The San Francisco call., 1896-04-16
Colonel Smith Is Charged With
Being "a Vomiting, Crawl
ing Drunk"
BLUES BITTER ARRAIGNMENT.
A Kelley Cure at One End of the Insti
tuition and Beer Saloon
at the Other.

old fight against the reelection Of General
W. B. Franklin as a member OF the board
of managers of the National Soldiers
Home and against the retention of Colonel
A. ]. Smith as governor of the home at
Ieavenworth, Kans., was renewed in the
House to-day, occupying nearly all of the
session, and will rage until o'clock to-
morrow. 1t came on when Hull, chair
man of the Committee on Military affairs,
called up the joint resolution reported
from that committee providing for the
election of Generals Franklin and g. w.
Steele, representatives from Indiana, to
succeed themselves as members of the
board; of General 7. J. Henderson, an ex-
member of Congress from Illinois, TO sue
ceed General John C. Black, ex-Commis-
sioner OF Pensions, and of General G. L.
Beal of Maine, to succeed General Fessen-
den of the same State.
Blue (R.) of Kansas moved to strike out
the name of General Franklin and insert
that of General o. o. Howard and there
upon addressed the House for two hours.
He bitterly arraigned General franklin 5
administration as president of the board of
managers, declaring that he was virtually
the board, dominating its policy and ac-
tfon. He charged, he said, from the record,
that General Franklin was either grossly
negligent, grossly incompetent or was not
honest. He held that he was responsible
for the retention in Office of Colonel Smith
whom he accused of drunkenness, frequent
and continued up to the present time
vomiting, crawling drunk"-and of bru-
tality to the inmates of the home under
his charge.
General Franklin and Colonel Smith
were defended by General Curtis (R.) of
New York, member of the Committee on
Military Affairs; Poole (R.) of New York
and Henry (R.) OF Connecticut, and these
officials and the board of managers BY
General G. w. Steele (R.) of Indiana, a
member of the board
Mahon (R.) of PENNSYLVANIA proposed an
amendment TO the joint resolution provid-
ing for a Congressional investigation of the
charges of drunkenness and brutality
against Colonel Smith, the officer to be re-
moved by the board of managers should
majority Of the committee find the
charges to be well founded.
Blue (R.) of Kansas desired to discuss
the resolution IN order that he might pre-
sent afidavits charging General Franklin
and his man Smith, for whom he was
responsible, with brutal and oppressive
treatment Of inmates of the Leavenworth
home. He thought that the House would
hear what he had to say in behalf of the
1000 Kansas veterans incarcerated in that
home.
Hull had suggested that the debate be
limited to two hours, but after Blue state
ment he said that he would consent that
1t go on without limitation at present.
Before beginning the discussion Blue
moved that the name of General Franklin
be stricken out of the joint resolution and
that of the splendid soldier and noble
Christian, General o. o. Howard be in
serted. 1t had been charged, he said, that
his opposition to Franklin and Smith was
based upon personal grounds. This he
denied, saying that his fight against them
was born of desire only to relieve the
men from the oppression of the drunken
and brutal governor and secure for them
such treatment as should be accorded to
men who gave their best services in de-
fense of their country, and he proposed,
he said, to lay bare the facts, let the con-
sequences be what they might. He de-
clared that Smith, the governor. had been
drunk hundred times-"vomiting crawl
ing drunk
Steele (R.) of Indiana did not know this
and did not believe it, as he was the head
OF the National Kelley League.
Blue said he was in the Keeley League
for profit, and asserted that what most
people did not know about these homes
would fill very large volume.
Blue then read afidavits. letters and
kilograms, approving his fight against
Franklin and Smith, and TO show that
or
very recent past, indulging in intoxicating
liquors.
Blue read from the report of the in
spector-general, which showed that the
beer saloon in the home paid profit in
the last fiscal year of over $4,000. Reply
ing to questions as to whether he had anv
charge to make against General Franklin's
personal character, Blue said that Frank
lin was either grossly negligent, grossly
incompetent or not honest, and that he
had in his hands Government funds that
ought to be paid over to the treasury.
In connection with this last statement
Blue asserted that when Congress sepa-
rated the officers OF president and treas
urer OF the board, which Franklin then
held, he (Franklin) took up his man Fri
day and made him treasurer, and he
(tIanklIn) controlled the funds of the
board as he formerly did.
Morse OF Massachusetts desired to know
II the matters complained of at the home
were not due to the existence of a beerhall
in connection with the institution, and if
this ought not first to I've shut up.
Yes, and 1t is needed" exclaimed Blue,
''also to smut up the mouth OF the beer
guzzler who presides over it,
Curtis ofNew York, reviewing Blues ar
raignment OF Governor Smith, General
Franklin and, indirectly, the board of
managers. explained that there was given
to the selection of the new mem bers all
the dignity and deliberation that would
attach to tie election of President of the
United States.
General Franklin, he said, had been for
long time member OF the board. The
charges against himw were old and had been
thoroughly investigated, He reeretted