The record-union., 1896-12-25
YOUNTVILLE SOLDIERS HOME.
". R. Thomas Charges Against the
Management.
Secretary of State Browns Investi-
CATION Thereof-NOthing
Crooked.

On July 9th a petition signed by W. k.
Thomas, preferring charges and specl-
1lcations against the management of the
TOWNSVILLE Veterans Home, was re-
ceived and opened by the State Board of
Examiners. Mr.. Thomas resides at 100
Ninth street, Oakland, and his charges
Were of such a serious nature that they
were referred to Secretary OF State
Brown with instructions to thoroughly
investigate them and report as soon
thereafter as possible.
Accordingly Mr.. Brown set about
making diligent and exhaustive inVestl-
cation into the charges, and the conclu-
sions arrived at by him were filed in the
office of the State Board of Examiners
yesterday.
In his introduction Secretary Brown
relates that the charges lead up to the
belief that the Veterans Home is a
State institution, but that such is not
the case 1t is strictly a private cor
poration under the exclusive control of
the association under which it was
formed, and to which the statutes reg
uIating institutions OF the State did not
apply.
We're taken UP in their regular order by
Secretary Brown and carefully traced to
their foundations. The gist of the
charges and the Secretary of States re-
port is as follows:
Charge First-That the Veterans
Home is situated upon property held in
private ownership in Napa County, and
that for many years it has been, and
is State institution, and that during
its existence money has been drawn
from the State for the maintenance and
support of the same.
Secretary of State Brown explains as
follows: True, the property is located
on realty held in private ownership,
consequently the home cannot be a State
institution. From reading the report
of the officers of the association I find
the revenue of the home is derived al
most entirely from the State and Fed
eral Governments. A profit of about
81 900 per annum is earned from the
canteen. and a few dollars are received
from donations and the sale of pro-
duce."
Charge Second-That all moneys ap
prOpriated for the support and mainten-
ance of the home are and were so ap-
propriated for the sole purpose of sup
porting and maintaining aged persons
in INDECENT circumstances as inmates
and that the funds therefor may not
lawfully be diverted from the purposes
and applied in any other manner.
In regard to this charge Secretary
Brown says: The money is not appro-
priated by the State for the support ana
maintenance of the Veterans Home, but
said home is caring for the INDECENT SOL
diers and receives from the State a
specified amount per annum for each in
mate. The money expended for re-
pairs and improvements mentioned
herein was principally derived from the
State or Federal Government allowance,
and some action should be taken by the
Legislature prohibiting the use of any of
said appropriation for improving or re-
pairing private property. The home IS
not State property more than are the or
phan asylums, to which the State appro-
PIRATES a specific sum annually for each
inmate in the several asylums."
Charge Third-Alleges that for and
during the past five years the moneys
appropriated for the home have been
diverted and misapplied from time TO
time by the Board of Directors of the
Veterans Home Association, a private
corporation. the board having assumed
sole and exclusive control, management
and application Of such moneys.
Specification l. The sum Of $1,000 or
more has been ana is being used and ap-
piled annually toward the payment Of
salaries Of officers, for Office rent and
Incidental expenses incurred by said
officers in SAN Francisco, and that the
officers and the principal place of busi-
hess is and has been at San Francisco.
excepting the Medical Director and the
Commandant.
Specification >. That a large percent
age Of the appropriation is misappled
ard diverted by the Board Of Directors
IN that the funds have been and are be
ing used in Improvements and build
irgs upon the grounds of the home and
In paying up deficiencies and losses oc-
casioned by the board and its officers
in their mismana cement and nliSappli-
cation Of the funds.
Specification > That all the funds are