The morning call., 1894-09-10
Who Will Com mmand the
Veterans Home !?
ONE HOLD-OVER SCANDAL.
A Member of the Old Board and
His Commission.
BOUGHT GOODS NOT WANTED.
The Board Holds a Spicy Sunday
Session-Commandant's Elec-
tion Postponed.

Ii was expected that the board of
directors of the Veterans Home, which
met at Yountville yesterday, would not
only accept the resignation of Command
ant Dimpfal but elect his successor.
They did the former, but decided to take
q course OF deep thinking over the latter.
So many sudden and more or less un-
expec Ell things have happened within the
memory of one or two boards of directors
in and about this Veterans Home that
the present board is developing disposi-
| tinn to 60 slow. Speed is tabooed and
under suspicion for the time.
Furthermore, some of the mem bers are
shy of publicity. Publicity has grown to
be such drug about the Institution that
the glitter of reporters fire badge could
strike a Veterans Home director blind,
and the crisp sound of a newspaper in the
seat next behind in a railway car has been
known to cause palpitation of the heart.
| Perhaps the election would have taken
place yesterday IL movement to secure
| an executive session had met with more
favor, but Vice-Presdent Arbuckle, d.
rectors Garrett, Fuller and others opposed
| it so strongly tnat it was decided before
the meeting convened that the election
would be postponed. Director Blinn. who
|
sented to tais. but gave notice that when
The election was held he would move to do
! it in secret.
The meeting yesterday was therefore
without special features, save for the
slight ventilation given to a hold-over
| scandal from the preceding and very dis
Iipgushed board.
The resignation of Colonel George II.
A. Dimpfel from the office of command
ant, which he has held for some eighteen
months, was scarcely feature, as it was
promised. Ii was couched in the fewest
| words possible and was accepted in like
manner. with the exception that its date,
September 3, was changed to September 9,
al 1t read ito take effect Today" and the
board decided that il had no right to de-
prive him Of weeks salary by accepting
| ii as Ii read.
A communication was read from Wan
genheim, Sternheim Il Co. threatening to
| bring suit if a certain bill for merchan-
disc long since due for the sum of $90S was
not paid by September1. l.
THE was the hOldover which called up
dubious memories of former admins
| ration.
Director Charles II. Blnn impetuousIy
| moved that Messrs. Waagenheim, Stern
hei In 81 Co. be notified that the board
would not pay the bill, and would further
be pleased to have the suit begun at once.
This radical measure rather astonis he'd
a board which had just sOlemniy made up
its mind 10 think occasionally. and MIR.
Blinn had 10 submit 10 a startled and
curious gaze irIm the other members for
something hse minute.
Then Marcus ID. Hyde remarked that
lawsuits were things To be avoided; the
board was not seeking them.
Neither are Wangenhelm, Sternheim &
Co" said Mr.. Blinn, ''and they will not
bIiug the suit
"WhY won't they? ?"
A EDn hafs
just that when l say wish they would. for
they are one of the largest concerns in San
FrynclscO. and l would like to show them
up. III they have one price for this home
which Is % per cent higher than for the
general trade, | want to know WHY. The
fact is some one got commission out of
this deal, and we should know who 1t is"
And so cat got out of bag. He was
chrstened later in the discussion.
Vice-President q. W. Arbuckle, who
presided at the meeting in the absence of
President Burnett. was chairman of a
committee who had had the matter in
charge. and he made long statement in
regard to it. He said that The COMMITTEES
had called upon the firm and pointed out
that the items were billed at fully % per
cent above their own published irice list,
and that the board considered it unjust
aud would not pay IT, but that they we've
willing to pay-say 60 cents on the dollar.
that Mr.. Sternheim had said they couId
not accept that. as the bill was good for its
face value, dollar for dollar. Subse-
queutlY the secretary had received
the letter referred 10, threatening
sut He also went OIL to say that
l.. 81. Herrick, who was a member of the
board last year and who, as such individual
member had ordered these good>, came to
him (Arbuckle) some days ago, and, show
ing him a dunning postal card from
Wangen helm, Sternheim & Co., said: Il
want you to stop this thing. These peo-
pie send mo card like that bout once
a week, telling me 10 come and settle that
bill. I'm tired OF it. Those goods were
bought and should be paid for
Il asked him how it came that the prices
were so high, and he said that in ordering
the goods no prices we're mentioned, the
firm merely agreeing to bill the goods al
dealers prices"
And this firm, knowing that Mr. Her.
TICK Is no longer mem 0er of the board
has the assurance to send him dunning
postal cards, while it is also sending
threatening letters to the secretary OF this
board. Where does it get that assurance
There is no use beatiug the bush about
this matter 1t is quite evident that some
one got commission out of this deal"
said Mr.. Bllnn.
Al this uprose Marcus d. HYDE and said ::
"Mr. Chairman. L cannot sit here and
listen to member of this board reflect
upon Mr.. Herrick in this manner. He Is
an old comrade and has served here long
and faithfully and honestly. He acknowl-
edges to having ordered these goods and
he simply trusted to the word Of his firm
that they would deliver them at dealers
prices. He has said that he received no
comm ssion. l don't think such things
should be said about him."
Mr. Blinn said that he had mentioned no
names.
''No; but you have made it just as plain.
You might just as well have used the
name, and l won't sit here and listen
to it,"
Treasurer Currie then moved that in
stead OF sending Blinn's abrupt letter
committee 60 out and tender 70 per cent of
the bill, and this was finally adopted, after
Mr.. Hyde had moved that the matter be
disposed of. with a resolution admitting
he receipt of the goods, but declaring that
they had not been lawfully purchased.
There is a rule of the board to the
! affaet that n nficar o h..-