The morning call., 1893-05-30
IT'S GETTING HOT.
Royce to Go Before the
Grand Jury.
BEER AND LITERATURE.
The Canteen Yielded Large Profits,
but the Directors Didn't Get
Sight of them.

1t is now certain that tie Grand Jury
will be asked tn investigate the affairs of
tie Yountvilie Veterans Home in connec-
ton with the defalcatous of Treasurer
c. E. K. Royce OF the institution.
The committee appointed by the Vet
erans' Association to investigate the
affairs has employed an expert in the per-
son of Scion Pattee TO examine the books
of the treasurer, and this work is now
finished.
Last night the committee met in the office
Of w. II. L. Barnes and heard the experts
report The committee consisted of S. 4.
Loop chairman, Magness TAFT, c. A. Full
Ter. Jerome Deasy and E. c. Thatcher.
The report of Expert Pattee showed,
in all, forty-fve instances of shortages.
The figures given to show the defalcation
OF Treasurer Royce showed that during
his term he received S119, 121 40, and ac-
counted for S99.014 10 OF that amount
proving that shortage of about $50, 107 81
exists.
General Barnes, counsel for the commit
tee, is authority for the statement that
the Grand Jury will be asked to investi-
gate the matter on Wednesday.
TIE experts report will be used in evil
dence, and the directors of the home
will also be brought before the Grand
Jury ard asked TO explain some things
that at the present time look somewhat
haZy.
For instance, it was brought out at the
meeting of the committee last night that
the treasurer's books had never been ex-
amined or even seen by the directors OF
the home since he has held the office.
Royce was never even asked by the
directors to show up his books. He pre-
scented statements of his accounts from
pocket memoranda, and they always
balanced to cent.
The expert found the books in terribly
jumbled-up condition and there were many
Instances where 20 accounts of moneys re-
ceived were kept at all.
Marcus ID. Hyde, one of the directors of
the home, was called before the committee
last night and gave some testimony that
threw little light on the way affairs at
the home have been conducted in the past
Mr.. Hyde is member of the supply
committee. He was questioned closely by
General Barnes IN regard to the contracts
that were made by the supply committee
with the firms that furnish supplies TO the
home.
out by his testimony was that, as n matter
OF fact, no signed contract existed between
any firm and the directors. The different
firms simply submitted written bids and
the supply committee accepted or rejected
bids and did not require signed agree
| ments from the firms. In other words the
firms were not legally bound to fulfill the
contracts.
Another point brought out was that in
divldual members of the supply committee
were in the habitsof making these verbal
contracts with different tirlns, and on sew
eral occasions supplies were ordered by
the mem bers Individually where no con-
tracts whatever existed.
! 1t was also brought out that no samples
| of goods were sent for the inspection Of
| the directors, but that the goods were sent
to the home and used and never examined
by the directors or members of the supply
| committee.
The supply committee had no regular
meetings. no records were kept of their
| tran actinns. and very seldom were re-
| ports made to the directors. In fact the
members of the purchasing committee
took things IN their own hands and ran
things to suit themselves.
For several months previous TO the dis
covery of the deficiency IN Royce's ac-
counts the minutes of the meetings of the
board had not been written up even.
1t was shown by the experts reports
that on Nav "a 1892. Rovce secured S8S56
! from the Uaitpd States Government and
had no knowledge OF this discrepancy
whatever. The pocket memorandum
| shown by Royce gave the amount depos-
tied as 1886, the amount secured.
An amusing phase of the testimony
| brought out was in regard to the accounts
of the canteen, the saloon maintained at
! the home.
The memorandum as displayed to the d.
rectors by Royce showed that the profits
from the Canteen were about 100 per cent
per month.
The kiud-hearted directors decided at
one meeting that the home should not
make large prOfit like that from the Tags
of their fellow-cOmrades, and so il was
voted 10 keep better quality of whisky
and cigars, and Increase the size of the
beer schooners, and the directors patted
themselves on the back FOR their noble
generosity.
But that didn't help the matter much.
The profits kept increasing instead of 60
ing down.
Then the directors got together once
more, and gravely decided that the profits
OF the jagOlet factory should be devoted to
purchasing library, so that the comrades
light store their minds with useful knowl-
edge between drinks.
Afterward they discovered that the
profits were profitable only to Royce and
existed solely in his Imagination anu i'll his
memorandum slips. The actual cash
profits never materialiZed, and neither did
the library.
Not single dollar of THE Canteen"
fund ever found its way into the hands of
the directors.
Director G. Ii. Storms, chairman of the
supply committee, and Director III. t.
Hobart were interrogated on several
points bearing on the receiving of presents
by the directors and member of the sup.
ply committee from the firms that fur
nisned supplies.
The testimony they gave was very con-
fiicting and not at all satisfactory aud they
will be invited TO go over it again before
the Grand Jury.
Another point was in regard to the
lending of money by The directors to in
mates OF the home on security, consisting
of their pension certificates.
Director Hobart was asked in regard
to the loan of certain amounts to John
Cook, veteran of the home. His reply
was in the nature of an evasion.
In testifying in regard to presents of
casks OF whisky and beer he also steered
clear of the main question:.
An important part of the investigation
last night was in regard to the work of
Secretary Rockwell of the Veterans AS
ISOLATION.
Did You ever see Secretary Rockwell
under the influence of liquor during ses-
si0ns of the board of directors" asked
| General Barnes of Director Stevens?
II would hate to swear that | ever saw
him in any other condition." replied MIR
| Stevens.
Secretary Rockwell wils he investipated