The Washington times., 1927-01-15

out or st. El1ZaDethS hospital
where he would have been held
even now had it not been for
said lawyers services:
T.. Affiant further states
that as an inducement for him
to. leave Washington Monday the
14th instant, S. was advanced
him by Mr.. Kilgore who retained
atlantis check for $44O as sc.
curity said check to be
cashed 49, and the IS de-
Quoted therefrom to tide, affiant
over in Washington until he
could be hurried away on &
train by said employees Of the
Veterans Bureau.
(Signed) JAMES B. VALENTINE,
MAUDE B. TAYLOR,
Notary Public, d. c.
Valentine, hospitalized at St.
Elizabeth s. by the Veterans Bureau,
was the eighth man to be released on
habeas corpus proceedings this year,
and the fifth one declared to be Of
sound mind. His troubles began five
days before his petition was filed.
Doctor Refused
When his attorney requested DR..
]. D. Stout, 1901 I St., to examine
the veteran, and testify as to his
sanity, the doctor replied that he
had been asked by the Veterans Blu.
reau not to oppear IN cases involv.
ing veterans who were attempting to
leave st. Elizabeth's by habeas
corpus action.
This, we were told by Valentines
attorney, George F. Curtis. Mr..
CtfVffn ~ All a.
Veterans Bureau was unwilling for
DR.. Stout to testify in behalf Of
veterans.
We called on DR.. Stout to find out
why. DR.. Stout informs us as fol-
lows:
That he was at the time, and IL
now, consultant at Mt. Alto Hos
pital. About six months ago he was
visited by DR.. G.. M. Station, of the
Mt. Alto staff, and was told by the
official that the bureau desired him
not to testify In st. Elizabeth's
habeas corpus cases.
The fact that he was q consultant
for the bureau would put both him
ana the bureau in an awkward posi-
ton, DR.. Station said.
DR.. Stout told his colleague that
he would decide within q day or
two whether to act In accordance
with the bureaus wishes or not.
He wrote to DR.. Station the next
day. telling him that his work as
consultant at Mt. Alto did not give
the bureau 3 right to dictate his
activities outside Of the hours
three per week. for which he was
engaged by the bureau; that he
was q physician In private practice
above every other. consideration,
and that he would act az seemed
to him proper IN the matter Of
testifying az to the mental condi-
ton OF any HtiRant. He enclosed
his resignation az consultant. re.
fusing to be bound by the arbi.
trary demand Of the bureau.
Agreement IL Reached
Within o day or two another
bureau official. DR.. Roy Adams,
called on DR.. Stout, ana reached q
Rentleman's agreement with him
as follows:
He was not to insist upon the
acceptance Of his resignation. In
view Of the admission by the bu-
reau that he was justified In giving
testimony In any case that seemed
TO him proper. including the habeas
corpus cases: but to testify in these
latter would embarrass the bureau.
We asked how his testimony IN
favor Of q veteran could be objec.
tionable to the Veterans Bureau
and he explained that certain mem.
bers Of the staff believed that az
the bureau was sending veterans Ia
the insane asylum. it would appear
inconsistent for DR.. Stout to heir
release them.
That looked to us like over.scrupu
lousness on the part of the Bureau
DR.. Stout agreed with us, and added
that the explanation looked ''far.
fetched" which was the word we
had been trying to think Of.
DR.. Stout told us that he does not
like court work-it involves too
much wasted time.
But he stands ready to testify IN
cases without charge, If the petit.
TONER is unable to pay. That, he
holds, is merely q duty Of citizen.
ship.
But he prefers not to be called
upon, If other physicians are avail.
able who have not his dislike for
court work.
(Another instaIIment Monday