The record-union., 1898-09-29
Colonel Andrew ]. Smith, Governor
Of the Soldiers Home.
Shot and Dangerously Wounded by an In
mate of the Place.
Four Bullets Took Effect, Three
of Which Are Of Dangerous
Character-AIbert G.. Bradley,
Who Committed the Deed, is
Thought to be Insane.

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 2S.-Colonel
Andrew J. Smith, Governor of the Sol
diers' Home at Santa Monica, was shot
and dangerously wounded this morn
ing by Albert G. Bradley, member of
the home
Colonel Smith had just finished MAX
ing his morning rounds when he was
shot. He had been to the guard house,
and was returning to the headquarters
building Bradley had evidently been
lying in wait for him near the walk to
the rear of the door of the building,
through which Colonel Smith generally
passed. When Colonel Smith was about
thirty feet from the door Bradley step
ped to one side, Immediately pulled his
revolver and commenced firing as rap
idly as possible.
There We're several men in the Quar-
termaster's office, among them Major
w. d. Graham and Orderly Pottie, and
at the sound of the first shot they
rushed out to the back porch. By the
time Graham and Pottle reached the
porch Colonel Smith was almost at the
steps. He was staggering, and would
have fallen but for Major Graham, who
rushed to his assistance and supported
him. He was taken to his residence, a.
short distance away, and a medical ex-
animation was made. 1t was found that
four bullets had taken effect, and while
no vital spot had been reached, three
of the wounds are of very dangerous
character. One bullet passed through
the right arm, between the shoulder
and elbow. Another entered the right
thigh and came out at the groin. The
third took effect in the glutea region,
and was buried in the flesh, while the
fourth entered the back just below the
shoulder blade
DR.. Burton, the senior surgeon of the
home, stated that while Colonel Smiths
wounds were dangerous, they We're not
necessarily fatal.
Immediately after the shooting Brad
ley was arrested, and remarked that
he was sorry he had not finished his
victim. He is native of Vermont, and
is 81 years Of age. He is believed to be
insane
Colonel Smith has been generally pop
ular with the inmates of the Santa
Monica Home. few disliked him, and
claimed he was too strict in discipline.
y year ago an investigation was made,
and Governor Smith was sustained in
his policy of administering the affairs
of the home.
Governor Treichel was in charge of
the home in the early nineties, and
charges of mismanagement were
brought against him by several mem
bers of the home and few outsiders
but he was also eXOnerated.
ONCE BEFORE AN ATTEMPT WAS
MADE TO TAKE SMITHS LIFE.
IEAVENWORTH Kan.), Sept Is
Governor Smith was in charge of the
National Home at Leavenworth for
many years. Early on the morning of
June IL. 1897, the Governors residence
on the home grounds at Leavenworth
was wrecked by dynamite. The Gov
ernor his wife and daughter We're IN
the house, but escaped with minor in
juries. The crime was traced to a vet
eran named Joseph w. Oliver, a mem
Der of the home, and he was convicted
Governor Smiths administration of
the Leavenworth home was marked by
many troubles. Through the efforts of
Richard w. Blue, then a member of
Congress from Kansas, the manage
ment of the home was investigated by
a committee from the House of Repre-
sentatives. Many charges We're pre-
ferred against Governor Smith, but the
investigation resulted in nothing more
than the transfer to the Governorship
of the Pacific branch, where he was
wounded to-day.
The charges against Governor Smith
that led to the investigation We're prin-
cipally mistreatment of the old soldiers.
1t was said that he had confined men
in the insane wards of the hospital
without previous examination by the
surgeon: that he maintained police
system cruel in the extreme and that