Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-05-09
V. NJ. L. Investigation Brought
to Close Saturday

TO Close SaCurOaV
+. The investigation of the legis
lative committee, composed Of
b Senator'S Maehen and Garrett and
= Delegates Swift and PeytoD, wfC
: were engaged since Tuesday pro-
: scouting inquiries as to the man
agement at the Virginia Military
, Institute, concluded their labors
: Saturday morning. The investi-
| cations were conducted under a
} resolution Of the recent General
Assembly, ordering inquiries into
the causes that led to the expul-
sion of certain cadets last fall, the
food conditions, ETC., as well as
the present condition and manage
ment.
After Gv. days Of searching in
vestigation the committee failed to
develop anyt! ing that was not
brought out by The Investigation
conducted last November by the
Board of Visitors of the Institute.
The scope of the hearings oy the
legislative committee was pratical-
ly the same as pursued by the
Board Of Visitors, and consisted
of the testimony of members Of
the board. officers and cadets of
Institute, and of some others who
have knowledge of the affairs
there.
The presence Of DR.. Charles v.
Darlington of Richmond, whose
complaints through the public
press last fall were to the effect
that the food was not what it
should be, increased interest in
the investigation. and his testi.
mony before the committee was
somewhat sensational in character i.
He repeated his Charge Of incom.
potency and bad management IN
the messball service, and conclud-
ed bis statements with personal
attack on Mr.. Alexander HamIl.
ton, the president of the Board of
Visitors. That part Of his testi-
mony was thrown out.
Mr.. Hamilton was b.fore the
committee and BIO reviewed the
whole trouble. He repeated much
of what was published in his cor.
respondence with DR.. Darlington,
and expressed the opinion that
the commissary was incompetent.
Mr.. W. r. Shields, resident
member OF the board, on the other |
hand, said lat Captain Gilmore
was an efficient commissary, bat
that his administration had been
under adverse crditions, incident
to the burning of the messhall and
kitchen. lie further stated that
in his judgment the efficiency of
the work would be prom oted by
additions 10 the barracks in order
to give the men more room, thus
obvlating the necessity OF crowd
ing four men in a room. Other
members OF the boafd who ap-
peared before the committee were
Mr.. T w. Shelton and Mr.. p. f,
Brown, both Of whom testified that
food conditions we're bad last fall,
but greatly improved at present.
Captain Gilmore, n his testi-
mony, said that the equipment in
the kitchen and messhall was in.
and that since the fire
last May the quarters had been
cramped. In his judgment much
of the complaint of cadets ugains:
the food was due to these con-
diticns rather than to the quality
Of the food furnished, Mr.. Pal.
ner, the steward, said that Cap {
moro was competant man, but
that he had too much to look az !
ter. With the resistance of stew.
ard this work is lessened. One |
cause Of complaint against the c
meat is tho fact that it has to be \
used too soon after being killed. 1
A large refrigerator is needed in q
which to keep the meat. 4 L
At an interesting session Thurs O
lay night, four members of the t
academic faculty, Colonies H. C. v
ford, E. w. Nichols, Hunter PEN f
lleton and Francis Mallory, testi- a
led as to the cordial relations ex- {
sting between General Ship and f
he faculty, AS an instance of
he harmony and goodwill between
superintendent and faculty, Colon
| Pendleton stated that when it
'as rumOred that the superintend- N
mt contemplated resigning at the v
nd of the present session the aca- 2
emic faculty sent paper, signed r,
y every member, to the Board OF a.
isitors expressing their utmost c.
Dnfidence in him and requested b.
lat his resignation be not ac- VI
opted. n
Many cadets of the various nj
assoc were on the witness stand, T
nd they were all Of the opinion al
lat the food last fall was not OF
pod and that the service was ci
Dor, They stated, however, that to
,nsiderable improvement had tn
cen noticed since the inquiry last
Ill, and that conditions now are in
in the main. nc
The committee, as such, would ed
1t express any opinion as to the ia
ltcome of their Investigations, ia