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THE CHILDS-DREXEL HOME.

Report of the Investigating Committee Composed of Members of the Board of Trustees— An Inside View Under Official Eyes.

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO., Dec. 12.

To the Board of Trustees of the Childs-Drexel Home for Union Printers :

Your committee, appointed November 26, 1895, to investigate the charges against Superintendent Schuman, and examine the general management of the Home, respectfully present their report, with recommendations and suggestions.

Mr. Schuman was charged with

1. Violating section 10, page 109, of International Typographical Union constitution, Childs-Drexel Home, in raising cattle for himself while superintendent of said Home.

2. Harsh, arbitrary and inhuman treatment of inmates and neglect of their welfare.

3. Receiving commissions from dealers who furnish supplies to the Home.

4. Keeping $19 pension money sent from St. Louis to an inmate.

5. Paying higher prices for supplies than the hotels of Colorado Springs.

The committee also investigated

6. Charge of malpractice against Dr. Tucker, the Home physician, preferred by Thomas Morgan Phillips.

7. The financial management of the Home, contract system of buying, condition of food, etc.

8. The profitableness of cultivating land, keeping cows, etc.

The method of procedure adopted was: Read charges to Mr. Schuman, examine each inmate and employe separately, and have testimony taken by a stenographer; transcribe evidence and have witnesses make affidavit before a notary; allow Mr. Schuman to examine evidence; allow him to cross-examine each witness, and give witness same privilege.

Mr. Schuman demanded that the committee investigate the sending of a certain communication from the Home, dated November 12, to a New York publication, claiming this was a violation of the constitution.

The following introductory remarks were read to each witness before giving testimony:

"Each witness will be required to sign and make affidavit to his testimony. A stenographer is present, and will transcribe evidence verbatim. Mr. Schuman will be allowed to cross-examine witnesses, and witnesses given same privilege. The majority of the board of trustees of the Home are present, with power, and inmates are guaranteed protection.”

THE CATTLE MATTER.

Mr. Schuman admits that he purchased cattle and brought them to the Home without the knowledge or consent of the trustees. In July, 1895, President Prescott was pointed out a cow

or bull belonging to Mr. Schuman. The first intimation the board of trustees had of the matter was through publication of the charges of Mr. Phillips, of Utica, N. Y., in August, 1895. The following is a complete statement of the cattle raising from the beginning to the end:

In 1893, a three-year-old bull was bought by Mr. Schuman, as he did not think the Home had cows enough to justify the purchase of a bull. Intended to sell him after service. The bull met with an accident, and was slaughtered. Made corn beef for Home, to the value of $15, and rendered no bill.

In October, 1894, a two-year-old cow, with a young calf, was bought. Cow in milk. Calf slaughtered in December and placed on table. At ruling price, 8 cents per pound, the veal (150 pounds) was worth $12. No bill was rendered. Both cow and calf fed by Home, and Home used milk from October 20, 1894, to October 1, 1895, a total of 7,522 pounds, or over 900 gallons. At 15 cents per gallon, which is a low price, the value of milk used would be $135.

December 15, 1894, Mr. Schuman bought a yearling bull and three heifers. March 2, 1895, he bought four heifers. October 3, 1895, he bought a cow and two heifers. On November 28, 1895, the day the committee began investigation, Mr. Schuman had one bull and eleven cows, with three bull calves. He said he intended to give the bull calves to the Home for veal, free of charge, and keep the heifer calves himself. One bull calf he intended to raise for the Home. The Home has now six cows and three heifer calves.

The cost for feed for the entire stock on Home grounds, a total of sixteen head (three horses) from October 1, 1894, to October 1, 1895, was $456.26, an average of $28.51 per head for the year. Schuman's herd averaged six and two-thirds head for the year, which caused an expense to the Home of $172.96. Of this amount Mr. Schuman paid himself, for feed and lease of pasture, $28.60. Tabulated, we have this result:

Total cost to Home for feeding Schuman's cattle
to October 1

Feed paid by Schuman himself.
Veal given to Home.

Corn beef.

Milk from one cow

Total

Net gain to the Home.

$172.96

$28 60

12.00

15.00

135 00

$190 60

$17 64

These estimates are based upon the assumption that each cow, heifer and horse consumed

an equal amount of feed, when in fact, the dry stock were not fed at all, except when snow or extreme weather prevented grazing, which was seldom last winter.

From October 1, 1895, to November 28, 1895 (date investigation began), the expense for Schuman's entire herd amounted to $25. In that time 450 gallons of milk have been used, which, at 15 cents per gallon, would net $67.50, Deducting expense, $25, we have a profit of $42.50. Adding this to the $17.64, there results a profit of $60.14.

