Los Angeles herald., 1892-05-31
HOW ABOUT THIS?
A Startling Complaint From
the Soldiers Home.
Are the Old Soldiers Deliberately
Blackmailed9
Theophil Brodowski Says That Certain
Company sergcahts Mulct the vet-
Grams for Exemption From
Fatigue Duty.

Grams for Exemption From
Fatigue Duty.
The persistency with which old SOL
diers who have been inmates Of the Sol
diers' home, near Santa Monica, wend
their way to the HERALD Office to venti-
late their grievances on many different
grounds, point to the fact that consider
able mismanagement goes on there; if
not at headquarters then among the
petty officers of the national institution,
which calls for redress at the hands of
the board of directors of the national
homes. Among the larger number of
veterans at Sunset it has long been de-
cided that it is perfectly useless to call
upon Governor Treichel to obtain an
abatement Of the vexations and petty
tyranines INDUCED in by non-commis-
stoned officers in charge of companies.
While admitting that tine governor is an
excellent man, they labor under the i'm
preston that nonchalance and desire
for ease constitute the major part of his
character and get-up.
Yesterday Theophil Brodowski, an ex-
soldier, who has been q temporary in
mate of the home for seven weeks, while
suffering from an eruption of the skin of
the face, caused by serious burns sus-
tanned in a gasoline explosion at Santa
Monica last year, called on the HERALD
to lay before the public certain charges
which, il substantiated, should call for
serious investigation and radical
changes ut the Soldiers home.
| Brodowski. said that he has wife and
six children in San Francisco, whom he
supports by his labor. Although enti-
tied to the shelter of the home by reason
OF his services during the late war, he
has preferred not to avail himself of its
privileges in order to ekesout an exist
ence for those who are near to him, with
the exception of couple of times when
sickness compelled him to seek there q
temporary retreat. cgiaa Hsf
"Seven weeks ago." said the veteran,
"the doctor who has attended me, told
me that must quit work, because the
skin Of my face, where was burned
last year, was becoming irritated and
infamed, and that should 20 into the
country for my health. went to the
home and was admitted temporarily. It
was so understood on both sides, and in
view of this was not supplied with the
regulation uniform.
1.-Two days after my arrival was sent
to the kitchen by Sergeant Darcy of
Company to peel potatoes for q week.
And the following week was set to
work with pick and shovel. That is
nice treatment for sick man, ia it not :?
I objected, but the doctor of the home
told me to try, and I tried.
II went to Santa Monica two weeks
ago to try the effect of salt baths for my
skin, and when I returned was in
formed by the sergeant that although I
was only temporarily at the home, yet /
must work to earn my victuals, and, in
order that should not forget it, was
the next day commanded to clean out
barrack rooms for one week.
II concluded to leave then, but was ar
rested for my attempt and confined, on
complaint of Sergeant Darcy, in dark
hole of the guard room, 5x8 feet, with
out air or water and kept there until 8
o'clock at night, when was hustled
back to my quarters. Last Thursday
was taken before Captain Thornton, who
heard both sides of the story and who
then informed me that if left the
home charges would be brought against
me, which might entail dishonorable
discharge. I left, however, and am
now going to Redlands to work. The
charges I make can substantiate and
if they want me Redlands Is not 80 large
that I cannot be found easily in twenty
minutes. .a .iigi
"The charge which prefer now is that
certain company sergeants, not all mind
you, but some, use their authority over
the inmates to make money out of them.
It is done in this manner: Instead OF
keeping roster of the men under their
command and putting each one to work
in his turn, as necessity demands, 30
that in justice to all, one is not over
worked while the other is suffered to re-
main always idle, some Of the sergeants
have no such roster. Men who are in
receipt Of pension are the ones who
supply the money and have no toll to
perform. By paying their sergeant
$1.5O they are excused for q week, and
and if they refuse to ''come up'' the
non-com. finds so much fault with their
task that next time they would be glad
to pay more so as not to have to endure
the hateful tyrannizing of the sergeant.
"The dodge is tried on all men with
money until it works no longer for want
of capitalists in the company, and then
those who have no cash are the ones
selected for the various jobs that have
to be performed. And when all come
up gracefully with the needful, the COM
pany sergeant goes to the police SER
geant and secures men who are 'on the
Dump that is to say, inmates punished
by the governor for infractions Of the
regulations. ia 4s'aa
"That is the way in which some SER
geants are working for competency at
the expense of the cripples and super
annuated men who believed that sol
diers' homes had been instituted by q
grateful nation to allow those who
fought for the Union to finish their days
in peace, without having to slave like
day laborers for bed and bite to eat.
| You will find many men at Sunset who
will tell you that I have told you moth
ing but the truth"
Waves Mountain High