Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1904-09-02
SOLDIERS HOME BOARD
interviewed Relative to the Resolutions of
Criticism by County Commission
ers and State Convention

-s>-sesAso
Criticism by County Commission
ers and State Convention.
Since the adoption of the resolutions
concerning the management of the
Soldiers Home by the county commits
sloners, also by the democratic state
convention, the STAR has said nothing
relative to the matter, expecting to
have complete explanation when the
board should meet here-although Col.
Goddard had expressed himself ready
and glad to be interviewed or sinyesti-
gated" at any time.
A STAR representative visited the
Soldiers Home while the Board was in
session last week, and upon stating our
mission, Secretary Nash said:
"The Board was sent a copy of the
resolutions adopted by the county COM
missioners of Fall River county. to-
gether with communication from
States Attorney Gull. The Soldiers
Home Board directed their secretary
to notify Mr.. Gull that there had been
no diversion of funds"
'As to the diversion of the fund ap.
propriated for the Communication of ra.
tions," said Commandant Goddard. 81
will explain: The records of the Home
show, and so do the records of the
state auditor, that since the lst of July.
A. d. 1897, the beginning of Col. Linn's
administration, the state, by order of
the Soldiers Home Board, has regular
ly and constantly paid s13 per month
to the surgeon of the Home as commu-
tation of rations. Drs. Whitfield,
Wade, Jenning, Bickmore, Sommeryills
and Bentley, as surgeons of the Home.
regularly received these monthly pay
ments.
The quartermasters of the Home
have also regularly been paid sl3 per
month as communication of rations ever
since August LIST, i. d. 1897. Messrs.
Phillips, Connor and Reed are the
quartermasters who have regularly
received these payments.
"The adjutants OF the Home regular
ly received like sum as communication
or ratlons ever since July LIST. A. d.
1881, up to tho time our present adiu-
tant, l.. ID. Smith, was appointed. He
mas never received any payments of
this kind.
"Messrs. Richardson and Fasset. as
teamsters of the Home. received like
sums as communication of rations during
part of Col. Linus administration
And SO did MIR. Harris, as sergeant OF
the Home.
During Col. Lucas last ;administra-
tlon, and during mine, mono but the
surgeon and quartermaster have con-
tinued to receive these payments.
"Ihese payments, prior to July 1st.
l9o5, were always paid out of the main
tenance fund, and the last of July.
lSO3, L sent the vouchers FOR these paw
ments in to the state auditor as usual
against the maintenance fund; but be-
cause Of the following item of appro-
pHatlon, in the general appropriation
bill passed 10y the last legislature.
to-wit: 'For communication OF rations.
aooo,' he could not legally pay these
vouchers out of the maintenance fund
because the legislature had by enact
ing the above item OF legislation created
fund for that specific purpose, which
fact L had inadvertently overlooked
when L sent i'll the first vouchers for
communication of rations.
''Ihe above quoted item of legisla-
ton is the only act of legislation ever
passed in this state on the subject of
communication of rations, and is in fact
and in effect a legislative sanction of
the practice of the Soldiers Home
Board in paying communication of ra-
tlons to these officers.
AT one time prior to A. D. 1895, the
Soldiers Home Board issued rations to
members of the Home living outside
the Home grounds. but was notified by
the board of managers of the National
Soldiers Homes to discontinue the
issuing of rations to all persons not
living within the Home, and that il
the issuing of rations to persons out
side the Home be longer continued no
rebate would be allowed to the state
from the general government. This
rebate referred to in this notice is the
hundred dollars per annum paid by
the national government to the state
for each old soldier maintained in the
Soldiers Home by the state. Of course
the Board was compelled to comply
with this notice or lose to. the state
500 for each man to whom the rations
were issued. The reason for the action
of the National Board in this matter
is plain. The national government for
the purpose of encouraging states to
establish and maintain Homes for the