New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-16
Charities Commissioner Is
Indignant at Charges by
Father Farrell.
SAYS CRITICISM is
WRONGLY BASED
Mayors Cabinet Officer Declares
Pastor Must Make Full Ex-
PLANTATION of Attacks.

AP,or demanding an apology for state
,,onts alleged 10 have been made by the
pov William B. Farrell, pastor OF the
Catholic Church of IS. Peter and Paul.
Brooklyn, Commissioner Kingsoury OF
the Charities Department yesterday init
mated that IL he did not get u he Woulu
sue the priest for Islander.
/, long letter TO Father Farrell the
Commissioner said
Serious charges against this depart
ment and against me personally, growing
out OF an interview with you which APP
peared in the Brooklyn and Manhattan
papers last week, continue to be repeated
in the press as the basis OF editorial COM
ment."
The Commissioner then referred TO an
article in which Father Farrell was
quoted as saving that the case OF man
whose arm had been torn out OF the
socket was not considered an emergency
one because the man had grit enough 10
walk TO the hospital. AT the conference
between representatives of the Hospitai
Alliance. including Father Farrell, as
president Of the Williamsburg Hospital
Commissioner Kingsbury challenged the
clergyman to produce the record OF any
such case in his administration, stating
that II the pastor could he would apoio-
gize
"You thereupon admitted that this case
did not occur in my administration
wrote the Commissioner. 81 regret TO say
however, that you did not apologize. L
wish to give you the opportunity to do so
to correct the erroneous impression OF
the departments policy toward private
institutions and hospitals, created by
your citing n case for which you admit l
could have had no responsibility.
Commissioner Kingsbury called atten-
ton TO an account OF recent meeting
of the Hospital Alliance, in which Father
Farrell was quoted as saying that the
crowded conditions at the metropolitan
Hospital at a midnight visit of members
Of the Board OF Estimate were staged
for effect, and that the patients found
sleoping on floors were distributed to
semi-public and private institutions
within the next few days.
IL hope you will take occasion to cor
rect the misquotations there" the Com
missioner says, las the. are nothing
short of damaging and slanderous, re-
fecting not only on the Department OF
Charities, but upon the Mayor, the Con-
trolIer and President McAneny, who
made a night inspection of BlackwelPs
IT,
ing there These statements are both
false. and I feel sure that no gentleman
Of your standing, and certainly no MIN
lister of the Gospel, can afford TO let such
false statements so out to the pubic
without at least making an effort TO cor
rect them"
The Commissioner gave the following as
some cases which he had cut out OF bills
rendered to the city, stating that few
HOSPITALS are in the habit of rendering
such bills:
|. Where the mother Of patient at first
paid the hospital s. a week and then had
the patient transferred TO a SIS ward.
.. A patient in a private room, paying
the hospital s14 week and IS day for
a day and a night nurse.
3. Patients whose care in the private
hospitals are paid for by the railroad
companies.
{. Patients to whom the hospital renders
a bill for its services. and who state that
they expect to pay the hospital.
Father Farrell said:
II published letter that is deserving OF
an answer. I don't understand how
personal attack can cover the institutional
question"