In a nutshell, the cattle-raising venture of Superintendent Schuman, from the beginning to date of investigation, shows a profit to the Home of $60.14.

Nevertheless, the constitution is clear upon this point, and the committee recommends that the strict letter of the law be complied with. Section 10, page 109, provides that "no inmate, officer or servant of said Home be permitted to engage in any money-making scheme, or act, in connection with the property of said Home." Mr. Schuman admits a technical violation of the law, but denies that it was a money-making venture. The committee can not believe any man would voluntarily engage in any venture unless he expected it to be profitable, and, therefore, find him guilty of this charge, and recommend the immediate removal of his cattle from the Home grounds.

The Home cows may have been out all night in the storm. There was no evidence to prove that this was intentional neglect, nor that there was not at all times plenty of stable room.

THE TAG IN THE HEIFER'S EAR.

Mr. Schuman admits putting his tag in the left ear of the red heifer, but claims he did so to satisfy a whim of his boy. Also, he says the Home cows were punched in the left ear, while his own cattle were punched in the right ear. As to the charge of felony in tagging the heifer, the district attorney said it all depended on the intent of the act. The tag in the ear might be prima facie evidence of appropriation, but would not be conclusive evidence.

Mr. Schuman claims the tags used were simply reference tags, to record and keep the pedigree of the animal, and did not denote ownership and were not mentioned or recognized in law.

The charge that he wanted to take the heifer for a bull calf of his own that had been kicked to death broke down completely when it was proved that the calf kicked to death belonged to the Home, and was kicked while Mr. Schuman was in Louisville attending the convention. The man whose mule kicked the calf testified that he had killed the calf and it belonged to the Home, and that he never paid anything to Mr. Schuman in return, as was charged.

The creamery protest was presented to New York union on the 20th of October, and the red heifer was killed on the 19th. On one hand, it is claimed that she was killed to destroy evidence of having been tagged, through reports that an investigation was about to be made.

Mr. Schuman claims she was killed because she could not be broken of sucking the cows, and, being with calf, she was too young and small to safely pass through the period of parturition; also, that he had considered the advisability of killing the heifer in the spring previous because of her sucking the cows.

SUPERINTENDENT SCHUMAN.

The charge of harsh, arbitrary and inhuman treatment of inmates and neglect of their welfare by the superintendent has been disproved. On the contrary, the testimony shows that Mr. Schuman has been lenient with many whose violation of the rules rendered them liable to expulsion. This leniency has encouraged frequent violations, and opened the way for the charge of discrimination when the rules were strictly enforced.

CHARGES OF COMMISSIONS RECEIVED.

The following affidavit, signed by firms named, effectually dispose of the charge that Mr. Schuman received commissions from the dealers who furnished supplies to the Home:

To All Whom It May Concern:

I hereby declare that the firm of which I am a member has not paid W. C. Schuman, superintendent of the Union Printers' Home, a commission to secure his business; and further, that he has not demanded or hinted at such payment. C. C. HOYT, Agent Atchison Railroad. E. K. CARNES, Agent Pacific Railroad. CROWLEY & JOHNSTON, Coal.

A. L. LAWTON, Insurance.
HALLETT & BAKER, Undertakers.
THE SHIELDS-MORLEY GROCERY CO.
BAKER & CO., Druggists.
STARK & SINEY, Meats.
G. S. BARNES & SON, Hardware.
GIDDINGS BROS., Dry Goods.
FAIRLEY BROS., Furniture.
B. G. ROBBINS, Clothing.
THE NEWTON LUMBER Co.
SANDERSON BROS., Commission.
A. & W. HEMENWAY, Feed.
GAZETTE PRINTING Co.

C. E. DURKEE, Hardware.

W. W. WOOD, Rock Island Agent.

SYSTEM OF PAYMENT.

The manner of paying for supplies by the superintendent is not generally known, and it is given here in full:

On the last day of each month the superintendent gets bills from all dealers who furnish supplies, enters them upon his books and gives the bills to Mr. Colby, of Colorado Springs, one

of the finance committee, who examines and sends them to Mr. Shepard, of Grand Rapids, Mich., also on the finance committee. The latter examines them and forwards to Secretary Wines, who enters them upon his book, draws warrants for the amounts, and forwards to Treasurer Dailey of Philadelphia, who sends, through superintendent, to each dealer, a check and a blank receipt for the amount of his bill. The superintendent hands the check to the dealer, gets him to sign the receipt and forwards the latter to Treasurer Dailey. Thus it will be seen that the superintendent handles no money on the greater proportion of purchases.

