The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-10
THE SOLDIERS HOME.
DISTINGUISHED Defense of the Pres
ent management.
To the Editor of the Globe.

To the Editor of the Globe.
Every now and then some one discharged
from the soldiers home makes statements
of the cruelty and downright tyranny prac-
ticed by the officers Of the home and the
board Of directors. Now IS not this all wrong
to give currency to such reports without
first attempting to hear the other side? Any
enc acquainted with Capt. Henry A Castle,
the chairman Of the board, ought to know
that he would not permit the old soldier to
be imposed upon, neither would he author
iZe unnecessary expenditures, or award con-
tracts to anyone connected with the board.
From Capt. Castles known sympathy with
justice melted out to them. And why not?
He is an old soldier himself, who served
honoraby and faithfully during the entire
rebellion, and has a fellow feeling for all
who followed the flag during the crimson
years of the
Once 1 interested myself in behalf of an
old soldier and got him in the home. In
few months he returned saying that he had
been discharged. l then got him in the
soldiers home in Milwaukee, and when
spring came he asked to be discharged. The
following fall he was on my hands again.
said to him: Il have inquired into your case,
and find that at our home you imagined that
you were placed in command and that you
were superior to all law, disregarded the
regulations, were insubordinate to Capt Nc
MILAN. For the preservation Of discipline 1t
was necessary to discharge you or Capt Nc
MILAN. He had been tried for years and
found abundantly worthy and qualified and,
VI COuISO, you udd W iSdFS' NOW, L VIII get
you in the home at. jLeaYenworth, and when
you go there remember that you are not to
command the home, put to fall into the ways
prescribed by the authorities and obey the
orders and rules Of the institution If your
characterization causes syour discharge do
not come back to ME again." 1 secured the
place at Leavenworth for him, and so far
as l know he is there yet, Now this man
was very abusive of the home, without the
slightest cause whatever. unless it was that
Capt Mcmillan would not allow him to take
charge Ct the institution and run it accord
ing to his ideas. ~
l have frequentlyyYisited our home and
have been impressed with the order cleanIi-
ness and arrangements made for the COM
fort and convenience of the old soldiers who
have found an asylum there In looking at
the mental and physical condition Of the old
war-worn veterans rhave admired the spirit
that actuated our pedple In giving them such
comfortable place in (which to pass the
evening of their lives. have noticed that
Capt. Mcmillan does not rule with an iron
hand, but With a kind, merciful one-that
the inmates are allowed every liberty con-
sistent with a proper regard for discipline.
I think the home itself is the proper place
to make inquiry in regard to the manage
ment and not to those disgruntled men who
have by characterization forfeited their claims
to the protection Of a good, comfortable
home l have no connection with our SOL
diers' home, ncy any interest in 1t beyond
what attaches toy every one who desires the
welfare of it's initiates and the maintenance
of the authority If those appointed to rule
over them. so long as they rule, as now,
with justice and mercy. 800
Ia. w. Johnson