Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-07-30
ARE NOT SATISFIED.
INMATES OF SOLDIERS HOME WANT
ANEW SUPERINTENDENT.
Charges Against General Terry and the
Pbysician-A Committee Investigs-
tipg-what Each side says.

There Is dissatisfaction at Lee Camp
Soldiers Home. II has been brewing for
some time, and recently found expression
in petition for the removal of General
Terry from the superintendency and in
charges against that official. The petition
and charges we're submitted to the Board
of the Home at their last meeting. and by
that body referred TO the Executive CON-
mittee, to which were added Judge K. @.
Miner and Colonel f.. T.. Reeve.
The charges IN brief are that General
Terry. by reason Of physical in
firmities. is subject 20 outbursts of passion
that forbid the inmates of the home from
approaching hun on business; that being
unable TO give the proper supervision to
the details of tho management OF the
home the food supplied TO the veterans
is very bad and often unfit to eat; that tho
men are treated very harshly. and that thew
demonstrate with the General.he calls their
attention 10 the fact that the gate is open
tor the party complaining and he can
leave. The petition states that II is hoped
that the friends of the Superln-
tendent will induce him to resign.
IrERATED THE CHARGES.
Yesterday afternoon q DIspATcH reporter
visited the home and conversed with q
number of veterans. At one time there
was a group of perhaps fifteen around
him. including Messrs. O'Neil. Connally.
Donnally. Obenchain, Lawson, Winston,
Perkins, and others. and they all iterated
the charges and insisted that they could
be sustained But the prevailing senti-
ment was that the troubly grew out Of
General Terrys physical disability. They
have for him as a soldier the highest adj
miration.
When they were asked WHY only 81 of
the las inmates of the home had signed
the petition the reply was that the men IN
the hospital. some 70 in number. were not
approached on the subject, and that there
were some 80 inmates who had been IN
the home only short time and to whom
the petition was not submitted.
THE OTHER SIDE.
DR.. Henry Jervey, the physician in
charge OF the hospital: MIR. Noble, hospI-
tai steward Mr.. Caldwell, and a number
of others, say that the General has bee1
very kind to the inmates. and in some in
stances displaying q great deal OF torbear-
ance. They say that the petition was
signed by q number of men who had been
punished by the board for a breach of dis
clpline and misconduct They claim that
the work given the men is of very light
character. and only such men as are able
are assigned any duty.
The complainants in answer to this say
that Mr.. Caldwell Is virtually the manager
OF the home, and thew bring charges
against DR.. Jervey Of neglect OF duty and
mismanagement of the hospital. While
the reporter was conyerslng with the group
two other veterans, both OF whom have
lost a leg. came up and stated that they
were detailed as hospital nurses, and put
the query whether they looked hked able
bydied men. They complained that there
was no light in the hospital at night, ana
they were compelled to blunder around NJ
the risk of hurting themselves. One OF
the veterans said that the home was the
worst managed place in the world.
WHAT GENERAL TERRY SAYS.
When General Terry was seen he was
ringing the bell which called the veterans
to supper. Upon being asked if he had
any statement to make, he said he pre-
ferred not to talk. as he was IN the hands
of the board. He denied, however, the
charge Of i'll treatment of the veterans, and
saidIthat if there was any spoiled food given
the men it was unknown TO him.
DIR. Jerrey was not at the home, but
General Terry said he was satisfied he
would make an ample and satisfactory
reply for himself. He regarded Dr. Jerrey,
be added, as a splendid physician and was
satisfied that any complaint of neglect OF
duty on his part was a grave mistatement'
The committee TO whom wes referred the
matter held a meeting at the home We'd
nesday afternoon. and heard the testimony
of a number of witnesses. All the testi-
mony was taken down stenOgraphically.
They will meet again tonight.
Mr.. RANDoDPHs OPINION.
Mr.. n. V. Randolph. president of the
board, said yesterday afternoon that this
question. like all others. had two sides. The
committee mad gone into a thorough IN
vestigation of the entire matter, during
which they had examined mum Der of wit
nesses. who testified that there was no
ground tor the charges against General
Terry. Further than that he could not
talk officially. Everything would come
out when the committee made their report
to the board in August.
My private OPINION" added Alr. Ran
dolph. lis that some one VINO wants Cen
erai Ierry's place is at the bottom OF the
whole affair. General Terry will not re-
sign under fire. He was not given 10 that
sort of thing during the war
Mr.. Randolph further said that he hoped
the public would suspend judgment re-
garding General Terry unnl tue result OF
the investigation had been reached.
Some of the sIgners of the petitionary
charges say they are exceedingly ANXIOUS
that all the facts shall 60 before the pub
lie, and that if the board does not remedy
existing conditions they Will appeal to Lee
Camp.