The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-05-06
WILLIAMS TAKES CHARGE
WILL RECEIVE SALARY OF 1000
PER YEAR.
DR.. Strait, Retiring Superintendent
Says He Will Tell Public About
Asylum.

Columbia, May 1.-Dr. c. Fred
Williams today succeeded DR.. T. J.
Strait as superintendent of the State
Hospital for the Insane. In state
ment announcing his appointment of
Dr.. Williams Governor Manning said
of the inmates of the asylum, Il re-
gard the proper care of these 100
unfortunates the largest work of our
State. Humanity demands it"
DR.. Williams will be paid salary of
$4,000 a year, $4,000 of which is pro-
vided for by appropriation and the
additional $4,000 is borrowed on the
personal endorsement of the Cover
nor. Il do not propose to disregard
the constitution and the laws: l stand
for them," says the governor, land
if this increase of salary for service
to be done is forbidden l will pay it
myself rather than that these pa
tients under the care of the State
should not have the best treatment
that can be secured
The following is the governors S
statement in full:
Il have appointed DR.. c. Fred VII
liams, of Columbia, as superintend-
ent of the State Hospital for the In
sane for the term beginning May 1,
1915, to February Is, 1916. After
l found the appointment of DR.. Sar-
gent--a man skilled in mental trou-
bles-was against the spirit of the
constitution, l looked around for a
physician skilled, younger, full of
energy and full Of love for his fel-
low man, and desiring to be Of ser
vice to them. With these considera-
tions in mind 1 consider DR.. Williams
an ideal choice. DR.. Williams had
in Columbia lucrative practice and
his own home. To give up the prac-
tice for the salary allowed would
have entailed heavy sacrifice on the
part of DR.. Williams and his family.
Having his own home, he desired and
agreed to forego the residence and
perquisites that have always been al
lowed superintendents Of the State
Hospital for the Insane, and I then
guaranteed personally to him the ex-
ira compensation
q regard the proper care of these
MOO unfortunates the largest work
of our State. Humanity demands it.
Money spent to give them the best
care and treatment will be well spent.
l do not propose to disregard the
constitution and the law; I stand for
them, and if this increase of salary
for service to be done is forbidden |
will pay it myself rather than that
these patients under the care Of the
State should not have the best treat
ment that can be secured"
DIR. Strait Talks.
Announcement that he would prob
ably enter he political arena next
year and tell the South Carolina pub
lie fully of the details Of operations
of the State Hospital for the Insane,
at Columbia, of what changes and
improvements were made by him,
and of the treatment accorded him by
the present State administration was
made by DR.. T. J. Strait, Of Lancas-
ter, recently removed superintendent
of the asylum, shortly before he left
Yesterday afternoon for his former
home after being succeeded by DR..
C. Fred Williams, of Columbia.
DR.. Strait said his mind was not
fully made up as to what effort he
would make to carry to the public OF
this State his views upon the situation
of the asylum and upon the action
of the administration. Early in the
interview he forecast political up
heaval in 1916 that would have the
asylum as the centre of two vortex.
DR.. Strait said he did mot know
whether he would run next summer
for governor or lieutenant governor,
or for congress from his district"
That some of the leading lawyers
of this State hold the opinion that a
superintendent Of the asylum cannot
be summarily removed without cause,
and that such action without cause
would be Illegal" was mentioned by
the departing former superintendent
during the interview. He did not
express his own opinion as to the
right of those in power to remove
him.
DR.. Strait said he desired to make
it plain that he had not brought par
tisan politics into the government OF
+bo ,ey1,no ond that he had brOught