The charges of assault made by Dr. Hyman U. Solovay, Dr. Louis Borow and Dr. Edward Katskee when they, three of the four Jewish internes on the staff of the Kings County Hospital, were hazed by a group of their Gentile colleagues two weeks ago, were withdrawn by them today in Flatbush Magistrate’s Court.
They dropped the accusations on condition that the six Gentiles, all suspended by the hospital administration, apologize and express their regret.
This, the six-Dr. Louis B. Armstrong, Dr. C. C. Adams, Dr. William Willis, Dr. F. Hamm, Dr. Kenneth Clough and Dr. W. B. Stratton-did and their apology was submitted to Magistrate Joseph J. McGuire in asking for the dismissal.
The letter addressed to Solovay. Borow and Katskee and signed by the six Gentile internes read:
“Gentlemen: We regret the treatment to which you were subjected on the early morning of June 20, at the Kings County Hospital. Whatever motive inspired it, be it either prejudice or intolerance, must be abhorrent to good citizenship and we deplore any participation therein by any person connected with Kings County Hospital.
“We sincerely trust that nothing of the kind will ever be repeated in th? institution and that neither prejudicenor intolerance over social or religious differences will ever be known there.
“Our support to this end can be counted upon.”
The formal reply of the three Jewish internes was:
“Gentlemen:
“We beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of even date and to thank you for the expression of regret contained therein.
“We assure you that no ill feeling on our part arising from the occurrence referred to by you survives your letter and we trust that we can regard the matter as a ciosed incident.”
Thus the quarrel disrupting the hospital for several weeks is removed from the realm of the courts.
In place of this, the whole question of religious prejudice will be gone into at the Mayor’s hearing, which recessed yesterday afternoon until next Tuesday that Commissioner of Accounts Higgins may determine whether Jewish internes in other city institutions are the victims of discrimination.
Following the dismissal of the case, the Gentile internes made a move that stunned the Jewish internes and their advisers. They trooped right back to the hospital from which they were suspended after the criminal charges were preferred, to report for duty.
The Gentile doctors held their their suspension covered only the time they were under charges.
Rabbi Louis D. Gross, adviser of the Jewish internes, expressed his indignation promptly.
“We were tricked,” he said. “We should have had foresight to include this situation in our conferences. The internes should be kept away from the hospital antil the Mayor’s hearings are concluded. This will look like a whitewash hor them, and it is no whitewash.”
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