The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-30
SOLDIERS ORPHANS HOME.
How 1t Has Been Wrecked by Two
Democratic Legislatures.
History of This Patriotic Benevolence-IdiOt
Children Allowed to Elbow Soldiers
Orphans Out of Homo.

ordered to be presented to the department en-
campment of the Grand Army, and which was
adopted as the sense OF the State encampment;
To the Command-eand Comrades of George a. n.
Thomas Post, No. II, q. A H. department OF IN
Yonr committee to whom was referred the
subject OF the Indiana Soldiers and Seamen's
Home, desire to submit the following as their re-
port:
Home was projected by patriotic citizens of the
state III their individual capacity, and that for
q tie purpose of securing the necessary means
With which to purchase lands and erect suitable
buildings, Chaplain Lozier and Captain Akin
son were appointed as agents to solicit funds,
and that they did secure enough money by pri-
vate subscription to purchase farm and extern
sive buildings where they located SUCH an instl-
tuition.
said citizens by their representatives, purchased
Of James Manlsby and Ruth, his WIFE for
Iaed sum o. RusS ooo ooun ny r aG.eS said
land being conveyed by deed to
Conrad Baker, James NJ Ray and William Han
Soldiers and Seamen's Home Association" to
be held by them until such association should be
organized, when they were to convey the same
TO such association in fee simple for the pur-
poses of said trust.
Third-That by act of the General Assembly of
the State of Indiana approved March IL, 1867,
there was established at the Knightstown
Springs, Rush county, Ind, home for the main
tenanee of sick and disabled soldiers and sea-
men and their orphans and widows, called the
Indiana Soldiers AMI Seamen's Home" The
charge and management OF SAID nome as In
trusted to a board of trustees, consisting of the
following persons, to-wir: Henry B. Hill, Charles
g. Hubbard and William Hannaman. The said
board and their successors were made body
polite and corporate, to be known by the title
Of the "rrustees of the Indiana Soldiers and
Seamen's Home" with powers, etc.
The trustees had power to receive gifts, lega-
cies, conveyances and all donations and loans,
or property, real or personal, that might be
3Oses of the "Home" and in its name,
and they could purchase such tract or tracts of
board had power to adopt such regulations for
the admission of and discharge of persons who
had entered the United States service, the
widows and orphans of such persons from this
State, as follows:
l. Totally disabled soldiers and seamen.
2. Partially disabled soldiers and seamen.
3. Orphans under fifteen years OF age of de-
ceased soldiers and seamen.
Fourth-That on the 9th day OF August 1857,
the said Conrad Baker, James M. Ray and Will
liam Hannaman, for the purpose of carrying out
said trust, conveyed by deed the said fifty acres
of land in Rush county, Ind, to the trustees of
the Indiana Soldiers and Seamens Home.
o ny tne hcs Vi JIG JIG Tenetai Assel i
lished in this State an institution to be known
the Asylum for Predetermined Children, ana
that the said institution was located at the
SOLDIERS Orphans Home" near Knightstown,
and in Rush county, Indiana, and that the man
agement of said institution was intrusted TO IA
board of three trustees, etc, the said trustees
when so appointed and qualified were to have
charge of, management and control OF the ''Sol-
of said soldiers Orphans Home" was thereby
declared to be abolished,
sixth-That by the act of the General Assem-
bly, approved March 10, 1879, the act approved
March z, 1879, was repealed, and an asylum
for feeble-minded children" established at the
"SOldiers' Orphans Home" near Knightst0wn,
land in Rush county, Indiana, the management
20 be intrusted to board Of three trustees, said
board of trustees when so appointed and quail
fed were to have charge, management and CON
troll of the SOLDIERS Orphans Home" and the
office of trustee of said "Soldiers' Orphans
W a a
islature of 1853 Fe-enacted the last-named act
and amended it so as to provide for the election of
trustees by the Legislature. In 1879, when the
law TO idiots was enacted, there were PSI sol
ders' orphans in the Home, with 119 applica-
tiOns for admission pending. Now there are lao
soldiers orphans and eghty-One idiots in the
Home, thus crowding ont the Legitimate tenants
from the place provided by the people. The
farm was purchased for a home for disabled sol
diers, seamen and their orphans and widows,
and this attempt to divert the trust and destroy
largely the intended use of the place for the
sacred purpose to which it was devoted would
seem to be contrary to law and unwarranted by
Vhe facts The funds with which the Home was
bought were contributed for that purpose alone,
and while the benefciaries exist who are entitled
TO its use it cannot Justly be used for any other
The conveyance of :he land was made to the
trustees of the Soldiers and Seamens' Home
after 1t was organized under "A special act OF the
Legislature, and has been held by them
TOR that purpose to this day, Notwithstanding
this unjust and despotic act of legislation.
The facts are that the Home, with capacity
of 800, has been unable to accommodate the
orphans who have been pressing for admission,
In the year 1874 the trustees say in their re-
part that "the number of inmates do not dmln-
,ash, indeed the pressure for admission to the
'Home by these orphan children has been as
EreaS during the past year as at almost any time
during it's existence. This IL attributable to
the failing health and premature death of the
fathers, caused by exposure ana wounds while
serving in the army of the United States"
In the report OF 1889 the trustees say that
"the demand for admission Ia now as great as
it ever has been; with capacity for 800 chill
dren they cannot accommodate one-half that
would fairly be entitled under the law to place
within its walls. These children of soldiers are
taken from the homes of poverty or
from the county asylums where they never
could get education or training" The supertn-
tendent, in his report for 1889, says: 1.-THE
last annual report shows the number of inmates
TO have been 291; there have been admitted dur-
ing the year z; discharged %; died l, leaving
and some now are, in temporary homes until
such time as we may he able to call then. in.
now have on file 1l9 applications for admission
many of them IN very destitute circumstances"
These reports were made to the Legislature of
1879, which passed the act thrusting the idiots
of our State into the seats OF its most sacred
wards, and Notwithstanding this urgent demand
for more room and greater accommodations,
they were deprived of at least half of the
SIMPLY already furnished. Why this was
done your committee cannot under
and seamen, scattered in the pOor-hOuses
' OF the State, stepped in poverty, ignorance and
] misery, demanded the kind and active sympathy
of our legislators, but their mute appeals were
made to deaf ears and Indifferent hearts
How different mas been the conduct of our
Legislators from those OF our Sister States of
Ohio and Illinois. In Ohio there is a Home oea-
ted at Xenia, In which, in tho year 1892 there
were 677 inmates, being the full capacity of the
Home, with 309 applications file awaiting
the action of the board. The trustees, in their
report, say they are fully justified from iDforma-
ZION in stating that there are in the State at least
1000 children entitled to admission, but for
whom no applications have been filed because
of the known impossibility of their admission for
want of room. The State of Ohio expends for
her Home over hundred thousand dollars a
wear, while our State grudgingly allows $40, 900
for the same purpose.
In the State OF Illinois there Is a SOLDIERS Or
shans' Home" in which in 1882 there were 5I1
inmates. and the trustees ask for enlarge
ment OF the appropriation with view of re-
eelving $50 more. The appropria tons