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

other courts in the vicinity and the records
OF said jail more fully show: all of which In
TO the degradation and disgrace of the dis
soied defenders of the Union, and 70 the ex
pense Of the taxpayers of the county Of
hennebec, as well as to the insecurity az
society by swelling the number of crimes.
And your complainant further represents
that ne mas reason to believe and does be-
iese that said Gov. Stephenson since he
mas oeen Governor of said Home, has de-
frsaaed the United States government out of
large sum of money, to wit. the sum ~
$500, in this that he built and erected an aa-
dition to certain building, the same being
ms private property and situate outside the
said Home, at the cost of and with material
belonging to the government, and with labor
paiu Tor by the governments; that he after
wards sold said building thus enlarged to n
private individual, and as your complainant
believes, has never accounted TO the govern.
ment for said materials so used nor for the
labor so employed.
wherefore your complainant prays that
the above enumerated charges against said
Gov. Stephenson may be Investigated BY this
honorable board, and that such action may
be taken thereon rs to them may seem lust
and proper.
(Signed) MrcpAF, BrRys.
Augusta, July l2, 1855.
The board
Refused to Hear any Testimony
in confirmation of Burns charges, but in
conversation with counsel admitted that it
should be so far entertained as TO petition
General Franklin for committee of inves-
tigaton suggesting that the General on peti-
ton would appoint time and place for
hearing. Itwss thought that the Board of
Managers showed remarkable dsinclina-
ton to hear the charges and ii seemed quite
apparent to the counsel that they had been
Quito Thoroughly Posted
beforehand regarding these cases. Whether
the Board of Managers is anything more
than a summer junketing party remains to
be seen. If not then we can confidently ex-
pect to hear nothing further from these char
ges. II on the other hand il has
purpose and duty, we may confidently
expect the appointment of committee
which shall have n stenographer and make
complete investigation of these charges and
the affairs of the Home Then if General
Stephenson has been abused and misrepre-
sented by these charges he will have the
chance to clear himself from them and prove
on the other hand, there should be found es-
sential truth in them, prompt change should
be made in the management of the Home
We will only say that interviews with the
nti als IN pit 10
ate portion of Burns charges, it being
claimed that soldiers have applied for ad-
mission to the Home sometimes IN the dead
of winter, and have been refused and obliged
to walk back to this city oftmes in bitter cold
and with much suffering, and that such SOL
diers have time and time again applied at the
police station and Jail for food and lodging.
OF course it may be urged, and perhaps
not unreasonably, that General Stephenson
has no power to keep soldiers who are not
properly admitted to the Home--this being
matter outside of his jurisdiction. 1t is well
known that many veterans entertain the idea
that discharge papers will admit them to the
Home, and arrive in this city in penniless
CoHu uOu unlt 10 uihCoNeT tHclr HistAke
Now, although the Home cannot legally en-
tertain these veterans, common decency and
the laws of humanity would dictate that when
they reach the Home late in the afternoon
of cold days they should not be forced to
turn about face and tramp back to this city
over cold ani oft time dark road.
Yet our police officers report a number Of
such cases and this very fact would seem to
indicate that
Something is Wrong
at Togus Such men should be treated, at
least with common hospitality. They should
be given a good warm supper, comfortable
lodgings, and furnished with conveyance
back to the city. better way, still, would
seem to be to maintain them at the Home till
their cases could be passed upon by the proper
authorities. Very likely General Stephen
son may not have the power to do this, and
the law in refusing to entertain men not
legally admitted to the Home. We have no
desire to lay the onus of this matter at his
door, and trust such may have been the case.
The many friends of General Stephenson
will eagerly look for some statement from
him regarding these charges. For until dis
proven, they cannot but cast deep shadow
upon his official character