The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-03-25

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record says"
do you know Of any graft going OF
over there of your own knowledge"
the reporter asked.
81 do not, and have stated repeated
ly. What l have said, and say that
vet, that there was too much of the
taxpayers money spent in that insti-
tuition for the comfort and treatment
of the old soldiers-that they don't
get. That was the only complaint l
made to Representative Kibler and
Senator Johnstone. Call it graft if you
want to- The idea of keeping two
and three mules to work two acres
of corn and little vegetable garden,
and five or six hundred dollars hire,
keeping a lot of negroes about the
place all the time at big salaries, be-
sides lot Of the inmates on the pay
roll. And above all, pay Maj. Rich
ardson $100 per month to sign checks
was an extravaganza I would not
stand for. l sent my resignation to
Gov Blease, stating that I had not
the power to change the extravagant
regime, so 1 would go out. I remain
ed as personal favor to Gov. Blease.
If any one will read the. investigating
committees report, and allowing for
half the evidence given to be true, the
people would rise up ands say, sweep
out that whole board and management.
They would be justifable in doing so.
Those who were responsible for all
the tales Of graft and i'll treatment
Of the old soldiers, felt the coming OF
the storm and resigned. win hero
state DR.. Butler is sincere, no fault to
be found with him, and earns all the
moneyshe gets. But Maj Richardson
does not, and is responsible in
t,measiffg for the loose management
and extravaganza, and should so out.
! To have old consumptive patients
freezing in the hospital, and blankets
provided by ladies of Columbia else
where, is gross partiality and favorit-
ism. Men fed on bread made of stale
meal for two weeksfi with little meat
but "fat back" old soldiers screaming
at night for some assistance& and the
paid watchman asleep, all tAs, and,
hundred pages of printed matter
telling of their woes and faVoritism, IS
all in their report 1 don't vouch fer
any of it. Anyway, told Maj. Rich
ardson at the meeting before this last,
that he must get off the board, so must
I, and all the rest, to give Gov. Blease
a free hand to clear the Augean atabie.
Ia new board was appointed, with
Richardson and Butler left out. We
organized and opened for business, as
I understood it, and as Gov. Blease IN
derstood, for new deal. On my way
to the meeting 1 had placed in my
hand an anonymous script in type, OF
about three lines, saying: Have
guard. | think there is side current
running, to retain Richardson, and the
old management AS Richardson hao
resigned, his resignation accepted,
that he was entirely out. and not
factor to contend with, gave no heed.
When / made the proposal to so into
election for commandant, Todd object
ed, and moved, seconded and carried,
that the old management be kept III :
Office. That excited my suspicion, and
I said as much This is all that there
is of it. What do they say? Deny any
thing 1 say? Have they pointed out
when I was wrong? No, they muddy
the water by saying "Dickert was
drunk" a good solace and reccompense
to feeling that claims to be outraged
and had not the courage to resent II.
"When l told Todd, the people and
Gov. BleaSe wanted cnange, anu
would stan for no more temporizing
he cautioned me to be guarded, or ne
world ask me out What would you
have me do? Run behind the docr.
/ When Maj Richardson said he would
stand fo. d falsehood that Aad been
told on me, what would you have me
do? Acknowledge that I had been
guilty of a falsehood when was in
nocent. No. if there was rough
house Todd and Maj. Richardson are
responsible. 1t is no credit to the
new board to be led by this smooth
! talker in signing proclamation that