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Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1850, 5 September 1874, Page 3

To the Editor ol the THAMES ADVERTISER, Sir,—A s one of the Subcommittee to inquire into the manner in which Maurice ' Power was treated while in the Thames Hospital, I beg to make a few observations on the letter which appears in this morning's issue of your paper* signed Martin tf. Payne and others. lam not much surprised at Dr. Lethbridge and the v other officers of the Hospital trying to put' themselves in as good a position before . the public as they can, inasmuch as as their future connection with the Hospital, will greatly depend upon the result of the Power investigation; but I am astonished at Dr. Martin H. Payne rushing into print after the part he has played in connection with Power's case.' I am sure that I speak the mind of the whole of the Sub-Committee when I say that no witness gave his evidence with more evasion and suspicion than did the. said Martin H. Payne when before the üb-Committee. Then mark his conduct afterwards when the liev. James Hill and : I called ou him for the purpose of having Power's arm exhumed. I have no hesitation in stating that on that occasion he told us a wilful lie, inasmuch as he said chat in the absence of a certain boy (whom he could not name) he could, not find Power's arm, nor did he know in what part of his garden it was buried, and also urged as an excuse that his garden was laid down in grass and nice walks, and that he would not. have it. dug up for the sake of finding Power's arm, and it was only when I intimated to him that we were determined and would have the arm regardless of consequences, that he said, " Call back at five o'clock this evening, and I will give you an answer as to whether you can have it or not." Now, mark what follows: Not much more than one hour after the Rev. J. Hill and I left, and in the absence of the boy before referred to, the said Martin K. Payne exhumes the arm, or an arm, and Dr. Lethbridge and Martin H. Payne found it not to have been broken, andthafc being so it suited their purpose to have it examined,' and Martin ff. Payne informed one of the committee to that effect. Now, sir, lam strongly of opinion that had Power's arm, when exhumed, not suited the purpose of Martia H.Payne and Dr. Letlibridge, the subcommittee would never have seen it. In. conclusion, I beg to say that Martin H. Payne throughout the ' whole case has manifested a desire to conceal the truth and save his brother,—l am, &c, H, Mollhonb. Shortland, September 4,1874