Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-22
THE MILITARY MEN.
CONTROVERSY BETWEEN GENERALS
FRANCIS H. SMITH AND T. I.
MUHFORD.
An Investigation Being Made Here Before
Special legislative
Committee.

The legislative committee appointed
10 investigate matters in connection with
the Virginia Military Institute met last
night at o'clock IN the Senate chamber
to continue their labors which were
begun at Lexington.
The chamber was well filed with
spectators, among them being a number
Of ladies' and members of the two
branches OF the General Assembly.
/ Several Of the old board were present as
! witnesses.
Hon. r. 7. Barton, OF Winchester, an
ex-member of the board. appeared as
| counsel for the present board, having
| been telegraphed for on Monday, and
/ Colonels Edmund Pendleton, of Lexing-
/ ton, and w. W. Gordon, of Richmond,
/ represented General Smith, superintend-
ent Of the institute, who took exceptions
to some references in the report sent to
/ the Governor, which report was signed
only by General Munford, president OF
the board.
CAsCs BrLLL
The full report WAS published in the
| Dispatch on the 2Sth OF January, and
several Of the members said last night
that it was there that they first saw it.
Counsel made brief opening speeches,
and the taking OF testimony was soon
begun.
WITNESSES.
The witnesses were General Munford,
president of the board Colonel \. ).
Buford, of Richmond Colonel Joseph
Sberrnrd, of Rockbridge; Colonel h.
L. d. Lewis, of Clarke ; Mr.. Letcher,
Of Lexington, and Judge Ward, OF
Washington, all members of the old
| board.
THE REPORT TO WHICH GENERAL SMITH
OBJECTED.
General Munford's report was written
by him and sent here TO Colonel Buford
with the request that the Colonel ellml-
nate such parts as he thought proper be-
fore sending the matter to the printer.
4 letter written to General Munford by
Colonel Bulord concerning the report
was read, and it caused ripple of flaugh-
ter to peryade the entire chamber. In
the letter he said something to the effect
that "you have given the old gentle
mans back a good scratching"
A letter was read from nm absent
member OF the board, in which he said
that he fully endorsed this report.
WHAT Is IT?
The inquiry was solely directed to the
question whether the report was simply
that Of General Munford or that of the
board. I'll of the witnesses except Mr.
Letcher said that the points to which
( General Smith excepted were discussed
at meeting of the board, and it was
agreed that General Munford should
write the report, including these mat
ters Just what language should be used
was, of course not decided upon. Some
of them, however, expected TO see the
report before it was published. Witnesses
said that while they might not fully en-
dorse the language, the main facts as
given were agreed upon.
THE PERSONAL REFERENCES.
Mr. Letcher said that as a matter of
policy he should have suggested leaving
ont these references, Lut he admitted
that the paper contained the conclusions
of the board, reached after frequent dis
cussions of these subjects during the
three years that this board was in au-
thority.
The committee Senator Stubbs chair
mani, when the testimony on this point
was concluded. retired and came TO the
unanimous decision that the report
signed by General Munford was the re-
port Of the board. and would be con-
sidered rs such in the investigation.
The committee, at II o'clock, rose to
meet again this afternoon at A. o'clock.
GENERAL MUNFoRD's COMMENTS on GEN
ERAL SMITH.
The report of the board (signed Thomas
T. Muniord, presidenD is long one,
and has many instances of alleged DISC
bedience of orders on the part OF the su-
perintendent but the following extracts
will illustrate its tenor and explain some
OF the charges:
When We entered upon our delicate
and uninyiting duties we found the in
sttute and its finances undergoing the
effects of a revolution which had been in
augurated 10y our immediate predeces-
sors. 1t was doomed unwise to WldO
what had so well been done by them in
relieving the superintendent from the
burden of the finances by placing that
whole subject in the hands OF
finance committee. This arrangement
has acted most satisfactorily. The
finances were not in n shape for
us to know with accuracy the
condition of the Indebtedness of the III
stltute. The crcdH of the institute was
at low ebb, and the state had TO pay
tor such credit. Referring to the book,
we ascertained that the debts of the
cadets amounted to nearly $50 O00-rm-
ming back for many years. Our board
intcrdicted all credits, and, by u pc
remptory order, instructed the superin-
tendent to issue 10 orders upon the
treasurer for the benefit of the cadets
m.lcss they had to their credit money
in hand. To-day if there is any loss to
the State from that source the superin
tcndent is liable for those debts.
Your attention is most respectfully
called to the fact that no thorough in
vestigation has been made for years by
experts as to the status of the various
trust funds connected with tine Virginia
Military Institute. Under the present
system the Board of Visitors are not
compensated for their time, and even if
they we're it is too heavy an undertaking
to expect of them. 1t is best, as the
State is principally interested, that
thorough overhauling be had, that
our successors may at least have clear
understanding OF these matters to start
with.
1 respectfully ask your attention to
the accompanying reports, which L
should be most happy to endorse IN toto,