated ir
that report that the constituted au-
thorities must be respected and obeycd
to the letter, or the devil would be "a
pay In five minutes. This rule Dr. Car
rington did not observe when he re-
fused obedience to the request Of this
board, his superior officers. for infor-
nation. Each annual report from that
time until 1910. which Is his last re-
port, contains assurances that the
treatment OF the prisoners and the dis
cipline of the penitcntiary was all that
! 1t should be. His last report. dated
September so. 1910. says as follows: I
can assure you. and the record Is right
behind this statement, that tho health
/ conditions. discipline and general we'll
being and feeling Of the convicts was
never In better shape than to-day. |
have been surgeon to this institution
for over eleven ycara, and know con-
ditions past and present pretty thor :
onghly.' And again: My relations with
| the Superintendent officers and guards
have been uniformly pleasant and 1
ffel that the excellent health conditions
now prevailing at the penitentiary are
/, duo greatly to- their help and cooper
! 1tion.'
"The record shows that the last COM
! plant made by DR.. Darlington to the
/ superintendent of the penitentiary was
| made as far back as July .. 1909. and
that therefore his letter to the papers.
1 which did not defuitcly ate that there
II INA. In,