The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-02-11

Columbia Feb. s.-Hearsay evil
dence. interspersed at times by bitter
and insinuative political and personal
remarks. featured the first session Of
the legislative committee appointed
to investigate certain charges made in
connection with the affairs Of the
state Hospital for the Insane. which
vas held yesterday in the supreme
court room.
Three witnesses--the governor Of
South Caroli'.a. ID. n. Tiilman, United
States senator. and J. w. Babcock. M.
d., superintendent of the State Hos
pital for the Insane-gave testimony
at the session. which lasted four
hours. At 2 o'clock the committee ad-
journed. to meet again Monday aft
ernoon at o'clock. when the taking
OF testimony will be resumed.
Members Of the committee are: r.
j. Mauldin OF Pickens. II. J. Srait of
Union. for the senate; J. A. Hunter
or Bamberg. w. +. Stevenson of Ches-
terneid and ~. w. Hardin OF Chero-
kee. for the house Of representatives.
Mr.. Hardin was named as q member
OF the committee to take the place OF
c. c. wyche ,f spartanburE. who was
excused because OF the illness Of his
father.
The investigation was brought
about as a result Of message sent to
the general assembly by the governor.
which contained q letter from Sena-
tor Tillman. In Ills letter the senator
charged that the governor and his
'underlingy and satellites were try
inG to manipulate the sale Of the
property OF the State Hospital for the
Insane In Columbia and that an ef-
fort was being made to oust DIR. Bab-
cock and his assistant. DIR. l. B. saun-
dsrs. . young woman physician In
charge OF the white female patients at
the hospital.
Testifying before the committee, DIR.
Babcock said that he had heard Of q
scheme proposed by the governor
whereby the new building at State
Park was to be- used for tuberculosis
hospital. the old asylum plant In the
city to be used for white patients and
the State penitentiary to be convert
ed into an asylum for negro patients.
The gov1-uor stated In this connection |
that no has such q plan in mind and
that the pcnitontiary would be ready
for occupancy by August Of this year. |
He declared that he would heed the |
petition Of members OF the general as |
sembly and OF the county supervisors
20 place the convicts on the roads of
the State. He said that moro than 100
prisoners had been sent from the PEN
itentiary TO the county chaingangs
during the past several weeks.
Senator Tillman In his testimony
stated that he did not know anything
definite as TO the effort to sell the
property OF the asylum; that II was his
private opinion: that he gained hts
information from general rumors and
from reading the newspapers: that his
statement was kind Of intuitive sug-
Gestion: that he had intended that a
copy Of his letter be sent to all nem-
bers OF tho house and senate; that
no had gained from DIR. Babcock ell
OF his information as to the fight on
Dr. Babcock and DIR. Saunders; aud
that he knew nothing definite con-
eerning the entire matter.
Senator Tillman incorporated the
following written statement in his tes-
timony:
Anticipating the question. What
did you mean by Governor Blease's
satellites and underlings? 1 have writ
ten out my answer. These two are
very plain English words. easily un-
derstood. and the dictionary will In
form any ignoramus OF their mean
ing
'Satellite--A follower; particular
~. n suoseryient or obseauious follow
CT or attendant: a subordinate attend
ant
Underling--One who is subordi-
nGte TO another. especially In some
mean or servilc capacity. hence. a.
mean, sorry fellow.
II have always been credited with
using striking phrases to convey my
meaning. and this is an illustration of
that faculty. I have designated no
one. mentioned no names. and he can
only Justly be aggrieved who considers
himself. and thus convicts himself oil
coming under the description above
given. In other words. the cap hts
him. So. let him wear II. The sena-