Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-06-29
VETERANS LOSE
ROCKING CHAIRS
COMFORTABLE SEATS TAKEN
FROM HOME
Member of "NlckeI Plate" Mess Says
Officers Pay Extra for Special
Luxuries at
Table

1t was stated yesterday at the Ma
tional Soldiers home at Sawtelle that
Governor Cochrane had ordered all the
rocking chairs taken from the wards
sc that the veterans may not be al
lowed the enjoyment of the easy
chairs. No reason was assigned Tor
Governor Cochrane's order, but the
rocking chairs have been removed.
1t is said that most of these easy
chairs were presents from wives and
relatives of the inmates and gifts from
various G. A. r. posts who desired TO
make the declining years of the Veter-
ans as comfortable as possible. 1t is
said that not even in the yards are
these easy chairs allowed at present,
and that about $50 of them were or
| dered by Governor Cochrane sent to
the quartermaster's once, condemned
sold or burned.
Letters praising The Herald for the
stand it has taken in championing the
cause of the old soldiers still continue
to pour into The Herald office, and
old soldiers from all parts of the coun-
try have taken up the agitation and
are glad of the opportunity of making
public their story of personal abuses
received while at the home.
Among the letters received yesterday
was the following:
Calls Conditions lnhumane
ITO the Editor of The Herald have
been greatly interested in your write
ups of the Soldiers home affair, and
want to give you some facts which
were brought to light at a meeting OF
100 of the soldiers at the home recently.
1 was present at the meeting and I
wish you could have been present. One
speaker spoke for half an hour and
made strong talk against what he
termed the inhuman conditions existin g
at the home. He said that in 1868,
when the southern people we're starv-
ing our soldiers in the Andersonyille
prison, the entire north went wild with
Indignation at the horrible treatment.
and public Indignation meetings were
held all over the north denouncing the
inhuman treatment by the southern
authorities.
Now" he stated, Eat this late day
in time of peace and prosperity the
old veterans are being subjected to the
same kind of treatment, and in a Ma
tional Soldiers home, at that.
! 1.-THE old men are slowly starving to
death by the treatment given them by
| Governor Cochrane and Treasurer
| Moore and I believe the latter Is the
present power behind the monarchial
| throne. There are many veterans who
have recently answered the final roll
! call and gone to their last resting
place, VINO L DelltNe NOulQ Stlil NC Oh
earth If they had had the care and
attention that should be accorded them
with proper and humane treatment"
The letter then enumerates various
cases of personal mistreatment, all n
the same strain that have character
lied each letter from the members OF
the home.
Says Officers Get Best
In concluding the writer stated; THE
best meat and the best of all the pro-
visions, In fact, the best of everything
that is purchased for general use AZ
the home, goes to the governors oWD
home, and Treasurer Moore does no
overlook his own household when the
provisions are distributed. The officers
all live well in their 'nickle-plate' mess
room, and the old soldiers have to
take what is left, Keep up the good
work and I will not be surprised to
awake some morning and find that
Governor Cochrane and Treasurer
Moore are looking for new positions,
and that then we can enjoy the benefit
of the money, which we all know con-
gress provides generously for u.s. M
we want is proper expenditure of that
money and not until the present Of
ficers are overthrow will we receive
what are our just deserts"
Many of the letters intimate that IL
some action toward an investigation
is not taken soon the soldiers Will
break out In open rebellion and de-
mand the removal of the present Of
ficials.
The calmer ones, however, advise
that no serious outbreak will take place
until July 1, when the next appropria-
ton for the home is due to arrive, and
then await a few days to see if con
ditions change and If real palatable'
meat will once again grace the dining
tables.
Defends "Nickel Plate" Mess
A letter received yesterday is as fol-
lows:
''soldiers, Home, Los Angeles, County
Cal.
"Editor Los Angeles Herald.-Sir; In
reply to an article regarding the 'niclSio
plate mess I will state that the mem
bers of said mess receive no more fa-
tions than the general mess. l know
this for a fact. have been storekeeper
in the commissary and ii was one OF
my duties to issue to the so-called Ia
vorites, the hospital and farm mess.
member entitled to the privilege Of
the nickel plate mess must be a cap
tain. sergeant of clerk. They pay $3.50
for admission and $3.50 dues per NOR IN
for extras. The total amount paid trto
mess is from s10S to $105 per month,
and out of that amount $46 is paid
out for hire of cook and walters. Not
many extras
"A MEMBER OF THE NICKEL
PLATE MESS"