The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1914-02-13

A@ '$oS cutyt "hSii iiS Udu
been taken away by the board of re-
gents. He said that the regents hau
decided to elect all subordinate Off
GERS of the institution.
81 regard DR.. E. B. Saunders as
the best officer of the asylum" said
the witness. This statement was
made by the witness in discussing
the movement to oust DR.. Saunders
as an official of the asylum. 1t was
brought out that DIR. Babcock was
appointed to take the place of the
late P. E. Griffin, M. D.
1t was brought out by the witness
that there has been friction at the
asylum between several of the ply
sicians.
Visited Senator Tillman.
DR.. Babcock said that while return
ing from medical meeting in At
lanta, January 8, he stopped over at
the home of Senator Tillman at Tren-
ton and went over the entire situa-
tion in respect of conditions at the
asylum. He declared that nothing
was said about the "underlings and
satellites" of the governor. He told
Senator Tilman of the rumors that
the governor was advocating the
abandonment of the plan for the de-
velopment of State Park by using
the building there for a tuberculosis
hospital. DR.. Babcock said that in
December he had heard the governor
make statements regarding the prop
erty. The witness said that no refer
ence was made at the conference with
Senator Tilman to the sale of the old
asylum property in Columbia.
What is the trouble, if there is
any trouble, out there at the asylum? ?
was question asked by one of the
members of the committee.
DR.. Babcock, in answer to a aues-
ton, launched into a discussion of the
investigation of the asylum several
years ago. "The investigation was
aimed pretty much at me-" he said
He charged j. L. Thomson, M. D.,
the assistant physician, with work
ing against him. He also charge
that DR.. Griffin, one of the assist
ants, had been working against him.
DR.. Babcock declared that he never
allowed personal feeling to influence
him in the affairs of the asylum, and
that it was for that reason that he
had worked to have these two physi
cians removed by the board of re-
gents. He declared that DR.. Saun-
ders had reported to him a CONVEX
sation of two members of the board
of regents on a railway train, in
which it was stated that "Babcock
had too much authority" He said
that he next heard that Fred H.
Dominick, a former member of the
board of regents, had said, owe
will get rid of Babcpck just as soon
as we can find suitable man."
The witness next discussed his Of
ficial relations with the governor of
the State. "My relations with the
governor were very pleasant" said
ne witness. He declared that he had
made several personal appeals to the
governor to settle matters at the asy-
lum and that the governor had al
ways responded to his calls.
Against DIR. Saunders.
Dr. Babcock said. that last Septem-
ber he heard of meeting of mem
bers of the board of regents with
some of the subordinate officials. at
which time objection was expressed
to DR.. Saunders. The witness said
that he had protested against the re-
moval of DR.. Saunders, saying that
ne would resign if the young woman
assistant were removed. "Her work
mad been constantly constructive"
said the witness. He said that he
learned that E. P. Derrick, M. D., of
Lexington, had been elected to sue
ceed DIR. Saunders. DR.. Babcock
said that the governor did not want
him to resign when the resignation
OF DR.. Saunders was under discus
sion. He said that E. H. Aull of
Newberry went to the governors
mansion and later reported that the
matter had been dropped. DR.. Bah
cock said he thought that the Incl
dent was closed.
Ihe witness next discussed the
study OF the Wasserman blood test
under Ernest Cooper, M. D. pathoro-
glst. II saw no objection to DR..
Saunders doing this test" said DIR.
Babcock. He said that a knowledge of
the test was very important in con-
nection with the asylum. He declared
that he heard of objections to DR..