Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-13
COL. HARRISON
RAPS OUSTING
OF ADJUTANT'
Chairman of House Military
Affairs Opens State Sol
diers' Home Case.
MCRAY CALLS ON BOARD

Following receipt Of communica-
tion from Col. Russell B. Harrison,
chairman of the Military Affairs
Committee of the Indiana House OF
Representatives declaring that Pet
er Osmar was recently illegally re-
moved as adjutant Of the State
Soldiers Home at Lafayette and
Charles w. Scott illegally appointed
in his place, Governor Warren T.
McCray today went to Lafayette to
confer with the members Of the
board of trustees of the institution.
In Ms Letter Colonel Harrison declares
the minutes Of the meeting of the board
of trustees Of April and 1 were falsihed
to show that Jacob Shelter, a member Of
the board, voted for Scott, whereas Shelf
fer was in a dying condition In another
part Of the institution.
NOMINATED AND
VOTED FOR SELF.
He sets out that Scott, a member Of
the board, nominated himself for the po-
sition Of adjutant and then voted for
himself.
He sets out further that osmar was
removed without cause before his term
expired and that Scott was appointed Tor
term Of one year, while the law re
quires that adjutants be appointed Tor
terms of three years.
Colonel Harrison further charges that
veterans OF the Spanish war and Of the
World war are not treated fairly by the
management Of the institution which Is
now entirely in the hands OF civil war
veterans
SAYS ACTION
ILLEGAL.
..The present board of trustees OF the
Indiana State Soldiers Home met April
and 4, 1921, and elected a new com
mandant and n new adjutant." Colonel
Harrison wrote I'm order to elect q
new adjutant. the board of trustees re-
moved illegally and in violation OF the
law Peter Osmar, the adjutant OF the
home. an experienced and trained official
and a veteran OF the Spanish and Indian
wars.
In order to sustain their Illegal and
high handed removal OF Adjutant Osmari
the board OF trustees caused false and
fraudulant minutes OF the meeting to be
entered in the records OF the board oi
trustees They entered In their record
OF the meeting that Trustee Jacob Schef-
fer was present and considered and voted
on all matters that came before the board
OF trustees for action, when in truth and
in fact he was not present at the meeting
at all and was in a comotose and dying
condition in another part of the home
The died on April 16l and not IN ply
steal or mental condition to consider or
act upon even routine matters that came
to the attention OF the board OF directors.
CITES LAWS
AMEN DSIENT.
I'm the interests of greater efficiency
and fair and considerable treatement OF
the veterans Of other wars, the Seventy
| Second General Assembly amended the
law concerning the board OF trustees OF
the State soldiers home and the State
soldiers orphans home so that yeter-
ans Of the Spanish War and the World
War would have representation thereon
which board heretofore has been COM
posed entirely Of Civil War veterans.
This board Of trustees-whlch you
have appointed-cannot take office until
after the laws are printed and you issue
your proclamation placing them In effect
In order to forestaI progress aud eff
cheney and an equitable division Of the
Offices Of the institution--as between
wards-and nullify the intention or the
Legislature that the board OF trustees
and officers Of the institution be COM
posed Of veterans Of the different wars
the old board OF trustees elected new
commandant and removed the present
adjutant, Peter 0smar, a Spanish and
Indian war veteran. in order to elect two
Civil War veterans as commandant and
adjutant."
FEW SPANISH WAR
MEN IN HOME.
In commenting on the treatment OF
! Spanish and World War veterans Colonel
Harrison says that no matter how des-
titute these veterans or their widows must
be As years old before they win be ad-
mitted to the home. He said as a result
there were on Jan, 81 only eleven Span
Continued on Page sixteen.)