Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-12-01
Places Former Steward and
Treasurer Responsible.
Or. MiIler's Testimony Before Gov
ernor and CounciI..UphoIds Use
OF Hot Packs as Modern Methods
..0ther Witnesses Find Him Ef-
ficient and WeIl.Liked.

With a little over half of the wit
resses for the defence examined and
the end of six-hours testimony by DR..
Miller. the hearing before the Governor
and Council on charges against the Of
ficers of the Augusta State hospital.
OF the board of trustees, closed at AS.
Saturday afternoon, and will recon
vene, at 2.30, this (Monday) afternoon.
DIR. Miller occupied the stand during
the morning session and a part of the
afternoon. Severe eross-examination
by Judge Cleaves failed to shake the
ments he had made during direct ex-
animation. His answers We're all quail
fed by explanations, which Governor
Haines refused to stop when Judge
Cleayes pleaded for direct answers.
The Governors evident desire to probe
the affairs Of this institution to the
the Council would hear full explana-
tions.
Further testimony developed general
denials of all the allegations made by
Mr.. Smith, and those directly aimed sc
pr. Miller. The witness said he did not
consider himself arrogant with the en-
ploycs. but that it was necessary to be.
firm and he must have discipline, as he
informed Mr.. Hallowell, the boss car
penter, who was a witness for the pros
ecution.
That he attributed all dissension and
alleged disorganization of the admin
istration to Manning S. Campbell,
former steward and treasurer, was,
brought out during direct examinations
of DR.. Miller DR.. Miller stated he con-
Quoted himself as a superintendent
should and believed he had managed
the hospital for the best interests OF
the institution and its inmates.
Explaining the Vannah case, he said
he never considered Vannah an insana
criminal, and that he still considered
the man in his custody when he went
to Togus with an attendant. Vannah,
man 70 years of age, seemed to the
doctor, perfectly safe in the hands or
the husky attendant, Clyde Pratt, who
was introduced to the Council.
Trouble with DIR. Sturgis, explain
ed DR.. Miller, was merely q matter of
cooperation, and he reprimanded the
doctor for not conforming with the
methods which he had inaugurated for
the treatment of patients. He told
Sturgis frankly that he might have to
recommend his removal to the board of
trustees.
DR.. Millers answers seemed to
trouble Judge Cleaves during cross-ex-
animation. The attorney for the pros
ecution objected to the witness appar-
ent desire to qualify his answers, but
Gov. Haines refused to see why the
witness shouldn't explain situations,
other than by direct yes or no, ana
allowed the qualifications to continue
Each and every case used as basis
of the charges, was explained as nap
penings.' such as would always oc-
cur IN as large an institution as this
In reference to the discharge of at
tendants for negligence or otherwise,
DIR. Miller stated he did not always
find it wise to discharge an attendant
/ because of errors but every case was
always reported to him and was al
WAYS investigated. In event of suffi-
cient reason, the attendant was dis
/ charged.
Subjected to a rigid cross eXamina-
ton. the direct testimony of DR.. Mil
Ter held firm. He submitted his own
versions of the affairs in straightfor-
ward manner. He testified that he had
always been subjected to little Stun
bling blocks, which tended To dIsor-
garize his administration. He believ-
ed il the result of this investigation
were in his favor that in the future
these things would be eliminated.
Willis Y. Patch, a former member OF
| Gov. Plaisted's executive Council ana
| a member of the hospital visiting COM
mittee, was absolutely satisfied with
the present regime at the institution.
DR.. c. C. Kilgore of Belfast. adVls-
ing physician to the committee, up
held q good deal of DR.. Miiler's testi-
mony. He considered the present su-
perintendent efficient, acquainted Win
his patients. with best knowledge OF
| modern methods of treating insanity,
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