Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-19
Nebraska
HONE Is BADLY MANAGED
Board Finds No Graft, but a Condi-
ton Not at All Desirable.
ADJUrANT MGRAw RESIGNS
Alleged slight 60 Governor shaIIen-
berger BecaIIs n Case In which
Governor sheldon Was
Central Figure.

LINCOLN. s pt. i~s-Cspecial Telegram)-
Members OF the Board OF Public Lands and
Buildings returned this morning from
Grand Island where they went TO investi-
gate the charges against the commander,
Eli Barnes. preferred by Adjutant JOS
eph McGraw. The board has not yet made
TT formal report. but II had been practi-
cally agreed that the report will be to the
effect that the home Is not being conducted
as II should be and that there Is a lack
Of harmony among the employees and con-
sequently dissension among the members.
Insofar as the charges Of graft is con-
cerned the board will report these charges
were not sustained.
The report will show that the member
in the hospitals are not receiving the kind
Of food they should receive and that the
farmer has not done as well as ne should
have done.
Before the board members went through
the hospital to question the sick soldiers
they discovered that Governor Shallen-
berger had preceded them and questioned
the members The governor then went
through with the board. Later a member
Of the board went through alone and he
reported that the sick soldiers told a diff
ferent story when the governor was not
present, but In his presence they seemed
afraid to make complaint.
1t was brought out in the evidence that
several fist fights had occurred between
employees and the management had per-
mltted the home TO run down and It was
in a deplorable condition.
While members OF the board are of the
opinion that it would be to the best in
terests OF the state II both Commandant
Barnes and Adjutant McGraw, as we'll
as the surgeon, DR.. Swigsrt, we're dis
charged. they win doubtless make no
such recommendation. but will simply re-
port that under the present management
the home is not being conducted AS it
should be.
The fact that Commandant Barnes has
set aside the rules adopted by the board
and installed a new set Of rules came as
a surprise to the board, though the gov
ernor stood by the commander. inasmuch
as he said he had not signed the rules
of the board. The rules Of the board
have been in force for some years, II be-
Ing the opinion of the members that
they stand until changed. Such also
was the opinion of the attorney gem
eral and the supreme court as evidenced
by the quotations from the rules in a
recent case regarding the pension money
OF the soldiers.
McGraw Resigns.
Governor Shallenberger has Adjutnat
McGraw's resignation from his place in
the soldiers home. to take effect Octo-
Der l.. 1t is said that Mr.. McGraw ad-
mitted to the governor that it was use
less for the two to try to cooperate.
Governor Shallenberger did not indicate
who the next adjutant would be.
when Things Were Different.
The fact that Lincoln newspapers are
throwing a nj because the Board Of Gov
ernors OF .Ak-Sar-Ben did not invite Gov
ernor Shallenberger to the banquet to be
rendered President Taft Monday night. has
recalled the fact that these same papers
had no criticism to offer at the slight of
Governor sheldon, "A republican, by Mr..
Bryan and the democratic cohorts of Lin
coin on a somewhat similar occasion last
year.
In fact, the Sheldon slight. II either is
a slight, was more aggravated than the
present episode.
A great demonstration was given on q
Haskell OF Oklahoma and Governor Brow.
ard Of Florida and their wives were in
Lincoln. the guests of Mr.. and Mrs. Bryan
Governor Sheldon invited Mr.. Bryan t
bring his guests to the executive mansion
during the afternoon for tea.
This was done. The visiting governor,
and the presidential candidate then lefl
the mansion, the wives Of the visitin,
governors remaining not U-y ror tea. but