The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-11-04
The Governor of the Soldiers
Home at LeavenWOrth
Treats Bernard Kelly, Maj. Pond
and Others Shabbily.
NVITES A VISIT
Then Turns His Back on the
Visitors.
Old Soldiers Adopt Resolutions
DenOuncing Him.

Past Department Commanders Bernard
Kelly and Major H. w. Pond, with Col.
w. D. Alexander and O. II. Coulter of
Topeka, were among The two carloads Of
old soldiers belonging to the c. A. r..
who were snubbed by Governor SmiIh of
the National Soldiers home at Leavsn-
worth, Saturday
Some time ago Governor Smith,
through Department Commander j. p.
Harris, issued an Invitation to the Kansas
@. A. K. members to come to the home
and have big camp fire.
The old soldiers accepted the invitation
and when Governor Smith was asked to
fix date he named Saturday, November
2, as the day for the camp fire. Adjutant
General Harrison of the state G. A. r.
sent out invitations announcing that
elaborate preparations had been made
and the soldier5 would be royalty enter
tanned by Governor Smith on this occa
sion.
The result was two car loads of old
soldiers accepted the invitation; when
they arrived at the Home they were met
at the depot and the only entertainment
they received was the privilege of bny-
ing their dinners at the Home restaur-
ant.
Governor Smith invited Department.
Commander Harris in to dinner and
fired salute in his honor, but the rest
of the party were left on the outside
The old soldiers are very mad about
the way they were received and when
they reached Holiday on their way home
with about forty-two old soldiers
present, the following resolution was
adopted:
"Whereas, We the members of the
grand army accepted the Invitation ex-
tended to IFS by Gov Smith, to hold one
day reunion at the National Home. The
said invitation announced that,
Governor Smith, IN conference with
Assistant Adjutant General Harrison, has
made the necessary arrangements. The
guests will be received al the depot by
| Brennan post and tho Home band. In
the dining halla lunch of coffee and
sandwiches will be served to every visit
or and tho entire institution will be
| turned over to them during their visit.
Every member of the Home will be made
u guide and nothing left andone that can
add to the comfort Of the guests
"Whereas. On arriving at the home. we
were not received as above indicated, no
lunch was set nor no programme of any
kind was rendered and the only oppOr-
tunity to secure lunch was at the Home
restaurant Therefore be it
''Re5olvsd, That while we feel that we
have been mistreated, we do not censure
the comrades of Brennan post nor the
boys of the Home, for they, individ-
usIly, including most of the otf-
GERS of the Home, did what they could
for US. bat we feel that the governor is to
| blame"
Major H. w Pond of Fort Scott, and
Col w. D. Alexander of Topeka have
been very severe in their condemnation
of Governor Smith.
Major Pond says it was evidently
planned snub as Governor Smith in-
vited the boys Oh date he knew it would
be impossible for large number of
them to GO just before the quarterly
pension payment, when many OF them
are financially rbroke."
Ottawa, Wilder. Bonner Springs Law
renee, Topeka, Fort Scott. Howard and
| EmporiS were among the Kansas towns
represented by the soldiers who visited
the Home but who did not have a camp