Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-10-18
VETERAN DECLARES
INSANITY CHARGE
is ALL FRAME up

keI0llNGS OIL w. ~. I-lliH, Nl5HlS
two-year-old inmate Of the Confed-
crate Soldiers Home, who was I'M
prisoned late Wednesday in the Full
ton tower on charges of insanity pre-
ferred by officials OF the home, eX-
pressed indignation Thursday morn
ing at the arrest; declared the ar
fair was a "frame-up" on the part
of Major w. Z. McAllister, super
intendent of the home, and took
steps to engage counsel to secure
his release from prison and to fight
any writ of lunacy that may be
taken out.
The arrest OF Mr.. Ellis came at
the conclusion Of a meeting of the
board of trustees Of the home, and
was the result, board members de-
clared Thursday, of violent attl-
tude manifested by him in connec-
ton with the trial of charges of abu-
siye language and INSTRUMENTATION
which had been preferred against
him.
Al
vealed Thursday, uperintendent Nc
Allister and all other officials OF the
present administration at the nome,
rendered their designations to the
board, but the board refused TO &C.
cept or consider them.
At the tower Thursday mornlnS
r. A. Ellis, seventynine years old,
of East Fourteenth street, was IN
conference with the imprisoned vet
eran. He said later that the arrest
was an Outrage and a trame-up
perpetrated by McAllister,' and an
nounced that lawyers would be re-
tanned Immediately to fight any ac-
ton that may be taken against his
brother.
Bitterly DenOunces Ellis
Mr.. Ellis himself was bitter IN ms
denunciation of Major McAlllster
+ and his administration of the nome.
Mr.. Ellis said the trouble originated
in a conversation with Major Meal
lister Wednesday, when he accused
the superintendent of being a mar.
Il asked for some blankets, ne
said, because L was cold at night.
| didn't get them, so l went out
and purchased fivv. Wednesday, l
told McAllister the state provided
funds to purchase bedding for us,
and that as he had refused to pro-
vide me with blankets l thought he
should reimburse me for the money
L had spent.
"He refused to do this, and IN
the conversation which followed
called him a liar. When he told
me | ought to have too much re
spect for him to talk like that, l
told him that I couldn't have any
respect for man who was liar.
This whole thing arose because
L was called as witness In the
recent investigation of McAllister's
administration of the home. [ was
under subpoena, but was not used
as a witness. McAllister knew
could testify against him, however,,
and he had a grudge against me.
II have heard of at least two other
veterans who were railroaded to the
asylum at Milledgeville and later
returned to their homes when the
doctors there said ther was nothir9
the matter with them"
McAllister Denies Frame-up
Superintendent McAllister, talking
Thursday morning to a Journal re
porter, declared there was no truth
to the charges of frame-up, ard
said that Mr.. Ellis was "crazy."
Il had asked two county police
men to come out to the home We'd
nesday afternoon" he said, because
L feared trouble from Ellis when his
case came up. He threatened to
kill me and boosted that he kept a
pistol oiled and creased in readt
ness for me. He also boasted that
he already had killed two men and
would kin me, too.
LAS for his charge that he didn't
get blankets; when he applied for
blankets we investigated and found
seven blankets in lis room. He new
er bought a blanket rs long as h.
was in the home"
In addition TO Major McAllister' s
statement, Captain r. Der. Law
renee. president of the board of truS-
tees, sent the following written state
ment to The Journal, detailing hap
penings at the board meeting:
Editor The Journal-The trustees
have RETAINED from making anv
statement regarding the sensational
report Of this matter in the morning
press, as the matter was in the hands
of committee, but in reply to your
question as to the happenings at the
trustIs' meeting on yesterday l beg
to MIKE the following statement:
The usual business was transact
ca tremendously with the usual dis
cussions on such occasions, after
which one man was brought In
charged with begging and two others
for having intoxicating liquor in
their rooms. These cases were dis
missed upon promises to obey the
rules of the meme.
Says Ellis Became Violent
Nh Ellis, an inmate, was. then
introduced and charged with using
abusive language to the officers OF
the home and with INSTRUMENTATION
He became so violent and abusive
that, not keeping quiet when told
to do so, General Morgan, of Savan.
nah. undertook to conciliate him.
Becoming more violent and at
tempting to strike Mr.. Morgan, he
was led out of the room. The trus-
tees then discussed as to what
should be done. 1t is a rule with
them not to discharge any inmate
unless some provision was made for
his care, and, not knowing of any
such provision that could be made
in this case, and the board consid'
ering Mr.. Ellis as dangerous and a
menace 20 the peace of the home
a resolution was offered that the
superintendent take out a writ OF
lunacy. Nothing in opposition tC
this being said, the resolution was
passed unanimously.
The superintendent was not men
toned; but at the conclusion of the
meeting, superintendent McAllister
for himself and other officials of
the home. rendered their resigna'
tons, which the board declined to
consider.
There were present at the meet
ing the following trustees: Mrs Wal.
ter Grace, president Georgia L. D.
c.; Mrs. John 4. Perdue. president
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