The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-17
SOUTH DAKOTA
WHISKY IN THE HOME
Reckless Charges Are Dispcoved by Men,
-=- bers Of the Board.


Reckless Charges Are Disproved by Men,
@~ bers Of the Board.
HOT SPRINGS, s. DIN a signed in
terview President Z. M Shanafelt and
Secretary NJ c. Nash of the Soldiers
Home board say: p.
'In various newspaper articles recent
~ published concerning the South Dakota
soldiers home there has been included
letter addressed to A. L. Ven Osdel and
signed by w. S. Addington, a member OF
the home. In the letter is the statement:
1t is very sad to see the condition OF the
home this pension month; SO much drunk
enness. Never since I have been in the
home has it been like this, and it is the
general opinion Of all the sober COM
rades. They pass the bottle of whisky
around at the table,
This statement, if true, would show a
deplorable condition as to the morale of
the home. If it is not true it ought not
to have been written and published. The
board Of commissioners of the home have
thoroughly investigated these charges. In
the dining room there is room for twelve
members at each table and at present
fourteen tables are used. The board di-
rected the adjutant to bring before the
board two men from each table. Each one
was asked whether he had ever seen any
comrade at his table pass bottle OF
whisky or beer to any other coulrade,
also whether he had any knowledge that
such a thing had ever been done at any
table, and the answer in every case from
all of those twenty-eight witnesses was In
the negative. Each one was asked
whether he had ever seen a bottle OF
whisky or beer brought into the building,
and in every case negative answer was
given They were then asked If there is
any more drinking or drunkenness no"
than one, two or three years ago. One OF
these answered that possibly there Is an
increase; about twenty testified that there
is no increase, and the remainder stated
that there is now less than formerly. Sim
liar statements were made by other mem
bers of the home.
1.-THE fact concerning the bottle OF whis-
ky passed around at the table is thai
one member jokingly passed bottle OF
vinegar to another, asking him If he woulc
have a drink with him. This bottle hac
formerly been used by a member as
whisky bottle. Mr.. Addington stated tt
the board that at the time he supposed Il
was a bottle containing whisky. No one
doubts his sincerity, but it has been estab'
lished beyond a shadow Of a doubt tina
he was mistaken. The adjutant, Il. u
Smith, has been a member of the home fo1
| five years and is qualified to judge con
corning the condition of things. Hf
states that in q total membership or IL
| there are not to exceed dozen habltua
| drunkards.
The board regrets that there Is an!
| tendency to drinking by any of the mem
| bers of the home, but it Is a fact tina
many of them drink at more or less fire
! uuent intervals. The home was not es
| tablished as a, prison or reformatory, Du
to furnish a home for needy and disabled
honorably discharged soldiers. In 1t Their
are reasonable regulations which so ia
| as possible are enforced. Lawful re
straints are put upon wrong doing and tn
morale Of the South Dakota soldiers HON
ranks among the highest and best in tn
| United States"
No Partizanshlp In This.
At the recent melting Of the board
passed a resolution that has caused som
stir among the members. But as 1t wa
passed by a unanimous vote no part1zan
| ship charges enter into it. The boar
resolved that all members Of the HON
whose income from all sources exceeds 81
a month shall pay over to the command
ant all such amounts in excess OF tina
amount, taking his receipt therefor. TIL
money Is to be placed in the subsistence
| fund to be turned over to the state treas
urer, who in turn places it to the credit
the Incidental fund of the home
It is provided, however, that any mem
Der of the home who has one or NOR
| members of his family. dependent upo
him and sends the surplus amount 10 tne1
| shall be exempt from this rule. Ne1the
does this rule apply to employees. 1t
said that this rule will affect about TWEEN
ty-three members, but they do not seer
| to be greatly worried over it, for they ga
they have plenty of relatives.