New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-13
PRIEST PASSES LIE
in CHARITIES WAR
Father Farrell Says Reply
of Commissioner Is a
Plea of Guilty.
KINGSBURY ISSUES
DETAILED DEFENCE
Explains Several Cases Of Pa
tieHts Alleged 10 Have
Been Mistreated.

John a. Kingsbury. Charities Com
missioner, yesterday issued q reply 20
his critics, and especially 90 the allega-
tlons made by Father William 3. Far
rcll, pastor OF the Church Of st. Peter
and st, Paul, Brooklyn.
When Commissioner KinCsbury's re-
ply was shown 90 Father Farrell the
latter said 10 was in effect q plea Of
guilty 20 all the indictments brought
against his administration. Father
Farrell added that he was ready al any
time Go rcitcrate his charges under
0athNaud 20 make further disclosures
as 20 conditions existing IN city iusii-
tutions before the State Board Of
Charities, which is now conducting an
investigation OF the department.
In his answer 10 Father FaTel's
charges Commissioner Kingsbury says
he regards 10 AS a waste of time to re-
ply 90 such statements and then pro-
cceds 20 defend himself through ten
closely typewriter pages. The com
mlSSioncr's replies 60 Che charges and
Father Farrells rctorts are, in part, as
follows:
"Father Farrell cited O pathetic case
Of q man whose arm had been torn
from the socket. but who. nevertheless,
had been rejected as an emergent case
on the ground that the man was able
20 walk 90 the hospital. In the pres
ence Of witnesses ln my Office Father
Farrell acknowledged that this case did
not occur during my administration;
but, 20 my knowledge. he has refused
70 make any public acknowledgment OF
this error
Says Commissioner Lies.
To this Father Farrell replied: Com
missioner kingsbury deliberately lies
when he says ] charged his administra-
ton with this particular inhumanlty, or
that ] failed 90 correct the impression
that 10 had occurred during his
regime. At q hearing OF the Hospital
Alliance representative June IL, l
told Commissioner kinEsbury openly
before the assembly that I had never
made the charge against him, and he
quickly published the fact IN the news
papers.
-Four separate times he has de-
uounced me for saying that ! had
made this charge. AS matter Of fact,
] did not tell the story at all. though /
knew of it, and 1T is a true story. The
learned commissioner shows the weak
ness Of his case when he opens his de-
fence by seeking 20 clear himself Of a
charge which was not brought against
him.
Commissioner Kingsbury denies
Father Farrells statement that 10 costs
the city s. Or 90 care for each patient,
while the private hospitals charge only
81 10 day for an emergency patient
"Therc is no hospital in the Depart
ment Of Public Charities whose per
capita cost exceeds 81 day. con-
tinues the commissioner.
|ar a.a.HH H.Hn ~ nn
futility and emptiness OF Mr. Kings
burv's reasoning" said Father Farrell
"He says il costs 81 q day 20 care for
each patient. whereas he Omlts the
millions of dollars the city has already
invested ia the hospital plants, the cost
of annual maintenance. loss Of interest
on the principal and depreciation. If
the truth were known, So a patient
would hardly cover the cost TO the tax
payer ln the private hospitals the cost
90 the city is @ fixed charge; there is
nothing for functional deputies
Cites Case of Man Who Died.
Commissioner Kingsbury takes up in
his reply certain specific cases Of IN
efficiency and inhumanity which were
brought forward by Father Farrell lie
says, in part:
The case OF the unpaid helper
named Johnson, who was reported
sick but was ordered 20 get up
and 60 TO work or leave the island,
is am interesting example. This
case was reported 20 me at the
time IL occurred, and my general
inspector made an Investigation
within forty-eight hours. lie
found that the man had refused
TO work, on the ground that he
Il rHH fHNnf
before commanding Johnson to
work. had him examined by one OF
the house physicians.
The steward reports that the
physician reported the man able to
do light work, which he was or
dered TO perform. Johnson, how
over. still refused 90 work, and
was accordingly discharged for
failure 10 obey orders. Two hours
later he was found Boy another
physician. sitting on the steps out
SIDE the institution. suffering from
au attack Of asthma, and was sent
back 10 the hospital ward Tor
treatment.
Later examination by the visit
ing physician developed the TACT
that be was suffering from pneu-
monia, from which disease he sub
seouently died.
DR.. Charles B. Bacon, superin-
tendent of the institution in which
this occurred, made q careful exc
animation, and reported that
patient suffering from asthma
could have been apparently well
al the time Of the first eXamins-
ton and in q serious condition
when seen later and sent back 70
the hospital These are the facts
in relation TO the patient Johnson.
The case was dealt with promptly
bv this department; no effort was
made 20 hush 10 up; no requests,
10 my knowledge, have been re-
received before this time for any
efatement on DO.