Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-17
Nebraska
PROBING SOLDIERS HOME
Governor and Board Take Up Charges
of Adjutant McGraw.
NOTHING STARTLING DEVELOPS
Others Beside Commandment Barnes
Are Involved in the Charges
which Are Being Inquired
Into.

RAN SLAM Neb., sept. l6.-(Spe-
cial Telegram -Governor Shallenberger
and the Board Of Public Lands and
Buildings are here investigating charges
Of incompetency and grating made by ad-
tutant McGraw against -Commandant ELI
A. Barnes of the Soldiers home.
At the opening Of the hearing this morn
ing Governor Shallenberger took a step
which may be construed as an indication
that he will GUST McGraw whatever the
result Of the hearing. He seemed to call
into question the right Of the board to
investigate when he inquired, before the
taking of testimony was begun, under
what provision of the statute the board
was sitting, and Furthermore suggested
that the various attorneys appearing for
~Commandant Barnes, Adjutant McGraw,
etc, be eliminated from the hearing as
counsel, himself being perfectly willing to
refer all matters of a legal nature to
Attorney General Thompson. The latter,
on the first point, declared that upon the
board was imposed by statute the duty Of
making rules, involving the duty to see
that such rules were enforced. Upon the
second point he preferred to permit all
who desired legal counsel to nave same,
and after a consultation between the four
members of the board and Governor Shall
lenberger this was agreed to and the hear
Ing began.
Adjutant McGraw was the first witness
and alleged that Commandant Barnes con-
tinuously and persistently refused to give
him access to the books, and that this
led to confusion, as he could not check
up bills. AS a result goods were delivered
that were not ordered, and there was no
system. At one time a shipment was re-
cetved from Heinze Bros. at st. Joseph
uyhtph contained aInur-Rhnuy Gfpffad n1txFas
and relish. When the bill came he as
serted it called for vinegar instead of
stuffed olives. The goods were not used
by the state but the state paid for them,
he said.
Secretary Of State Junkin produced the
voucher, and the stuffed olives were billed
as just what they were. These were paid
for, so far as the evidence now in dis
closes, by the state. There was, however,
no changing Of names Of articles on the
voucher.
MIR. McGraw stated that in the bill
shown to him by a clerk, but quickly
snatohed away again, the Item read win
egar.' Mr.. McGraw also referred to a
box of eggs delivered from the Roeser
grocery which, he said, were not delivered,
but admitted that later the box was made
good. He stated that there were also
irregularities in the deliveries of the DON
ald-POrter company of this city.
story of the Sugar.
c. H. Jones was the leading witness in
regard to these transactions for McGraw.
He alleged that at one time there were
seven sacks of sugar missing from a de-
livery of 1900 pounds, but only twenty
three, as his commissary books showed.
were delivered. Upon another occasion
there were many more gallon cans of
blackberries charged and, as he presumed,
paid for than were delivered, at least half
a dozen others were alleged. Mr.. Jones
stated that after the first few weeks of
his acting as commissary the system of
delivery became better. and when there
were complaints they were rectified.
AT the morning session, at which this
testimony was given, Secretary Junkln's
vouchers were looked up and seemed to
corroborate the commissary's figures.
The Donald Porter company, hearing Of
the testimony, attended the afternoon ses-
sion from the president to the driver of the
delivery wagon, and just before closing
made answer, each being sworn. 1t devel-
oped from the sworn testimony that when
the sugar was o~rdered-S,OOO pounds-the
firm was a little short, and sent out two
sacks by the Soldiers Home driver, and
upon another occasion five; then, with its
own team, twenty-three, which the COM
missary had credited. The testimony traced
the sugar up to the driver of the home
wagon, who was then called and admitted
that the sugar had been given into his
keeping. He testified that he had delivered
1t to the home and that it had been given
to Commissary Jones.
other Charges Brought Out.
Other testimony was given by various
witnesses, setting forth that the home
physician and family had fine meals while