The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-05-05

Columbia. May DIR. C. Fred
Williams today succeeded DIR. T. J..
Strait as superintendent of the State
Hospital for the Insane. In a state
ment announcing his appointment of
Dr. Williams Gov. Manning said of
the inmates of'the asylum, II re-
gard the proper care Of these 100
unfortunates the largest work of u
state. Humanity demands it,"
DIR. Williams will be paid q salary Of
$4,000 a year. $4,000 of which is pro.
vided for by appropriation and the adj
ditional $4,000 is borrowed on the
personal endorsement Of the governor
Il do not propose to disregard the
Constitution and the laws: / stand
for them" says the governor, and
IL this increase of salary for service
to be done is forbidden i will paw il
myself rather than that these patients
under the care of the State should not
have the best treatment that can be
secured"
The following is the governors
statement in full:
Il have appointed DR.. C. Fred Will
liams. of Columbia, as superinten-
dent of the State Hospital for the In
sane for the term beginning May 1,
1915. to February is. 1916. After I
found the appointment Of DR.. Sargent
"a man skilled in mental troubles.
was against the spirit of the Consti-
tuition, / looked around for a physi-
clan skilled, younger, full Of energy
and full of love for his fellow man.
and desiring to be Of service to them.
With these considerations in mind
Dr. williams an ideal choice.
DIR. Williams had in Columbia a
lucrative practice and his W home.
To give up the practice for the salary
would have entailed q heavy
on the part of DR.. Williams
and his family. Having his own
home, he desired and agreed to fore
go the residence and perquisites that
have always been allowed superin-
of the State Hospital for the
Insane, and 1 then guaranteed person.
ally to him the extra compensation.
Il regard the proper care OF those
LOO unfortunates Tho largest work
OF our state. Humanity demands IL.
Money spent 20 give them the best
care n treatment will be well spent.
1 do not propose to disregard the con-
and the law; 1 stand for
them. and IL this increase of salary
for service to be done is forbidden
will pay IL myself rather than that
these patients under the care of the
State should not have the best treat
ment that can be secured"
Announcement that he would prob
ably enter the political arena next
year and tell the South Carolina pub
lie fully of the details of operation OF
the State Hospital for the Insane, at
Columbia. of what changes and i'm
provements were made by him, and of
the treatment accorded him by the
present State administration was
made by DR.. #. j. Strait, Of Lancaster,
recently removed superintendent OF
the asylum, shortly before he left yes
terday afternoon for his former home
after being succeeded by DR.. c. Fred
Williams. of Columbia.
DR.. Strait said his mind was not full
ly made up as to what effort he would
make to carry to the public Of this
State his views upon the situation at
the asylum. and upon the action of
the administration. Early in the in
terview he forecast a political upheav-
al in 1916 that would have the asylum
as the centre Of the vortex. DR..
Strait said he did moi know whether
he would run nex summer for gov
ernor or lieutenant governor, or for
congress from his district"
That "some of the leading lawyers
Of this state hold the opinion hat a
superintendent of the asylum can not
be summary removed without
cause, and that such action without
cause would be illegal" was mention
cd by the departing former supcrin-
tcndent during the interview. He did
not express his own opinion as to the
him.
Dr. Strait said he desired to make
1t plain that he had not brought par
tisan politics into the government OF
the asylum. and that he had brought
about "a considerably more efficient