WAUPACA POST

May 31, 1894

 

THAT INVESTIGATION

 

            The following is an extract from a private letter from a man who stands very high in the councils of the Grand Army of the Republic, in the councils of the Republican party, and also in the community in which he lives:

            “The statements that the officials of that institution bought and sold the supplies, audited the bills and the state pad the shot, have been verified by the testimony.  Now what will the report be?

            “The record of cruelty to old soldiers and their wives, of lack of system or business rules in the management of the Home, is shameful, and the claim of the Col. (?) that the inmates were treated “to kindly” by the Supt. – as also statements that the help were socially superior to the Nation’s wards, are aggravating and outrageous.

            “The president and secretary are Democrats, and the poor old veterans have been under the rule of members of a party that have no love or sympathy with the nation’s saviors, but desire to bring them into disrepute and disgrace.  Democratic reform cannot bear close investigation anywhere, viz., the gerrymander and roster contract of our present state administration, and the Hawaiian and pension policy of Cleveland, but it is possible the Board of Trustees of the Waupaca Home may come out the investigation with flying colors, notwithstanding he alleged “paint deal”, the proven charges of cruelty, extravagance, misappropriation, etc.

            “The recently press and politician appointed Col. Woodnorth still poses before the public as loving his old comrades so ardently that he has and is willing to continue giving time and money for their care and comfort without recompense. That he has furnished the drugs for their use at the Home for the past seven or eight years without any competition from other druggists, himself and his brother-in-law fixing the price, making a little yearly income from profits, of probably $500 to $1,000, is not worth mentioning.  The inmates ought to laud him for this, though some of them lost confidence in his drugs and bought their medicines elsewhere, for he ran the risk of trusting the institution when it was penniless, though the G.A.R. of the state was back of it.  Oh, humbug, shame.

            “Headquarters, Watrous, has been favored by Joe by retaining a lady clerk at his request, so he may help the committee make the report.”

 

*****

 

            A correspondent from the Waupaca Home, speaking of the recent investigation, says:  “few remarks are made by the boys about the matter, but they are of the opinion that some changes may be made and possibly in the resident management of the Home, yet nearly all are in favor of the retention of the present superintendent and his wife in their present capacity.”  One change that the investigation appears to have inspired already is the buying of supplies in open market, which the board decided on at its meeting just prior to the assembling of the investigating committee.  As a matter of fact the Waupaca board has been instructed time and again to buy in the open markets by state encampments, by committee from such encampments and by the boards of administration, orders which they have repeatedly disregarded.        – Sentinel, May 28.

 

*****

 

            The writer returned Tuesday from a ten days’ absence on duty connected with investigating the condition of the Wisconsin Veterans’ Home at Waupaca.  It is obvious that any comment at this time would be improper, but it may be said that he found Waupaca a very attractive and thrifty young city of about 3,000 inhabitants, and the Home a well-planned and beautifully located institution about 3-1/2 miles distant.  There are several inmates from Walworth county, but only one from Whitewater, John Knowlton.  Capt. A.S. Porter was a visitor last Saturday, driving over with his son-in-law, from Weyauwega. The snow storm which prevailed here last Friday was of small amount at Waupaca, lasting only about half an hour in the early morning.    -  E.D. Coe in Whitewater Register.