The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-06-09
Numerous Persons Have Been Sum
moned in Hospital Hearing.-Vance
Statue Unveiing.-Counting Primary
Votes.-Kitchin' Majority is 1858.
(W. T. Bost in Greensboro News)

give Testimony against the state nos
pital management here beginning Thurs
day morning are being summoned for
that investigation and an imposing lisi
was sent out the earlier days of tie
week.
These testify on counts ranging from.
seven down to one and if all come who
have been ''invited' as j. C. Hubbard,
one Of those declining with thanks. the
board of directors will sit long enough
to give the newspaper men some copy
whether they produce light to a public
now in the dark.
Attorney General Beckett and the as
sistant attorney general, T. H. Calvert.
will conduct the examination of the wit
nesses. These are scattered well over
the state and they do not com under
subpoena. Many will voluntarily testi-
fly and it is not telling anything out Of
school to say that quite 2 few will glad
lv give evidence against the things that
are. These witnesses embrace many pro
fessions and among them are some form
er employees of the institution as we'll
former inmates.
Public Hearing a Necessity.
The public hearing was made a ne
cessity when young Charles Latta is
sued lot of letters complaining of his
treatment and that generally at the
hospital. Goveronr Craig examined tho
charges and both the governor and the
superintendent OF the institution insist
ed that hearing should take place. It
had been set for an earlier date but Wit
nesses necessary could not be brought
here for the original hearing.
J. c. Hubbard of Clinton, is one of
the witnesses wlo will be expected to
give evidence on seven counts. In writ
ing him to appar, Secretary D. A. Ne
Donald. of the board of directors. wrote
him: =" Certain charges have been made
against the management of the state
hospital Some of these charges appear
to be anonymous but the board is de-
sirous of full hearing and this will be
ndu DIT tHe StdtS HoSPltdl, u uhS Q, "i
10 a. m.
''In the charges relative to a rat
found in the dish, improper food, expos
ure Of patients and maltreatment of pa
tients. etc, you are cited to appear as
a witness and the board will be glad
to have you present for examination.
q am not authorized to assure yon
payment of expenses, but this matter
will be referred to the proper authori-
ties.
Suffering from Paranoia.'
And to this invitation,' Mr.. Hub
bard replies with a shade Of asperity
irreverently suggesting another para
noiac has gone wrong. He says:
"Clinton, n c., June 4, 1916.
Cd. A. Mcdonald, Sec. State Hospital,
Raleigh, n. G.
"Dear Sir:
CT am in receipt of your invitation
(as that is what l term it, to visit the
State Hospital on June Sth at my own
expense, as a witness against the man
agement of the hospital, in regard to
mal-treatment of patients, imprope''
food etc I saw in both the News and
Observer and Raleigh Times about April
1st that charges had been preferred
against the management, and that the
governor had ordered an irTC3t "a On
it would strike ne that il the governor
really wanted ar invosti gation-and the
people of North Caroliaa al, liy
entitled to one, and most thofG' gi
one, that the governor should not Only
order public investigation but thai
the witnesses should be properly and lie
gally subpoenaed, and arrangement
made whereby the expenses of witnesses
were paid, and not merely issue an III
Nitation to come to the investigation a
their own expense.
IL WI STATE that there is rot an in
stitution in the state Of North Caroiin;
that needs "a investigation more sothal
does the State Hospital at Raleigh, no
only as to the food, mal-treatment o
patients, exposure of patients, etc, bu
the methods of the present management
in turning the institution into have
for drunks and criminals, SO long q
the friends of these drunks and crlln
nails are able and will pay all expense
of placing them there and $50 pc
month board in advance, while poor q
tiicted men and women, without meal
that are really afflicted, are held a
over the state in common county Jail
the management giving out the e.
cuse that they haven't the room IL
them. We presume that this is dor
that the management can make fina
cial showing-conseque pay p
tient, though he be a criminal or cor
mon drunk, is more desirable.
"There is nothing that would give n
more pleasure than to testify as to t.
mismanagement Of the hospital as
know it, at an investigation proper
held, with witnesses properly su