Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-16
SENATE AND HOUSE.
Prospect Of an Early Adjournment Of
Congress YaniShes.
SOLDIERS HOME SCANDAL
Charges Of Drunkenness Agninst
Recommendations Charges Also
Against General franklin, of the
Board of Managers.

dictions Of an early adjournment Of Con-
gress are not likely to be verified. The
sIowly-moving Dupont election-case had
been taken up, and Mr.. Gray Oemocrao,
OF Delaware. was I'm the act OF beginning
an argument against the right OF Mr.. Du-
pont, when the chairman OF the Commit
tee on Appropriations (Afr. Allison tke-
publcan), OF Iowa. made an inquiry as
TO the time when the election-case would
probably come to vote. Mr.. Mitchell
Republican). Of Oregon. chairman OF the
Committee on Privileges and Elections,
said there were at least half a dozen
more speeches TO be made upon 1t, and
that therefore, he could not fix any time
for the vote. although he was very anxi-
GUS to have the case disposed Of. He
consented, however. to let the matter go
over. when Mr.. Gray should have finish
ed his speech. so as to make way for the
Indian appropriation bill, the naval-appro-
priation bill. and Mr.. PETERS resolution
for an investigation OF the recent bond
issues.
THAT practically means" Mr.. German
interposed. that the Dupont case is not
10 be disposed OF until after the lst OF
June"
Mr. Gray occupied over three hours In
the presentation OF the case against Mr..
Duponts claim TO the vacant seat from
the State OF Delaware. and had not finish
ed his speech when the Senate, at $50 T..
M. after an executive session, adjourned
till tomorrow.
House OF Representatives.
Mr. Bartlett DemocraU. OF Georgia, re-
ported the views of the MI
nority of House Elections Com
mittse No. l upon the contested
election case OF Goodwin vs.. Cobb. from
the Fourth Alabama District, and they
were ordered printed. Mr. Bell OemocraD.
OF Texas, called up the unanimous re-
port OF Elections Committee No 3 in the
case Of Norman va Latimer. from the
| Third District of South Carolina. recon-
meadBg the adoption Of resolutions de-
/ claring Norman CRepublicanD not elected.
and Latimer OemocraD elected. and en-
| titled 10 the seat held by him. The report
was agreed TO. and the resolutions were
| adopted.
After an nour spent in considering pri-
vate bills Mr.. Hull Republican,, or Iowa,
called up the Joint resolution providing
| for the election OF four governors OF the
board in charge OF national soldiers
homes, to succeed those whose terms ex-
| pire the present month Tho resolution
| includes General W. Il. Franklin, Of Con-
necticut. TO succeed himself; General L.
j. Henderson, OF Illinois. to succeed Gene
raj John c. Black; General George W..
| Steele. OF Indiana. 10 succeed himself:
and General George J.. Beal. OF Maine.
| to succeed Francis Fessenden.
| Mr.. Hull said that Mr. Blue Republi-
can). OF Kansas. desired TO discuss the
resolution. and endeavored to come to
some understanding with him regarding
| the limit OF debate. Mr. Blue, holding
/ alOft bundle Of papers. said he held In
his hand a number OF aflidavits charging
General Franklin and the man Smith.
governor OF the Soldiers Home at Lea
| venworth, for whom he was responsible,
| with brutal and oppressive treatment OF
the inmates OF he Leavenworth Home.
He thought that he House would hear
what he had 70 say In behalf OF the 2oO
Kansas veterans incarcerated In that
home.
Mr.. Hull had suggested that the debats
| be limited TO two hours. but after Mr.
Blues statement he said that he would
consent that II go on without Limitation
! at present.
Before beginning the discussion, Mr..
! Blue moved that the name OF General
! Franklin be struck out OF ths joint reso-
! luton, and that Of that splendid soldier
! and noble Christian, General o. q. How
ard" be inserted He had read a portion
Of Senator Plumb's remarks in the Sen
ate six years ago. in which he advised
! that no man be reelected as a member
OF the Board Of Managers after having
served a full term OF six years. He
/ then called attention to the fact that
! General Franklin had virtually become
} the Board OF Managers. and stated that
| n he were in that place, when General
Franklinis term expired. he would insist
| that he be retired in favor OF some other
man. The conditions which Senator
! Plumb described six years ago, said Mr.
| Blue, had become intensified. and now.
even more than then. was General Frank
lin the dominating spirit OF the board.
SERIOUS CHARGES.
It had been charged. he said. that his
! opposition 10 Franklin and Smith was
based upon personal grounds. This he
denied, saying that HIS fight against them
was born ~ a desire only 10 relieve men
| from the oppression of a drunken and
brutal governor. and secure for them
such treatment az should be acvsTded 10
men who gave their best services in de-
fence OF their country. And he proposed,
he said. 20 lay bare the facts, let the
consequences be what they might
Mr.. Steele Republican,, OF Indiana:
! Does the gentleman say that the gov
ernor, Smith, has been drunk within the
| past three years?
Mr. Blue: Drunk? Yes; a hundred
times-vomitlng crawling drunk.
Mr.. Steele: 1t is my understanding that
he is the head OF the National Keeley
League. established at Harrisburg last
| year.
Mr. Blue: Yes; for profit. He receives
;i.3oo year az head of the league. and
that II not all he receives.
Mr. Steele: II Governor Smith Is a
| dr1inkard, / don't know ~. think
would know II. and do not believe IT,
Sir. Blue: IL what the gentleman does
not know about these national homes
were put into a book. II would make a
large volume He's gorged with misin-
formation.
Mr.. Blue read a letter hs had received
from Ex-Governor George T. Anthony, OF
Kansas. referring TO one he Anthony]
had written 70 General Curtis. a member
OF the Committee on Military Affairs. In
which he protested against the reelection
OF General Franklin as a member of the
| Board of Managers. because II was
thought that IL was due 20 his Frank
lip's) influence that Smith was retained a.
governor OF the Lesvenworth Home
Smiths administration. the letter claim
ed. had been accompanied by scandals
and smith was unit for the position for
several reasons This letter. Mr. Blue
sald. he had been informed Genera
Curtis had not mentioned 10 any membel
OF the Committee on Military Affairs II
he was mistaken he should be glad TO b
corrected.