In addition to this, there is a petty cash account kept. A warrant is drawn by Secretary Wines for $100 upon Treasurer Dailey, who forwards a check to the superintendent. This cash is used to pay small amounts, such as freight bills, salaries of help who leave before the end of the month, bills of firms with which the Home has no line of credit, and all petty expenses. For every cent expended in this way a receipt is forwarded to Secretary Wines, who charges the amount against the $100. Wines forwards the receipt to Treasurer Dailey, and he charges the amount against the $100 check sent the superintendent.

It is barely possible that a small discount might be obtained by paying cash to each dealer, but at best only about $200 a year could be saved. This would not pay for the adverse criticism on a system which allowed a superintendent to handle such a large amount of money.

WITHHOLDING PENSION MONEY.

Mr. Schuman was charged by an inmate from the Home with withholding $19 pension money from a St. Louis inmate. The following letter from Rowland Hill completely refutes the charge, and the committee unanimously exonerated Mr. Schuman:

"COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO., Dec. 2. "Gentlemen of Investigating Committee:

"The letter referred to me in reference to the withholding of money from an inmate, sent by St. Louis union to the latter, contains not one truthful statement. The facts are these:

"Mr. Stephen Charpentier, the recipient of the money, is suffering from paralysis of the right side, and can neither write nor speak. He has never been dangerously ill, and able at all times to move around, though with difficulty.

"I have acted as his amanuensis for a long time, corresponding with his wife in St. Louis and mother in Mobile.

"His payments from St. Louis were sometimes for one month, at others for two months at a time.

His memory is bad, and at any delay he became anxious and confused.

"A short time since he came to me (having

called my attention to the matter on other occasions) with "$4.00" marked on a piece of paper, and pointing to the name of St. Louis's secretary, printed in THE TYPOGRAPHICAL JOURNAL, desired me to write to him. I asked him "how much money he had received from St. Louis,' and I understood him to say (or mean) that $4.00 was all that he had ever received.

"This I wrote to the secretary, and asked him why the irregularity. I should state that I told the secretary that Mr. Charpentier claimed that $4.00 was all that he had received.

"I received in reply a letter that contained a tabulated statement of dates and amounts sent by the secretary to all St. Louis inmates, placing Mr. Charpentier's amount at $16.00 up to the month preceding.

"Whilst reading the letter received from the secretary to Mr. Charpentier, in my room, Mr. Schuman entered, saying he had also received a letter from the same source containing $4.00 for Mr. Charpentier, which he then and there handed to him.

"Upon Mr. Schuman questioning Mr. Charpentier as to the amounts paid him from time to time, in my hearing and presence, the latter nodded affirmatively, and on being asked directly by me if he had got all the money sent ($20.00) he nodded assent and by gesture expressed his entire satisfaction, whereupon Mr. Schuman left my room.

"Upon further talk, or attempt at talk by signs, etc., I asked 'why he had told me that $4.00 was all that he had received.' He then made me understand that he meant he had received $4.00 the last payment previous to the $4.00 just paid him.

"I then wrote the secretary of St. Louis union explaining matters as above, reading the letter carefully over to Mr. Charpentier. He sanctioned its contents and I forwarded it.

"Gentlemen, such is the exact truth of the whole matter. The letter to which you have desired my reply, containing such base charges and insinuations, is a screed of baseless vilifications and lies-pure and simple-the outcome of spite and malevolence.

"Respectfully yours,

"ROWLAND HILL.”

THE PRICE OF SUPPLIES.

The number of people fed at the Home for the past year will average about eighty. The charge has been made that the Colorado Springs hotels secured lower prices in buying supplies than did Mr. Schuman for the Home. A careful comparison with two of the leading hotels in Colorado Springs, each with an average of from two hundred to three hundred people fed daily, shows very little difference in the prices paid. The committee took Mr. Schuman's figures for the year and went over the list with the stew

ards of the two hotels and found one hotel somewhat higher in prices paid, the other slightly lower in some items. Considering the quantity purchased by Mr. Schuman, which was of necessity less than either of the hotels, the Home made the best showing. Both stewards expressed their approbation of the buying qualities of Mr. Schuman, and said no fault could be found with him in that regard. The difference in the prices was mainly caused by the fluctuating market.

THE CONTRACT SYSTEM.

The Louisville convention, by resolution (Proceedings 1894, page 41), declared that in purchasing supplies for The Childs-Drexel Home, the superintendent shall invite bids from different wholesale houses, and a yearly contract be made for furnishing the same. Contracts to be approved by the finance committee before becoming effective.

