Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-11
WILL FORWARD HIM THE FACTS.
Then Commander Watr0usc VIII BE Ex-
pected to Explain.

pected to Explain.
A meeting of Phil. Kearny Posts Me-
mortal Committee was held yesterday ar
teruoon at the Office OF Chairman Edgar
Allan, who is past Junior vice-commander-
in-chief Of the Grand Army Of the Re
public.
After attending to business connected
with memorial exercises at Seven-Pines
cemetery on the S0th instant attention
was given to the damaging newspaper
reports lately published wherein II Is
charged, on asserted Grand Army Of the
Republic authority, that money sent TO
the post for memorial-day purposes Is
misappropriated to the purpose Of erect
ing a memorial hall here. From all that
could be CLEANED from what has been
published the reports had their origin
with the commander of the Department
Of Wisconsin. Mr.. Watrouse.
1t was decided as first step necessary
towards setting the post right before
their comrades and the public to furnish
Commander Watrouse with copies or all
the circulars sent out by the committee.
together with their printed reports or
yearly proceedings. wherein II VIII bs
clearly shown to him that the fact that
the post intended and expected TO build
a
crue was always distinctly set forth and
declared, thus bringing 10 his mind and
conscience the SANDER he has been guilty
of I'm accusing the post of &nisappropri-
ating the contributions and "swindling
the contributors. He will be asked TO
make ample correction of his statements,
and undo the evil that he has done.
He will be given this opportunity, and
under the information that will be sent
him it is believed by the committee that
he will not object. The evidence vindi-
eating the post Is overwhelming Ths
committee does not intend TO let the
matter stop where 1t Is.
The Charges In Detail.
A Milwaukee special to the chicago
Tribune gives ]. a. Waterman, instead
Of Watrouse, is the name of the depart
ment commander who issued the state
ment rejecting upon Phil. kearny POST
The statement, which the Tribune CORE
spondent says was given to warn the
Woman's Relief Corps throughout Wis
consin, Is as follows:
For many years one post and some
times two posts OF the order at the South
have called upon all Of the northern posts
for contributions Of money td be used In
decorating the graves Of soldiers buried
on battlehelds in national cemeteries.
Tens of thousands Of dollars have been
sent to the officers Of these two posts.
the most Of ii going to one located at
Richmond During the administration OF
Commander-in-Chief Weissert an investi-
CATION showed that with two exceptions
the practice OF decorating graves at the
South had not prevailed. 1t showed that
Very little was done In the way OF deco
rating graves In the vicinity Of Richmond
by the post which had received vast
amount of money from northern COM
rides. II showed that Of all the work
done by the Virginia posts. even to the
payment Of transportation. for flowers
and flags, and the placing OF flowers and
aags on the graves was paid for. and that
NOT much in the way OF decorating was
done. What became OF all the money?
No one pretends TO know. but II Is be-
iieyed that some OF II has been diverted
TO the building Of q memorial hall In
Richmond. Nothing has been said In the
calls for contributions about q memorial
ball-the money was to have been used
for the purchase Of flags for decorating
graves. not In erecting expensive build
ings In Richmond.
Nothing would have been said In this
public way had not the Virginia post
ana some OF ito friends In other posts dis
regarded the action OF national en-
compliment whereby all OF the posts In the
country were called upon TO send funds