The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-11
Committee
EXONERATEs
BUCHANAN

III & O'Clock y. NJ, in the gymnasium
OF the Associated Charities building
Notice of this meeting Was given u}
qualifications in t4e ds.ai pnbers ;ittti
otherwise. and ut the hour named W'
began our work which was diligently
SsT sse ctfted from diufB Tn tin1e un1il
TUESDAY June T. when the eX1minA-
sien u witnesses closed. Full nm
utes Of these proceedings were care
fully noted by the secretary and arr
returned herewith as part uf our z'e-
pafI. From this record II win hc
seen that twenty -seN on witnesses were
formally examined. and a number OF
Informal statements made. We spar
ed no effort 10 secure tho atteaddnre
af all those who had. or were sap
posed t. have, any Information touch.
ing the matter lp hand. and every onc
who wished f. he heard was accorded
tn eapportunitH Of DOING 50 without
let or hindrancc. All rules pf eNl-
Se4ce were disreEafded ia the earnest
4+444is+-
Fhsrtetgt4, Wf'd csi1l5ie4e tiTat mo uuC
hswsyer uutrleudly. could question its
fairness ar fail Ia ac4uiesee in tine
result,
The Indictment,
The fjrst step for yoir committee
WAS 10 formulate for itself something
Hike an Indictment upon which t.
fry the case After due copsidera-
zion Of what data was aVailable ~
seemed that such indictment would
contain five counts, namely. tlp That
ths Associated Charities building was
kept in althy condition; 80 that
the food supplied to the benelicjar!rs
Mas men and emit for them; t@I
thai there has been graft in the I'd
ministration Of Your affairs q that
Dr. Buchanan is cruel ia his treat
snent of those under his care, and
tse that he has been guilty al I'm
proper conduct. These several charges
may be disposed Of very briefly IN the
order named.
l. The filthy building-This charge
though figuring ia the original publ
cation, seems to have been forgotten
by the critics OF your institution when
put upon the stand as witnesses. There
is not 81 word OF evidence tending To
sustain the charge ON the contrary,
il abundaptly appears that the Bal
lard House is kept BarNeloaSlA
c1ean fnUI @Uen the Associated
Charities took possession ot this place
il Vas in a horrible dirty and dilapi-
dated condition; mat the building has
Teen campietci5 renovated and finely
adapted IN it's present purposes; Ia At
this was done hN the labor OF men
who would otherwise have been sup
ported ia idIeness, and that the I'M
proFSemntsf 80 made upon the prop
cry amount TN yafHe 70 many thuus-
ands Of dollars
z. The food supply. Very little evil
sIanaH wns given 10 diSparagcmeut Of
the far hich is furnished by the AS
ISOLATION and that litle was anything
but Impressive on the other hand
II liz shown by persons of 1Dippeatha-
hla veracity ami weil-acquainted Win
fne facts that the food white plain as
il should be Is always wholesome ana
the best Of its k}nd being supplied
hy leading merchants Of this city
g. Graft in the Administration. II
was said thnt Dr Buchanan had sent
clothing given riH for The poor to
tire store OF ent S.egti and shared in
the profits aecruHS from the sale Of
same. This Mrs SieEe} Was examined
a. witness and emphaticaliy denied
e ever having received any clothing
from DF. Buchanan. of DIVIDED With
him the profits ui amy Transaction
The testimony Of this witness and
others utterly disproAed the charge
for which no one appeared u stand
spnnso4
4. Cruelty Of Or. Buchanan. So far
from establishing this charge, the ties
timony shows that your General Sec
retafa is man Of kind sympathetic
disposition, and impressed with a deep
sense OF responsibility for tic Way
ward and the unfortunate, that he IL
inclined to err. If Ht-EJii, DIT r1e sIdr OT
lesajanep;+ and THAT i.+=- treatment r.
those who come under his care IFS most
humane and uplifting. This might be
no great virtue II hts work were con-
- 4i11ru ~ zaIE and r0UeET dependents.
- But Hnae occupying the position which
Or Buchanan fI0ids IS constantly
dealing with abnormal types Of hu-
nanity--with the eccentric the degen-
crate, the deprayed. the crimual-and
at would not be strange II IN his in
teroourse with such liffieuIt chara cters
he should sometimes lose patience or
even resort To violence: but there f.
no reliable vsdnce that DIR. Buchanan
= lnn.ie sghAfe4.k.f r.fl.A.s.s.af HIM has