Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-02-20

complained to you, gentlemen, about
things supposed to be going on out
here that ought not to be allowed any
where And i was surprised few
days ago when / was told there were
wards in this institution that DR.. Bah
cock had never seen, and that there
were rooms in it that DR.. Babcock, as
superintendent, had not visited in
twelve months. And one Of those COM
plants came from a gentleman who is
from one of the finest families in thiS
state. and the treatment given to his
daughter out here should not have
been given to a free negro in the dirti-
est guard house in South Carolina, and
he is from family which has been for
long years among the top-notch in
South Carolina But whether he had
been the lowest or the highest, when
that white girl was put in this institu-
tion she should have been treated de-
Gently, and his report Of the treatment
she receiYed-and / refer to Mr.. lizard
the treatment his daughter received
in this institution ought not to have
been received by the lowest negro in
the lowest guard house in this country.
My object was to try to clear this thing
up. / am going to talk freely. l don't
think you gentlemen have talked to DR..
Babcock as you should have talked to
him, and don't think DR.. Babcock has
shown you all the proper consideration
or the proper courtesy-in not meeting
you, as this board, in the proper way.
Now whether he has done it because he
doesn't like you or not, / don't know,
but there is something between this
board and Dr. Babcock. There is no
doubt about that. That can't continue.
This institution cannot run with these
gentlemen fighting DR.. Babcock, nor
can it run with DR.. Babcock fighting
you gentlemen. The reason / wanted
you to investigate this matter was be-
cause believed then, and believe now.
that IL this thing continues that 1t Is
not going to be very long until 1t Is 60
ing to break out in an insurrection out
here that Is going to be very serious.
And I have also been told that if DR..
Saunders left that the nurses would
leave. have definite information that
some Of them would be glad If she
would leave. So, now, we get informa-
ton both ways. But as to that l do
not care. There are enough ladies In
Columbia. S. c., to put on their hats
and come out here to this institution
and take care Of these unfortunates
until could get enough trained nurses
to do it. II every nurse were to walk
out this morning. There are many good
women in South Carolina, and in this
city-right here-and they would not
allow these people to suffer because q
few nurses shifted up their noses be-
cause somebody was derelict in their
duty and had been asked out. You gen.
tlemen need not bother about that.
Those threats never interfered with me.
If they want to go there is the gate.
Those who want to stay on we will be
rr1l o. Ahw. q
those go who want to go, If it is all Of
them if you will notify me will guar
antee that nobody out here will go
hungry.
Now, / think the time has come for
either severance, or for peace and
harmony and brotherly love- I think
DR.. Babcock should work in harmony
with you gentlemen, and that you gen.
tlemen should work in harmony with
DR.. Babcock. If that harmony cannot
be brought about, you all ought to re-
sign or he ought to resign. If he doesn't
like you, and doesn't want to serve un-
der you, let him quit. If you don't like
him, and don't want to serve over him.
you quit.
AS to these physicians this is their
living, and they ought to be loyal to
Dr. Babcock and treat him as superin-
they have any complaints they should
make them to him and not go behind
his back-go to his face. And If he has
any complaint towards them, 1 think
he ought to take them in his private Of
flee and say that so and so is the situ-
alton, and try to get along in brotherly
love and peace and harmony. And quit
this awful strife that everybody is talk
ing about, that is going on. This is
the object I had in asking you gentle
men to investigate this matter
AS for DR.. Saunders I have nothing
to say. You have her statements and
you have the statements OF these gen
tlemen. You are the judges. If you
think the circumstances are sufficient
to request her removal, don't you hes
itate one minute to request it on ac-
count of anybody else's leaving. Let
them go, DR.. Babcock or ANYBODY else,
and if any member Of the board Of re-
gents wants to go, let him go. If you
are still in session, will have another
man with you at o'clock, IL I can
reach him-if he hasn't gone out Of
town-to take the place Of the one that
is gone-and / can get more.
Now, / have talked plainly. 1 have
talked that over with you gentlemen.
j do not talk to you one way, and get
Dr. Babcock in my office and talk to
him another way. AS to DR.. Saunders,
/ have nothing against you, Dr. Saun-
ders. l asked these gentlemen to re-
elect you. l wanted you to stay be-
cause l believed you to be valuable
woman and a good woman. / believe
that you are a good woman at heart,
but think you made a fearful mistake
when you Haunted in the face Of these
men that you would turn DR.. Black
burn down for DR.. Cooper. If l have
done you any injustice l most humbly
beg your pardon. If you think either
letter is detrimental to your reputation,
as I said awhile ago, you have your re-
dress in the civil court and whatever
judgment you may get / will pay. II
you indict me in the criminal courts,
and a jury should find me guilty,
won't pardon myself. But no reflection
was meant on your personal character.
l was fighting for the good Of the in
stitution, and DR.. Babcock knows, and
these gentlemen know, this friction
can't continue. If l have hurt your
feelings in the least l beg your pardon,
but really think you made mistake.
If it can be agreeably passed over and
everything made harmonious, l hope 1t
can be done.
DR.. Babcock: AS superintendent Of
the institution, If your board will bear
with me, as you have on former occa-
sions, / will try to be brief. Personal
ly and officially l want to thank Gov
ernor Blease for his very sensible and
remarks. Nobody in the
room appreciates them more than ].
There has been no governor of South
Carolina who has given more attentive
ear to the appeals made by the super
Of this hospital, in behalf Of
the insane. / say that now before the
governor I have said that behind his
back, and l say it to the world. If any
act or word of mine has ever given one
offense to this board Of re-
gents, it has been wholly unintentional,
and I humbly apologize. Whether the
board has called upon me, | have done
my level best to respond. If there has
been any lack of harmony between us,
l fear it is more my fault than yours.
1 certainly have never meant to reflect
upon you. The lack Of harmony is of
long standing, Mr. Chairman, and,
again, make no claim to be free from
blame. Governor Blease and l have
talked it over. l believe, Mr.. Chair man,
that he has talked it over with you
gentlemen, for a long time, that there
is friction here. Now, do not wish to
avoid any of the onus Of that friction
| take my part Of it--but l believe this
board of regents and l believe these
have honestly done the best
they can.
Ill,