The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1914-02-13
that his visits to the asylum were OBJ
lection ahlo

thaI MS Vlslts to the asylum were OBJ
jectionable.
Letters Introduced.
The witness said that he received a
letter from the governor, November
l5 of last year, asking for the re-
moval of DR.. Saunders. The commit
tee asked the witness if he had the
letters from the governor. DR.. Bab-
cock said that he regarded them as
confidential and would not like to
read them withou. the consent of the
governor.
Members of the committee insisted
that the letter be read. The governor
then stated that he had no objections
to the reading of the letters. The two
letters were read by DR.. Babcock and
introduced as testimony. The gov
ernor, the witness said, refused to
discuss the matter. DR.. Babcock de-
clared that he asked DR.. Cooper not
to return to the asylum. DR.. Babcock
said that he considered the entire
matter as confidential and that he
thought that the fight on DR.. Saun-
ders had been stopped.
The witness next told of an ex-
ecutive session of the board of re-
gents at the asylum, when DR.. Saun-
ders was subjected to an examination
by members of the board and the
governor The witness characterized
the cross examination as a savage at
tack, declaring that she had no
friends In the meeting. He said that
j. ID. Bivens introduced a resolution
to the effect that all charges against
her be confirmed and that she be re-
moved from office. The governor, Dr.
Babcock said, requested that the res
olution be withdrawn. Concerning
his statements to the board of re-
gents, DR.. Babcock said that they
were made for the exoneration of "an
innocent woman" He declared that
he later learned from E. H. Aull that
the board of regents had "slateS'
for new officials at the hospital He
declared that at later session DR..
Saunders had been exonerated by the
board and resolutions were adopted
blaming him for the fight to protect
her.
Praises DIR. Saunders.
DIR. Babcock said that he had been
engaged in asylum work for 27 years
and that he had found DR.. Saunders
the most efficient official connected
with any asylum. He declared that
her single purpose in life was for
the upbuilding of the institution. He
declared that she takes up a new line
of scientific work every year and that
was for the purpose of Improving
all departments of the institution. He
asserted that her progressive work
had aroused the antagonism of the
physicians. He told of DR.. Saunders
making blood test of the 600 won.-
en- patients, saying that it was the
best piece of scientific work that had
ever been done at the hospital. "Sne
is always busy with her scientific and
humanitarian work." said the wit
ness. He thought that the trouble
had been caused by her zeal to learn
new methods. DR.. Saunders, the wit
ness said, had thought of going to
Charleston or Baltimore to learn the
Wasserman blood test, but had decid
ed to remain in Columbia when in
formed by DR.. Cooper that she could
learn it just as well under his direc
ton. He said that If DR.. Saunders
developed any other departments it
was at his request. He was asked
why DR.. Cooper was removed and re-
piled that the board of regents must
answer that question.
Discussing his lack of authority
over the physicians at the asylum,
DR.. Babcock said that they were re-
sponsible to the board of regents. |
They don't report to me; I am ig-
nored," he said. He said emphatical- |
ly that DR.. Saunders was the only
loyal official" in the institution He
answered many questions from the
committee as to the administration
of the affairs of the institution.
Discussing State Park, he said that
the regents and the special commits
sion had been greatly hampered be-
cause no definite policy for the i'm
provement of the property had been
decided upon by the general assem-
bly,. He said that the fundamental
duty was to relieve the crowded con-
dition at the old asylum and that the
general movement of asylums was to
the country.
When Clash Came.
N. w. Hardin asked DIR. ,Babcock