The herald., 1898-09-29

had no cOntrol OF MIS- temper az all. nav
known him to get into perfect frenz
reading something in the paper that he di
not like. When in these tantrums he wa
Ike a fiend; he would curse in strain o
profanity, and would dance UP and dow
with rage.
"He was often so depressed that he woul
talk Of killing himself, and hab.tually de
clared that he had nothing to live for
Why, only this morning before he left tn
barracks he said: I'D sooner be dead thai
alive; 1 suffered so yesterday from m!
heart" He has heart disease and almos
every other trouble that a man can have
"He is SO years old, and had served in {
Vermont reg gment. l think he had goot
record; 1 know he had while he was here
for [ don't know of his ever being repri
manded or sent to the guard house. Ilt
did have a little trouble over his seat in the
dining room one time, but that was am
icably settled. For a man who had sucf
disagreeable personal traits and uncon
trollabe temper he got along remarkably
well with the authorities"
Conditions at the Home
A marka BILE feature at the home yes
terday was the universal unconcern showr
about the attempt to murder the COM
mandiug officer. Not ripple Of excite
ment was apparent in the afternoon
though one SCARED, grizzled old warrior
said that if Bradley had not been hurried
away he would have been lynched.
The men when talked to about the
governor spoke Of him respectfully, and
denied that he WIS as generally d.sl.hed
as has been represented, but when they
were seen alone. and secrecy promised as
to disclosing their identity they gave df-
ferent tale. The governor was denounced
in scathing terms by several he was de-
scr.bed as abusive, curs.ng the men with
out provocation, treating them with the
severity accorded to regulars IN active SER
vice, and, above all, with not providing
cood that was suitable fer old, .ntlrm, SEMI
snvalds.
Some Of the bills of fare mentioned were
dinners consisting Of w.enerwursts and
sauer kraut, breakfasts Of sausages that
were rotten, and the like.
Some of the complaints made were, how
ever, puer!le and simply the growls from
cranky old warriors who wanted to scrap
about anything with anybody. The i'm
preston made, however, en- an impartial
observer was that more attention could be
shown to the digestive possibilities Of the
veterans with advantage to the discipline
and harmony Of the home.
Smiths Career
Governor A. !. Smith, holding the rank
of colonel in the United States regular
army, has been connected with the Sol
fnr a.
reer has been a stormy one and once before
he narrowly escaped death. He has had
trouble in every home where he has been
in control, either as governor or subordi-
nate.
AS to his bravery, efficiency and honesty
as a soldier no fault has ever been found,
but he is said to be martinez, so far as
discipline is concerned and an ardent par
tisan in politics.
Shortly after Governor Smith arrived
TO take charge of the Soldiers home at
Santa Monica in the fall of 1897, a Herald
reporter was sent to interview him and the
inmates of the home. many of whom had
been inmates of the National Soldiers
home at Leavenworth, Kan, from which
post Colonel Smith was transferred TO the
Santa Monica home.
In that interview Governor Smith said:
"I have long wanted to come to this coast
on account of my wife's health and the re-
cent attempt made at the Leavenworth
Soldiers home to blow up myself and
family hastened my transfer to this place.
The blowing up of my residence at the
home was the direct outcome of long
political fight in Kansas between Con-
a,l
erick and a local politician of Leavenworth
named Cyrus Leland. These men attempt
ed to control the Leavenworth home politi-
cally and l objected.
"They then filed a series of charges
against me which We're investigated by the
government and l was exonerated. Then
the attempt TO destroy myself.
wife and daughter on the night of June II,
1897, by blowing up the house with dyna-
mite After the explosion ] led the party
which later captured the perpetrator of
the deed. half-insane veteran by the
name of Oliver.
Why He Came Here
Had | been single man l should never
have asked to be transferred from Leaven-
worth; but the explosion and attempt upon
our lives completely wrecked my wife's
health and left her an invalid. l then re-
newed my pieadings, which I had with
drawn at the time the investigation was
ordered into my conduct of the Leaven-
worth home, and succeeded In being sent
here.
81 find here" continued Governor Smith
at that time, "a we'll managed and we'll
equipped home but as there Is no rose
without its thorn also find here a cause
of trouble, present and future, that l must
meet at the very outset.
1.-THE appropriation for the Santa Monica
Soldiers home is barely sufficient TO prop
erly care for the old soldiers who rtghtfully
belong TO it by territorial location. Now
there are scores of soldiers here and con-
stantly coming here from eastern soldiers
homes on furloughs desiring the benefit of
the California climate. Under the rules of
the board of managers and the laws which
govern me In my control of the home
these men cannot stay here. They must
go to the homes where they belong. |
cannot help 1t. l must simply do my duty
and I foresee trouble.
''As TO my troubles before I came to the
Leavenworth home, they occurred in 1886
and were thoroughly investigated. I was