The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-10
PROBE
VETS HOME
IN KEARNY
Continued from First Page.l

we get the same bill of fare that II
dished up to the officials table is not so
s"Then again, although the acting sur
| geon of the institution, Dr.. E. H. Gold
berg, Of Kearny, receives 81 800 a veal
! for looking after the medical needs Of
ailing inmates, he only puts In about
three hours daily at the home office
from IL a. m. to 2 p. M, and is mol
available for an urgent call"
The board of managers and official
complement consist OF Colonel Edward
H. Wright, president; Marcus L. Ward
treasurer; AMI Dodd, e. Burd Grub
James E. Fleming, R. Heber BRENT
nall; superintendent, Major Peter F
Rogers; acting surgeon, e. Fl. Gold
berg. M. D.; adjutant, Bishop w
Mains; quartermaster, e. w. Davis;
chaplain, the Rev. John d. Ferguson,
and matron, Mrs. Peter F. Rogers.
Major Rogers, upon whose shoulders
rests the actual direction of affairs at
the institution, when seen, denied en-
phatically the charge that any graft
ing methods exist at the home, OF
that the funds of the pensioners are
juggled in any a
Sd1u HCf t1i9
conducted within and under the strict
provisions of the legislative laws v
erning the conduct of the home. Every
dollar of the veterans money is proper
w credited and accounted for, and the
has nothing to conceal.
The statement that there is anything
irregular about the issuance of quarter
w checks is a mistake. The change
was made last year and was simply
the substitution of the home check for
the national one. as a slnlpnIylhs
policy. The government voucher, as
formerly. is executed on the fourth OF
the month. but the checks would arrive
anv time up to the fifteenth, Ihls
caused no little difficulty and consider
able jealousy.
"By the new method all the pension
ers receive their checks on the same
day. thus doing away with the old nap
hazard system. The Legislature passed
an act three years ago legaiizing this
method. There is no financial profit in
the move as II Is simply done along the
line of methodical progress.
when you consider that some 5Ot
pensioners are in the institution, many
of whom. through present disability
are compelled to attach their mark
instead of signature to the vouchers,
which also require witnesses, you car
realize what useless work a lack OF
national method would entail.
II am now entering upo my thirtitfh
year as superintendent of the home ano
my efforts have always been directed
.---.a s--1.<o.nttn In, var Hama pfulap
an absolute respect for systematic effort
on the part of my aides and the inmates
Last quarter, SOC In individual check;
were sent by the quartermaster to reid
tives of the veterans. Last year a tota
Of $40, 900 was distributed among their XII:
in q similar manner. Then we must alst
guard against that interruptions class whit
try to lay claim to the funds of the feeble
minded inmates. Not a dollar of any sol
dier's money goes astray III. the instit'i
tion.
Blu we have the optional power t.
withhold the payment Of a check wheI
we know that the veteran is irresponsible
or through drink incapable of properly
taking care Of 1t. The money thus with
held H. plleed to the credit of the inmat,
and apportioned to him as his needs re
quire. Many of the inmates have become
from senile decay, like little children
They must be humored. If you cross them
turing their whimsical turns, they fret ant
declare that you have abused them.
"One day a soldier will come In and de.
mand a check for $25. Another will win
10. and If l should honor all Of them with
out due regard for their needs, they woult
nsver have a dollar to their credit. Year,
of experience have enabled me to pretty
accurately meet the situation.
"As for the food, | admit that the bill
of fare is largely made up of a heavy diet
But that is what the majority of the vet
Grams demand, and If we should cut on
such dishes as corned beef and cabbag,
and pork and beans and attempt to sub
stitute a lighter course of foods it woulS
prercipitate trouble. Every dish of foe,
placed upon the table is pure and whole
some and well cooked.
THE State pays a pro rata sum Of wen
ty-one cents a day per man for feedin,
the veterans, which Is the highest rat,
paid by any similar institution In the coun
try. Neither the State nor management
will stand for anything short Of the bes
in foodstuffs, and l will add right her,
that the same food and soups that grac,
the veterans table is also served on mine
There is an abundance of everything, ant
no soldier need leave the dining tabl,
unsatisied l do not mean by abundanc,
that the outlay is extravagant, but tina
there is substantial food in plenty.
AS for the statement that the hous
surgeon, DR.. Goldberg, gives little time t.
the medical needs of the inmates and |
not open to calls after Office hours, o
! for an urgent night case, hat contention
is also untrue.
The physician is on duty from Ii q
m. until 2 p. M. and is usually at the hos
pital between 3 and 5 p. m. daily. TIL
time he spends at the institution, o
course, depends upon the general conditiol
of he patients in the hospital. When yoi
consider that some $500 prescriptions ar
compounded annually. it is hardly fair I
accuse him Of Sinking his duty.
These stories emanats from unreliabl
sources. and are, no doubt. started t
satisfy some petty grudge against tn
management. IN trying to cater to tn
whims of some 500 men. with mentalitie
ranging from the soundest intelligence t
the most feeble imbecility. through tn
ravages of age, it would be impossible I
escape criticism.
When M~aioS-Icneinl New ton ". Cnrri,
assistant inspector general of the Sol
eiers' Homes, inspected the Institution
on October 2 last year. he declared tia
the Kearny home and its departments, a
well rs the inmates, surpassed in condi
ton any similar -.ome in the country.
feel justified in saying that the manage
ment has done its utmost to c~onscier
tionsly guard the welfare and interests O
its charges. l have been faithful to m,
trust. so what more can I say?"
When the scribe entered the Office Q
Major Rogers he was destined to vie,
an incident in the life of the home tina
shows a poignant kindred h~ollowness.