Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-07-13

whom complaints may be made on the occa.
sion of their annual visit As a matter OF
fact the hearing which the Board gives the
inmates, and where, it is loudly proclaimed,
any member of the Home who has q
complaint to make may have a full hearing.
seems to partake more of the nature of
Roaring Farce
than anything else. The Board of Managers
are the honored guests of the Governor,
tertained at his home, partaking of his hos
pitality, eating and sleeping nnaer his roof
The meetings. the scribe was informed.
last about an hour and half, and the Gen
eral himself is usually present a, them.
Thus we see that the twelve or thirteen
hundred inmates of the Home have an hour
and half out of the whole year in which to
enter complaints before a Board of Managers
guests of the Governor, and in the presence
of the Governor himself,
Isn't this ponderous check upon any mis-
use of the arbitrary power attaching to the
Office of Governor. We desire our readers
% understand that that the Journal is prefer
ing no charges against General Stephenson;
indeed it would regret exceedingly TO believe
that there is anything in his record sat the
Home which would throw discredis upon his
established reputation as a soldier and an
honorable gentleman. 1t can but express its
sorrow, however, that General Stephenson,
in the face of such grave charges which touch
his official office most deeply. should have
failed, utterly, to give our reporter one word
upon the subject. A frank and manly state
ment from him would have been gladly re-
ceived. Instead of adopting this course,
however, the General appeared to desire to
Choke Off the Reporters
and smother the whole matter. Now, this
method of procedure may do very well with
in the Generals jurisdiction at the Home,
but it won't work with reporters who are en-
deavorng to furnish their papers with a fair
and just account of a matter, concerning
which, the public has right to know.
The official record of any public man 10
the property of the people whom he serves;
and it makes no difference whether the official
serves State or the United States.
The reporters had no difficulty in securing
the proceedings of the meeting however.
One of the first statements of the two mem
bers of the Board of Managers who appeared
at the hearing was that the Board was there
simply to hear complaints of inmates of the
Home, and that it wasn't usual to employ
counsel in matters coming under their juris-
diction, the members of the Board usually
Acting in that Capacity Themselves
They appeared to entertain the lawyers
with decided reluctance and only after the
assurance that both had been admitted to
practice not only in the State but also in the
United States courts.
Michael Burns, one of the complainants.
and most important witness, was, despite
the protestations of the attorneys
Summarily Bounced
from the room on the ground that he was not
member of the Home.
The case of Harry Hopkins was first con-
sidered. Hopkins stated in his affidavit that
he had been dlshonorably discharged from
the Home February 10th, 1888, on the al
legged charge that he fraudulently obtained at
reduced rates transportation from Augusta to
Washington using his position as member
of the Home in so doing, and that said trans
portation was not for himself, but for one
Michael Burns. Mr.. Hopkins claims that
at the time he procured the pass he intended
to go to Washington himself but
owing to sickness in his family he was
unable to go himself and that Burns went in
his place and performed his business. Fur
thermore that said Burns is himself disa-
bled soldier and a pensioner. In considera-
ton of these facts said Hopkins prayed the
board that his dishonorable discharge be re-
voked and he be granted all honorable dis
charge. The board promised to consider
his petition and it is believed they will act
favorably upon it.
The second case was that of James Nc
Cauley. In his affidavit McCauley stated
that he was admitted to the Home in Janu-
ary, 1887; that he was promoted to different
places of trust in the institution; that he re-
mained member of the Home till May &C.
when he was seized and imprisoned for sew
enteen days
In Solitary Confinement
without a cause and without hearing; that