The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-02-20
VARIOUS WITNESSES
AT ASYLUM PROBE
INVESTIGATION STILL IN PRO
GRESS.
Sessions Resumed on Tuesday
Testimony of the Various
Witnesses.
w. F. Caldwell in News and Courier.

Blease, in executive session OF the
board of regents of the State Hos
pital for the Insane, on December II,
1913, by word and manner, cast in
sinuation and issue on DR.. Eleanora
i B. Saunders, woman physician at the
asylum, was testified to this afternoon
I before the asylum Investigating COM
nittee, by DR.. Julius H Taylor, of this
city, member Of the board Of regents,
who was present throughout the en-
tire executive session Not alone the
professional standing, but the charac-
ter of DR.. Saunders, we're brought into
question by the governor time and
again by the insinuating nature Of the
questions which he asked and the
} statement which he made, said DR..
Taylor
The fact that. in his opinion, DR..
saunderss personal character had
been attacked was the reason, said
DR.. Taylor, why he would not vote for
a resolution introduced and adopted,
stating that no personal charges had
been made, and that it was for the
best interest of the lady and every
body else concerned that the investi-
CATION begun at that time be dropped,
n DR.. Taylor stated that in his opinoin,
bthe character of the woman physician
had been brought into question and
that the wording of the resolution
Emplied that an investigation might
substantiate the charges.
Declares Ccharges "Puerile."
DR.. Taylor paid high tribute % the
character of DR.. Saunders as a wo-
man and as physician, declaring
that she was "head and shoulders
above any other subordinate member
of the medical staff" AL Of the
charges made by her fellow physi-
.teians at the executive session, were
absolutely puerile," said DR.. Taylor,
who explained that they related to
removing table from certaiA room,
use of a typewriter, and similar al
legations. "Yet unconsciousIy every
physician who testified there against
her paid the most magnificent tri-
butte to ner work and her ability, :"
said Dr. Taylor.
The afternoon session Of the asylum
Investigating committee heard the tes-
Jimony of DR.. Taylor, ]. D. Bivens and
James A. summersett, all members oI
the board of regents.
As to the executive session, Or. Tay-
lor said that every one except mem
bers of the board of rege1 is, Col, John
/ K. AuI1, private secretary to the gov
bAerRor, and members of the asylum
MEDICAL staff were excluded on motion
Tof &over nor Blease. Among taose ex-
3 cludAa under this order, he said, were
lawy&s for DR.. Saunders, her fa.her
and her stenographer, Mr.. A. NJ. Deal.
At Executive Session.
"The Whole meeting was surcharged
with an atmosphere of insinuations
against Dr. Saunders, said DR.. Tay-
lor, who tod of questions asked by
Governor Biease, in his opinion, in
EolVing the Character of the lady ply
sician. Thesewere SO frequently and
so insistently made, said DR.. Taylor,
that DR.. Saunders burst into tears, as
he thought any ether lady would have
done under the circumstances.
DR.. Taylor stated that it was his i'm
preston that the statement by Dr.
Griffin, in reply to aquestion, that DR..
Saunders is supposed to be single
woman" mad been made in an insin-
uating tone. Dr.. Griffin has denied to
the committee that he intended any
reflection whatever on the moral char
acter of Dr. Saunders by the use of
that phrase
After the melting had preceded for
some time, testified Dr. Taylor, Mr.
Bivens drew d paper fromSlis pocket
and introduced it as a resolution, con-
demning DIR. Saunders and DR., Bah
cock for continuing to permit the Wis
its of DR.. Cooper to the asylum afcer
ne had failed of reelection. DR.. Tay-
lor said that he expressed mis- strong
condemnation of the resolution, and
moved that DR.. Saunders and DR.. Bah
cock be exonerated, but there was no
second to his motion.
Refused to Reopen Hearing.
At later meeting of the board, tes.
titled Dr. Taylor, Mr.. o. L. Saunders