The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1913-07-23
CONTEMPT OF COURT
FOR OUSTING VETERANS

| Adjoining MAJ. Richardson and Act.
Ing COmmandant Welsh, Of Old Sol
diers Home, Guilty of Contempt of
CURT.
Columbia, July 2I Chief Justice
Drnest Gary handed down an order
late this Afternoon adjudging H. w.
Richardson, Suvt., and NJ. G.. Welsh,
acting commandant, of the Confeder-
ate State Infirmary, in contempt Of
the court for failure to comply with
his order of March 10th this year, en-
Joining and ordering them to rein
state III. w. Jones, veteran who had
been ousted on June 16 4
The order says after hearing the
parties pro and con, / am satisfied
that the said return Is insufficient. 1t
Is admitted that the order has been
violated There is no effort to show
that they intend to reinstate the peti-
toner, and as a matter Of fact, they
simply ignore the order and propose
to continue to do SO. I therefore
adjudge the defendants, H. w. Richard
son and M G. Welch, to be in con-
tempt Of court"
The order to the sheriff of Rich
land county directs him to confine
III. w. Richardson and M. G. Welch
In the common Jail until they purge
themselves Of contempt by comply
ing with the order of March 10 and
reinstate HI. w. Jones.
/ The order Of Judge Gary was serv-
ed on Messrs. Richardson and Welch
by the sheriff this afternoon, and
they satisfied the contempt by the
reinstatement Of Jones.
BrieE History Of Case.
This morning Col. H. w. Richard
son. superintendent. and M. C.
Welch, acting commandant, Of the
Confederate State infirmary, were
arraigned before Judge Ernest Gary
in chambers, to answer to the cause
as to why they should not be ad-
judged guilty OF contempt for failing
to carry out the order of the court.
Shortly after the legislature ad-
journed M. G. Cameron, J. w. James
and III. W. Jones, aged inmates of the
home, were dismissed as was stated
because Of there being a greater
number of inmates in the home than
the law allows and there being a
greater excess from Richland coun-
ty and from the lack Of accommoda-
tion." Action was Immediately be-
gun by Columbia attorney to have
these veterans reinstated.
AT the hearing the petition alleged
that there was sufficiency of room
in the infirmary, with sufficient ac-
commodations. 1t further stated
that they were ousted because of
personal malice engendered through
the criticism of Cameron, James and
Jones of the management of the in
stitution, and because of adverse tes-
timony given before the legislative
committee which was investigating
Col. Richardson, DR.. Butler and 9TH
ers in charge of the infirmary. Prior
to this the press was full Of the
charges Of mistreatment Of the old
soldiers, and the presume became
enough for an investigation. The
findings of the committee were ad-
verse to the management.
On March 10 of this year, Judge
Ernest Gary, at chambers, issued an
order enjoining the ousting of the
three veterans until the full cause
could be heard.
On May 6 II. w. Jones was grant
ed 60-day furlough to visit his son.
On June 16, while on the furlough,
he was notified that he was dismiss
ed on account of the lack Of accom-
modation. On his return today Mr..
Jones alleges that he went to the in
Urinary on July z, and was informed
by M. e. Welch, the acting COM
mandant, that "he could not come
into the infirmary; that he would not
be allowed there, and he was not al
lowed to stay In the infirmary. He
was informed he must leave" Mr..
Jones further alleges that there is
plenty of room In the old soldiers
home; that one of the dormitories
has many spare beds, while another
is completely empty, and that he has
a right, as Confederate veteran, to
be allowed in the infirmary.