The Washington herald., 1912-06-11
.WEEDALE ASKS
FOR ACCOUNTING
Cannot Say Whether District Owes
Government Hospital
s7ss, $500.
CIVIL ITEM
SHOULD BE DELAYED
Says Necessary Auditing Of. Ac-
counts Win Require
Much Time.

Admitting an Indebtedness TO the
Government Hospital for the Insane
for the care Of INDECENT patients for
the District Of Columbia, but asking that
no steps be taken toward paying the
amount mentioned in the sundry civil
bfu S7Ss $500, until a careful auditing
OF accounts establishes that to be the
correct amount, a report by the District
Auditor on the alleged Indebtedness was
transmitted to the Senate yesterday in
a message from the President.
In sending the Auditors report TO the
President. Mr.. Rudolph, for the Board Of
District Commissioners. made the follow
ing suggestion:
''The Board Of Commissioners believe
that no appropriation Of money should
be made at this time, and that in lieu
thereof a legislative direction should be
inserted in the sundry civil bill directing
the Auditor OF the District OF Columbia
and the Auditor Of the State and other
departments to state an account between
the District Of Columbia and the Gov
ernment Hospital for the Insane and re-
port the results thereof to Congress at
the commencement Of the next session"
Asks Early SPayment.
The sundry civil bill states the above
amount to be due from the District and
orders the payment from District reve-
nues in seven annual installments, be-
ginning in 1913.
The Auditor, in his report, says that
the amount mentioned seems to have
been arrived at from eN parte statements
before the committee rather than from
a careful auditing Of accounts.
This ONCE, says the report, lis not
in a position at this time in the absence
Of a thorough audit OF the accounts
submitted by the Government Hospital
for the Insane to the District Of Column
bia, between the fiscal years 1881 and
1911, inclusive, to state whether the Dis
trict Of Columbia is indebted in any such
sum as stated in the provision In ques-
ton. 1t would appear from the phrase
ology employed in the provision that the
reimbursement to the United States Of
the sum Of $7ss. $500, as the District OF
Columbia's half, is predicated upon an
excess number Of INDECENT insane patients
Of the District beyond those charged to
the District in the acts submitted by the
Government Hospital for the Insane dur
ing the years mentioned and paid by the
District.
Responsibility on Hospital.
IF it be the fact that during all these
years the cost Of maintaining certain
numbers Of the Districts insane has not
Deeu CcEAlue1 70 Ine DlsIlCIB auInOrllleSs
and included in the monthly bills pre-
pared by and rendered to the District
by the Government Hospital for the In
sane, the responsibility for the deficiency
in question rests with that institution.
1t is Of knowledge 10 this ONCE that
for a great many years the amounts of
appropriations annually authorized by
Congress and paid by the Government
Hospital for the Insane for the support
of the insane of the District have been
inadequate TO discharge fully the obll.
cations Of the District in this regard"
Mr.. Tweedale said il would require a
complete and detailed analysis Of the
accounts in question to determine the
amounts due the Government Hospital,
a work which would require some time
to perform.