Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1918-04-05

AliISC NoulU put up q JOU OIl HIS
old friend. | at once signed it
without reading any more than
the first line or two. And that
night a member said, do you
know what resolution you signed
today?" | said, "Yes-one COM
mending Speaker Conner, He
told me that it stated that we ac-
knowledged that we had voted
for bills we did not read and were
not necessary, and a lot of that
kind of stuff. So you see, as old
as | am, | have not learned that
it is dangerous to put too
much confidence in these young
boys. | had forgotten how the
Knights of Pythias did me. |
told Prince | was going to tell
his daddy on him.
The committee appointed by
the House to investigate Beau
voir made their report last night,
and | append a portion of it:
On the whole, it is the opinion of the
Committee that the Superintendent is
giving his very best efforts to the sue
cessful management of the Home, and
that the old soldiers are well cared for
and kindly treated.
Your Committee has received much
testimony, however, as to the conduct
of Governor Bilbo and one of the en-
ployes of the home, and herewith sub
NIT summary of this testimony for
the information of the House:
We have received testimony to the
effect that Governor Bilbo was fre-
quent visitor at the Home; that he Wis
tied the home on the first of every
month, with two or three exceptions, to
attend meetings of the Board of Direc-
tors and the Board of Trustees; that
often on these visits he would arrive
before time for the meeting of the
Board, and would often remain for two
or three days after the Board had ad-
journed; that when on business on the
Coast, in connection with the Centen-
nial, he would usually stop at the
Home; that he often visited the Home
when there was no Board meeting. and
often without any apparent business,
so far as your Committee could ascer-
tain, and that, on these visits he would
sometimes remain several days.
We have received testimony to the
effect that on these visits the Governor
and the head nurse several times went
automobile riding at night and alone.
We have received testimony to the eff
feet that the Governor and the head
nurse have been seen walking together
early i'll the morning, and on each occa-
sion, they were coming out of the
woods near the Old Soldiers Home;
that on another occasion, they were
seen walking together late in the after
noon, going away from the Home along
the road leading to the rear of the
Home.
There is in evidence, testimony given
by witnesses detailing circumstances
and instances occurring at the home,
which, in the expressed opinions of
these witnesses, caused suspicion in
their minds, concerning relations be-
tween the Governor and the head nurse,
but which your committee does not
think is closely enough connected with
the parties to justify report on such
evidence.
We have received testimony to the
effect that the Governor often visited
the hospital, and that on numerous or-
casions he went into the private office
of the head nurse alone with her.
We have received testimony to the
effect that the Governor and the head
nurse and other officials and employees of
the Home, together with other people,
not connected with the Home, made
three different trips in the patrol boat,
owned by the Oyster Commissioner.
These trips were all MADE on Sunday
and on each occasion the refreshments
included, among other things, were beer
and wine; that on one of these trips
the Governor and the head nurse and
several others of the party got off the
boat at Ship Island and upon reaching
the shore, the Governor and the head
nurse went in the direction of an old
wrecked pilot boat; that they were not
with the rest of the party, while on the
island. and that while they were about
the old pilot boat they were seen on the
deck of the old boat, and then disap-
peared for more than an hour; that the
remainder of the party returned to the
patrol boat thirty or forty minutes be-
fore the Governor and the head nurse.
was told by a member of the
committee that had they had
time, they would have unearthed
something. The Senate had sent
a committee down there and |
sent one, and both reported ev-
erything lovely.
Bilbo met me yesterday and
said, "Are you sill of the opinion
that you would die and go to
hell before you would vote for
me-, and | said. Yes"
We had up for passage a bill
giving the fire department of
jackson 81, 900 for the year 1918
and the same for 1919. This has
been done for a number Of years,
and this department did splendid
work for the state when the IN
sane Asylum came near being de-
stroyed by fire some years ago.
My colleague, Hon. Prince Hub,
bard. was opposed to this bill;
had letters from the Governors of
A ln harna Arkansas and nrnhahlu