The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-04-02
DGKERT MAKES REPLY
NEWBERRY Man WRITES OF
SOLDIERS HOME ROW.

He Makes Some Suggestions Of q
Change in the Management Of the
/ Home.
To the Editor Of The State:
So much has been said and written
recently of the doings in the last
meeting of the board Of commission
ers for the Old Soldiers Home that
am reminded of the saying Of the
devil when he sheared the SOW: "a
| mighty lot of noise for so little
wool" Now I wish to give my YER
sion in simple and straightforward
manner and let the public be the
Judge, for the little jibes Of the
smooth spoken Todd. in his procla-
nation Ito the peopie of South Car
olina," I pass it by, as unworthy OF
notice. The people of South Caro-
lima" do not care rap whether l was
1 VI SOO-lS W SFSA "ASsASN
was dead or alive; but what they
are interested in is the truth or fal-
sity of the charges made against the
management Of the home. However,
it would have been little more man
ly to have waited until I had be-
come sober, if drunk, and demanded
an apology, a retraction or rammed
the false or offensive words down
nv throat. But, as it was, really it
may have been better for Mr.. Todd
and myself both to wait until I was
hundreds Of miles away, then let out
his manifesto and issued his procla-
nation "to the people" instead OF to
me. 1t was kind indeed Of him to be
so thoughtful Of my sensitive feel
ings, for which l tender him my
thanks.
make no pretensions to surplus
of honesty, truthfulness or sobriety;
these are not my long suits; but
am willing 10 be judged by Todd IN
his record of trying to obtain from
the legislature $4,000 for his State
house plans and model, and am
willing to stand against Maj. Rich
ardson in the charges made by the
commandant and inmates Of the
home. do not vouch for the truth
fulness of either, but both are in
| black and white, and some Of then
sworn to. This is no falling out
among thieves, for honest men to
get their dues. If there has been
I any thievery, / do not know OF it Of
nv own knowledge, but used the
word graft in the broad meaning as II
| is understood to-day-allowing exor
bitant salaries, knowingly permitting
peoples money to be ruthlessly
souandered, loose handling Of other
peoples money, favoritism, etc.
do not make these charges, but refer
to the testimony taken before the in
vestigating committee. Maj. Rich
ardson- and myself have always go1
along harmoniously and amicably.
| When was first invited to place
| on the board took it as mere com
pliment to the little part I had taker
in the war. We were to have a ca
pable manager, good discfplinar1ar
and an honest man TO run the entire
institution; therefore little for US te
dc. During Mr.. Mixon's energetic
and efficient management everything
rolled along smoothly. When hs
died, Mai. Richardson took his place
But soon afterward, complaining o.
mis- inability to give the home his
time, owing to the pressing needs o'
his attention on his farm, he resign
ed. We put Mr.. Caldwell in. die
not know him, but being assured he
was a good man, which we foune
him, I voted for him. But founo
he was weak, physically, and old age
| had laid its hand upon him, so much
so that he was not able to control and
proprely govern such difficult lot OF
old men, called for young and q
more positive man, but we kept hin
until his time was out. During al
this time 1 had not the remotest 1des
that Maj. Richardson had had any
thing to do with the institution since
his resignation until Mr.. McMaha1
began to "raise the lid. I was as
tonished to find he was chairman o1
a board from which he had resigned
and drawing a salary Of S100 pei
month, contrary to law, as I thought
II he was chairman, as he claimed
he would have to be a member, anc
as such he could receive no pay,
know, for the law and the appropria'
ton made no provision for a treas
urer at 500 per month. II so, there
would have been treasurer from the
start. l brought this to the atten'
ton of Mai. Richardson and he &C
knowledged the truth Of my conten'
ton, but said he had been legally ad-
yised that the board had the power
to create this Office and fix the salary
could not deny the logic, but doubt
ed the wisdom OF the law. When
saw I could not stem the current and
did not care to swim with it, ten.
dered my resignation. 1t was return
ed, with the request to withdraw It,
as a personal matter.
When Mai Richardson was asked
the question, by the Investigating
committee, whether he could produce
the minutes of the meeting OF the
board in which he was elected chair
man and treasurer, what members
were present and who proposed his
salary, he said he could. 1t seems
they did not press the matter, for l
have not seen anywhere a notice OF
those minutes. I was curious to
know who of the board were really
| S,z,,1J ho RI 600 fh6