The morning call., 1893-09-13
ARE NOT PAUPERS
Aged Persons Who Paid
Their Board.
THE OLD PEOPLES HOME.
Its Inmates Object to Receiving Aid
From the State and Say They
Are Not Indigents.
THE OLD PEOPLES HOME.

The wonted quiet of the Old Peoples
Home, at the corner of Pine and Pierce
streets. has been much perturbed for the
past few days, and for the first time in the
history OF the institution there are muir
murs of dissatisfaction. Not with their
home nor the food nor with any of their
surroundings. for these are all that could
be wished. The soft carpets on the floors,
the rich curtains draped over the doors
and windows, the delicate tnts on the
walls-all these unite to give the place the
air of a true home.
But there are other considerations.
There are many persons VINO hold life
mem berships, and who have lived there
for years content with the thought that
their money bad purchased for them an
abiding place for their declining years.
and who have but just now come to a
knowledge of the fact that they are being
supported at the States expense. and it is
not 20 be wondered at that they indig-
nantly repel the charge of being paupers
There are three classes of members in
the home. Life members. who have paid
certain amount for the inmateship:
boarders. who pay by the month, and
those who arc there wholly through char
ity Ii is from the first class that the pres
ent complaint comes.
Life memberships have no fixed value.
They have been purchased for few
hundred dollars. and from that up to $500,
depending entirely on the applicants fuan-
clal ability. But in any case il has always
been understood by them that the amount
paid was all that was to be required by the
home for their support.
The management gives a receipt and a
contract In which, IN consideration of the
amount received, it agrees to provide for
all the necessities of the member, and it is
certain that no one of these inmates I'M
derstood that State aid was TO be asked for
them.
In 1888 the Legislature passed an act
providing for aged and INDECENT persons
who were already in charitable institu-
tions, and making provision that if any
inmate should not pay an amount for his
board equal 10 SIS month then the State
should pay 500 year for his support
The act divided the year into two periods.
and at the end of each six months a list of
such members is made out including all
those who have not paid S15 month for
the previous six months, and the list is
sent 10 Sacramento and warrants are
drawn accordingly.
1t is the very exact way in which the
provisions OF the act have been complied
with that has brought about the present
difficulty, and while the officers of the
home and their attorney contend that the
State has not been defrauded the old peo-
pie who hold life inmateships feel that
they have been rather basely deceived.
AS has been stated, after the member
ship payment was made no more money
was asked of or expected from these mem
beIs, and at the end of the second six
months of their residence there they be-
came literally members OF the class that
had paid nothing during the period Just
closed, and their names were duly entered
on the INDECENT list, which was sent to
Sacramento, and from that time en- the
State paid 500 year for their support.
There is absolutely no classification of
persons 10 the home so far as the amount
which they pay is concerned, the same
food and rooms aud attendance in general
being given to all. The person who paid
a large sum for his membership or the enc
who boards at $50 month knows nothing
better than those who are absolute chart
ties. And this is as it is intended il
should be.
1--WE have nothng TO complain of so far
as our home is concerned" said one of the
neatly dressed old gentlemen who live
there. "But we do object to being forced
into pauperism. Many of us would not be
here if we had known that the State was
appro prsting money for our support
Some of us were quite we'll to do and had
money enough TO have lived elsewh here, but
we came here simply because it was
pleasant place to live, And when we
paid our money 1t was with the under
standing that that absolutely paid for our
maintenance.
1--WE nave been deceived and imposed
upon and the public cannot blame us if we
rebel"
This Is nothing Dew," said acting Sec
rotary Alexander. 1.-The same thing has
been going on for ten years-eyer since
the act was passed.
1.-THE State allows 500 a year, which is
little over SIS a month, for each inmate,
and from those who board we receive from
S12 to S14 a month. which. added to the
appropriation, makes about 81 month,
and that is what we figure that it costs us
to keep the inmates. The amount they
pay US is not fixed with the idea Of beat
ing the State, but as they are not able to
pay in full we take advantage OF what the
State allows US. and the inmates pay the
balance.
1.-THE lists sent to Sacramento include
| the names of those who pay less than SIS
| for their board and those who have pa I'd
nothing during the previous six months"
"Charles +. HanlOn is attorney for the
management, aud in speaking OF it last
night he SAID
There is no promise on the part of the
| home not to accent outside aid, and if il
does that does not concern the inmates so
| long as they are provided for. Ii makes
no difference whether some one donates
! the money or the State gives it. In either
case the inmates get the benefit.
And as 10 boarding people for an
amount a little smaller than the figure
named by the State, any one who is famil-
| lar with the accom- modatious offered know
that they could not be furnished for S15.
and that it is necessary to take advantage
of Stale aid"
When the matter was first agtated al the
home some of the inmates wrote TO State
Controller Colgan asking If their names
we're on the INDECENT list, and in that way
IL has been brought to his attention.
Some correspondence has passed between
Sacramento and The officers of the home.
and it is expected that before the Board of
Examiners passes the claims an inyestga-
ton will be held,