The San Francisco call., 1896-02-25
THE GRAND ARMY MUDDLE F
Governor Budd and Commander
Wilson Are Asked to
Investigate.
No Commandant for the Veterans
Home Will Be Chosen by the Di.
rectors at Present.

The directors of the Yountville Vete-
rams Home had a special meeting yester-
day afternoon at 800 Sansome street for the
purpose of electing a new commandant
for that institution. In view of the fact
however, of the recent charges of Lyon
Post No. s, G. a. R. of Oakland, against
the home directory the board who came to
vote remained to discuss.
1t was the sense of all the mem bers
present that while the charges were false
in every particular malicious in character,
totally unworthy of notice coming as they
did from few persons moved by petty
personal spite, they must be met by an
investigation. The board could not go
into the work of choosing a commandant
for the home while it was under a cloud.
The new officer could wait while they at
tended TO Lyon Post and its resolutions.
After a lengthy discussion Director
Backus offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Governor OF the State of
California be and is hereby requested 10 make
q complete investigation OF all the acts OF the
board of directors of the Veterans Home
Association and the entire management of the
Veterans Home.
This was unanimously adopted and a
! copy ordered sent to the Governor with
the request that action be taken lmmedi-
| ately.
The following resolutions were also read
and unanimously adopted urging Depart
| ment Commander Wilson to INQUIRE into
the truth OF the Lyon Post accusations:
! WHEREAS, Lyon Post No. 8, Department OF
| California and Nevada, die at the meeting
| held February Is, 1896, adopt series of reso-
| ludons specifying certain charges of derelic
! tiOn of duty on the part of the members of the
! board of directors; and whereas the board
| invite and request the fullest investigation OF
each and every act connected with the man
| agement OF said home; therefore be it
| RESOLVED, That the department commander
| be and is hereby requested to make complete
| investigation of all the acts of this board and
the management OF the Veterans Home al
| YountVille.
Resolved, That we request the department
| commander, after he has completed said i'll
vestigation, to take such steps as he may deem
necessary, proper and just in connection with
| the action taken by said Lyon Post.
''I am sorry all this discussion has been
made in the public press,'' said Colonel
CurrieT yesterday, land do not care to
say anything, as it will only provoke
more debate The Governor and depart
question. 1t is deplorable that such
things should come up in the Grand
Army of the Republican order where
the spirit of loyalty, patriotism and fra
! ternity should prevail. So we will let the
matter go over until the investigators
make their report"
! Il see that Thompson of Oakland, late
commandant of the Veterans Home,
comes back at me-" said Director Blinn.
| ''Well, I'll just quote Fitzsimmons in
reply and tell him to go and make a
record He is not in my class"
'There is nothing gained by keeping the
thing in discussion" said Director Rud-
dick, $50 the directory concluded to-day
| that the wisest course was TO call upon
tie highest authority-the Governor and
department commander-to vindicate the
home and its management. As for the
charges, they really deserve no notice,
springing as they do from several persons
who have personal grievances against the
directors. 1t is strange that Thompson,
who was removed only few weeks ago.
did not make his complaint during the
year and half he was IN charge of the
home. On July l. 1895, he made his re-
port highly complimenting the directory,
ending with the following paragraph:
" i congratulate the board of directors
on the excellent condition of the home and
the important work they have accom-
pllshed the past year.
"He did not mention the sewer that was
destroying the inhabitants of Napa CITY
until he was removed. Then he took
action by going to judge Ham of Napa.
member of the G. A. r.. and asking him
to have the Grand Jury of that county
indict the directors of the home on the
sewer question. Comrade Ham refused to
do so, intimating that the idea was both
childish and malicious"
Medical Director W. T. McAllister of the
home, who has been acting commandant
since Thompson removal, will remain in
charge till his successor is appointed,
which will be after the coming investlga-
ton.