The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-11
Toney Says There Is No
Hint Of Graft Against
Any Official.
CHARGE MAINLY
RELATES TO FOOD
Patron of Resolution Thinks
States Money Has Been Spent
on Grounds When 1t Might
Have Been Used Prop
erly to Feed and
Clothe Inmates.

By vote OF al to IS the House OF
Delegates yesterday adopted the Toney
resolution for an investigation of Lee
/ Camp Soldiers Home with regard to
| It's expenditures, and especially with
regard To the fare and treatment OF in
| mates. The patron of the resolution
was careful to state that lie did not
charge any graft or Misrepresentation
lie had gathered the idea. however
tina, money WAS being expended on
the grounds which might better have
gone TO the feeding and clothing OF
veterans, The resolution. which calls
for a committee OF three from the
Senate and five from the House OF
Delegates. was communicated to the
Senate. and will come up in that body
to-day.
The other four Richmond delegates
Messrs. Cox, Myers, Montague and
Hobson-voted against the investiga-
ton as unnecessary and as tending
merely to cause n commotion and OK
element among those In the instltu
tion. Major J. y. Stubbs. of Glouces-
ter. and several other Confederate vet
Grams in the House opposed the In
vesttgation as useless A number OF
others took the ground that while they
knew Of nothing whatever against the
institution. the harm hnd been done
by the offering and discussion of the
resolu tion, and "A. complete vindica-
ton was due to the management If 1t
Is 10 be shown that there is nothing
wrong.
Wants Men Better Fed.
The resolution was offered by Mr.
Toney Friday and passed by at the
time. He called 1t up yesterday morn
ing, saying that his sole object was to
see that the old soldiers are properly
fed and clothed. IF $4,000 could be
spent on improvements in one year
4 Oh. a.,
board of visitors ii seemed evident to
him that the board had money enough
TO feed the men well and to employ the
proper kind OF help.
since this resolution was offered"
said ATr. Montague, OF Richmnod, Il
have made some Inquiries. AS l told
/ this House live almost in n stones
throw OF the institution and visit 1t
frequently on Sundays, / can see no
reason whatever for such an investiga-
tion. The report shows in detail eN-
actly what al money was spent for
what improvements have been made.
The mana gernenu Will be more than
glad TO have any member OF this
| House who is not satisfied about the
fare furnished, To drop out any time
and take a meal With the veterans
am Informed by Judge William i
Rhea, of the Corporation Commission,
a member of the board of this home
I
street from II and who visits II fire.
qucntly, that he knows of nothing to
justify an investigation. There GER
| tainly can be no question as 10 the
standing OF the board of visitors
Something has been said here about
an investigation of this home some
years ago. ! hold in my hand a re-
port of that Investigating committee.
which gives the institution a clean
bill of health"
Accuses No One.
MY resolution does not accuse any
one of wrong doing In any way" said
Alr. Toney.
AN investigation presupposcs in the
minds OF the public that there is
something wrong" replied Mr. Mon
| tague. People read the papers one
day and do not the next. They may
get the general impression that there
is something wrong out there and not
see the report vindicating the home"
Mr.. Toney explained that he had no
charges against any member OF the
board but from his information it
was the men under those mcn-thosc
who attend directly to the old SOL
diers-who need Investigations" He did
not believe that aged men needing
careful treatment, many OF them in
inf1rm or broken health. could be main
tanned at per capita cost OF S14972
per year, or 1i7 cents per meal as
shown by the report. or that n veteran
could be properly cared for in tho in
stitution with the food. clothing and
| attention such as an aged man should
have. at Al cents a day. That might
be well enough for able bodied men in
tho convict road gangs, but IL was not
tho sort of treatment the state should
give to veterans II has undertaken to
| support and care for through their
declining years. lie did not know the
commandant OF the home. but did not
80 m n ln nf
| chasing the supplies and of ruling
IL,