St. Paul daily globe., 1896-04-16
BITTER ATTACK ON HIM BY MIR.
BLUE, OF KAN
SAS.
SOLDIERS HOME SCANDAL
DIRECT CHARGES OF CORRUPTION,
BRUTALITY AND DRUNKEN
NESS MADE.
GEN. FRANKLIN ALSO INCLUDED.
The Affairs of the Soldiers, Home at
LeavenwOrth Given an Airing
In the House.

WASHINGTON, April ia sensation was
caused in the house today by bitter attack
made on Gen. Franklin, member of the board
of managers of the National Soldiers homes,
and Mr.. Smith, the governor of the home at
Leavenworth Kan. Gen. Franklin was charg-
ed with incompetency or dishonesty and Mr..
Smith with drunkenness and brutality.
Mr.. Hull (Rep., Io.), chairman Of the COM
mittee on military affairs, called up the reso-
luton for the appointment of William B.
Franklin, of Connecticut; Thomas ]. Hender-
son, of Illinois; George L. Beale, of Maine,
and George w. Steele, of Indiana, as men,
bers of the board of managers of the Nation
al Soldiers Home. Mr.. Blue (Rep., Kan.),
who has on several occasions severely criti-
cised Gen. Franklin, asked three hours to dis
cuss the resolution. He said he had in his
hand (1ourishing lot of papers, documents
charging Gen. Franklin, and Smith, the man
ager of the Leavenworth home, for whom the
former was responsible, with cruel and bru-
tai treatment of the inmates Of the home at
Leavenworth Kan, where, he said, 1000 SOL
diers were practically incarcerated. He pro-
posed to offer an amendment to substitute the
name of Gen. o. o. Howard for that of Gen.
Franklin. Mr.. Hull declined to make any
concession as to time, and Mr.. Blue opened
his attack. His purpose, he said. was to
free the LeaVenWOrtn nome Irom tue oI uAhen
and brutal man now at its head.
do you know he has been drunk? asked
Mr.. Steele, member Of the board.
ST do, and will produce the proof"
els he not at the head of Keely organ
ization?" inquired Mr.. Steele.
HE is" replied Mr. Blue, "at $1,000 a
year.
'I do not believe he was drunk" said Mr..
Steele.
Nv p1r,o
temptuously sis gorged with misinformation
regarding these homes" Continuing, Mr..
Blue read several letters criticising Gen.
Franklin and Smith, one Of them alleging
that Smith was not only drunkard, but
corrupt man. Mr.. Blue concluded his array
of testimony by reading an affidavit from an
inmate of the Leavenworth home, charging
Smith with drunkenness, cruelty and gross
favoritism He claimed that Smith main
tained the biggest saloon in Kansas under
the shadow of the flag the soldiers fought to
save Last year, he said, the profits of the
beer hall alone were $130 900. That saloon was
run by the man who was the head OF the
Keely league.
'Have you any charges to make against the
personal character of Gen. Franklin?" asked
Mr.. Hill Rep., Conn.,.
'I charge" replied Mr.. Blue, with great de-
liberation and emphasis, "that the reports
show that Gen. Franklin is either grossly
negligent and incompetent or that he is not
| honest He knows of the saloons; he knows
of Smiths conduct. and if these reports are
true, he holds in his hands. in violation Of the
| law, trust funds that should have been turned
into the general fund"
| ''Do you charge misconduct against any
other member of the board?" asked Mr.. Hill
"No, not at present." responded Mr.. Blue
! "I charge no member except Franklin, because
1 am not conversant with their acts.'
''Has not the board made investigation o1
! Smiths administration" asked Mr.. Hill.
ANY investigation made by the board Of
managers" replied Mr. Blue, is a roaring
! farce. No man in the home dares to testify
and I charge here and now that investigation
was made for the purpose Of shielding Smith.
Mr.. Blue said the inspectors reports would
prove that the board of managers was a pri
vate corporation holding government prop
erty in its own name and buying and selling a
its own sweet will. In concluding his arraign
ment, Mr.. Blue charged that under Franklin's
management last year $250,000 Of government
property had been condemned or destroyed
and that the board had last year made triI
to the st. Monico home at a cost Of Sc, 900.
Mr.. Curtis (Rep., N. " replied to Mr.. Blue
in a calm and temperate speech. He asked
the house to consider carefully the charge.
preferred against Gen. Franklin. The charges
he said, were old. They had been investigated
and the official report did not substantiate
them. In conclusion Mr.. Curtis paid a mag
| nificent personal tribute to Gen. Franklin.
Mr.. Steele Rep., Ind.) a member of the
board of managers, made an impressive de
tense of the board. He eulogized the worl
Of the homes which since their establishment
had cared for $4,000 soldiers and had ex
pended $4,000 900 without the loss Of farth
ing.
''Do you, as a member of the board" in
quired Mr.. Walker Rep., Mass.) intend t.
keep, as governor of the Leavenworth home
man who was drunk during all the war anG
is now in the habit Of getting drunk?''
Mr.. Steele replied that as a member of thu
board he would vote to oust Smith if proofs
were adduced that he had been drunk.
Mr.. Poole (Rep., N. " who was one of Col
Smiths comrades during the war, gave hi
personal estimate of him as a soldier and .
man. He denied most emphatically that Col
Smith was ever drunk during the war an(
paid high tribute to his bravery as a soldie
and ability as man.
| Mr.. Mahon Rep.. Pa.) moved to amend tn
resolution so as to provide for a Joint com
mittee of the house and senate to Investigate
the charges against Mr.. Smith. With tn
understanding that vote should be had a
O'Clock tomorrow, the house adjourned.