Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1904-09-02

needy old veteran proposes by this re-
bate to pay about one.half of the ex-
pense of doing so. But if the state
were to carry members on the Home
rolls, living outside the Homes where
the Inspecting officers of the national
government could not count thom. and
where the state by paying these men,
bers communication of rations only s25
or such a matter, we're able to collect
from the national government slOO
there would be clear speculation off
of the national government by the
state, of SIS per year per man SO main.
tanned out of the Home.
"The national inspecting officer who
came to inspect this Home, after the
enactment of the item of 5000 was ap-
propriated as above quoted, inquired
into the purpose of it's enactment. and
into its intended use, and warned the
commandant, Col. Lucas, that if it was
paid to members living outside the
Home, the S100 rebate would be with.
held from the state for every member
to whom it was so paid.
"Again, looking at it from the stand.
point of the state. Suppose the state
were to undertake to care for every old
soldier in the state, equally as needy as
the needy ones living in Fall River
county, land there is no reason why
the needy in one county should be
preferred to those living in every other
county,, outside the Home, by paying
money to them in lieu of rations, be.
cause they prefer to live outside the
home; where would the end be?
sit seems to me that if the county
commissioners OF Fall River county
had made some inquiry before they
passed those resolutions of instructions
to the states attorney concerning the
diversion of this fund, they would
never have done sou
When questioned concerning the dis.
charge of members of the Home and
their becoming county charges, and
asked particularly with reference to
the old soldier, Fsssenden, Comman-
dant Goddard said:
''Comrade Fessenden was twice dis.
charged for Drunkenness and disobedi-
ence of the Home rules before I be-.
came commandant, but was readmitted
lie took a furlough after l came here.
but never returned to the Home and
was finally dropped from the rolls. He
never applied for an extension of his
furlough."
Regarding Harry Martin, Comman-
dant Goddard procured a book called
"the offenders 6ochet." of the Home
membership and read aud dictated as
follows:
Con July 6. 1903, Martin was drunk
on the streets oil Hot Springs and was
away from the Home without leave for
two days and nights; penalty was two
days dishwashing. On July 9th, i'm
medlately after his penalty was paid for
the first otfense, he was absent from
the Home two days and nights without
permission, during which he was down
town drunk; penalty was 30 days con.
finementto the Home grounds. August
IA, l9oo, only four days after expiration
OF picket duty, he absented himself
from the Home without leave and was
in town drunk; penalty 30 days con
tinement to the grounds and one days
dlshwashing. September 16, 1903, only
two days after picket service, he be-
came drunk and disorderly in the
Home and refused to obey orders with
out force. While on trial for this he
demanded his discharge and was dis.
charged at his own request. The only
time Martin ever mentioned being re-
turned to the Home was while he was
drunk on the streets of Hot Springs,
one month after his discharge, and /
advised him to go to the National
Home.
"The only men know Of" continued
Commandant Goddaed, "who had been
members of the Home and became
county charges we're Martin and John
Spears. Spears deserted the Home di-
rectly against my orders and never
applied for readmission.
"With reference to the death and
burial of Fessenden, about which un-
derstand there has been some talk.
He was not a member when he died,
and the Home has no authority what
ever to bury any soldier. whether they
die in or out of the Home. There is a
state law which provides for the bury.
ing OF every old soldier through the
direction of the county judge, the state
providing $50 therefor. This applies
to veterans all over the state. The
Soldiers Home buries no one, but as q
matter of courtesy and respect for
those who die in the Home, we attend