The superintendent invited bids from the following wholesale grocers: The Struby-Estabrook Mercantile Co., C. S. Morey Mercantile Co., Wolfe, Londoner & Co., all of Denver; and Shields-Morley Grocery Co., of Colorado Springs.

The Denver houses refused to bid for future delivery, but gave ruling prices. The Colorado Springs houses did not quote prices, but offered to meet the prices of the Denver firms, and advised the superintendent to buy in the open market, taking advantage of the fluctuations. As the freight rates from the east and the west are the same to Colorado Springs as to Denver, the wholesale firms of the latter city would be at a disadvantage in competing for the business of the Home to the extent of the freight between the two points, amounting to over $200 per year on goods purchased. A comparison of prices paid for provisions during the year ending November 1, 1895, with the lowest quotations furnished by Denver houses (assuming that these had been met by the Colorado Springs house) shows a loss of $4.03.

Bids were invited for the supply of meat, feed and coal. None were accepted, and these necessaries were purchased as required. Fortunately, as regards the financial result to the Home, the year has been one of declining prices, and the superintendent is able to show a considerable margin of profit as the result of disregarding the wishes of the Louisville convention. A comparison of prices paid with bids submitted shows savings as follows: On coal, $24. 45; feed, $171.65; butter, $119.88; meats, $120.42. inspection of the bids shows that the dealers added to the prices ruling November 1, 1894, from ten to forty per cent. to secure themselves against a possible raise during the year. This appears to the committee to be more than a

But an

reasonable margin, and calculated, if not intended, to discourage the making of contracts. DR. TUCKER.

The committee heard the statements of Dr. Tucker and Mr. Phillips in regard to the charge that the doctor had neglected Mr. Phillips's ear; also, consulted Dr. G. R. Robinson, eye and ear specialist, who wrote the following:

"To Whom It May Concern ;

"In the case of Thomas Phillips, who stated that I told him had I seen him earlier I could have saved his ear, I will affirm that he is mistaken in his statement. I have repeatedly told him that Dr. Tucker was not responsible for the condition of his ear, that it is a form of trouble that no medical skill can arrest in certain cases. I have found, with other physicians, that ulcerative diseases of the ear, in tubercular subjects, are the most insidious in form and the most difficult to arrest short of great damage to the ear, of any form of ear trouble. I do not think I could have saved the ear drum at any stage of Mr. Phillips's trouble. Nor do I believe Dr. Tucker's treatment in the least detrimental to the case. My records show that Mr. Phillips first visit to my office was on July 11, 1895. DR. J. R. ROBINSON." The committee verified the above by a personal interview. Dr. Robinson stated that Mr. Phillips was all wrong in his printed statement, that he told Mr. Phillips so, that he (the doctor) had made no reflections whatever upon Dr. Tucker, that it would require a specialist to determine whether the ear could have been saved, and even then it might be a case of doubt; that he considered Dr. Tucker a careful, conscientious man.

The committee unanimously exonerate Dr. Tucker.

COST PER CAPITA.

The total expense to the International Typographical Union for running the Home for the five months ending October 31, 1895, was $9,753.90. This includes every dollar expended during those months. There has been an average of 58 inmates per month. This is a per capita cost per month of $33.18; or an annual cost of $397.92 per inmate. Bear in mind, this includes clothing furnished, transportation paid to inmates leaving, tobacco, medicine, physician, trained nurse, barber, laundry, bath, etc. In addition to conveniences paid for, inmates have the privilege of a fine library, with about fifty daily papers, periodicals, religious magazines, etc., on file.

The average cost per capita for maintenance alone for fourteen months ending June 30, 1894, was $12.38, as per report to Louisville session of the International Typographical Union.

Twenty per cent. of the per capita tax paid to

the International Typographical Union, or 5 cents per month per member, is set apart to support the Home. The present cost per inmate is $33.18, thus absorbing the per capita tax of 663 members to maintain one inmate at the Home.

FOOD.

While there have been some complaints about the food, it is generally the cooking and lack of variety with which fault is found. It is the uniform opinion that the present cook is better than her predecessor, and doubtless it would be an impossible task to entirely please the tastes and appetites of sixty men who are sick and infirm. Many think the cooking and food have improved since these investigations began; others have noticed no difference. Some express the opinion that the superintendent has better food and more variety than the inmates, and one inmate gave a bill of fare for six or seven days, on each of which he claimed the Schuman table was better provided than even the consumptive tables. Mrs. Schuman claims to have purchased delicacies from her own pocket for her table, and even to have eaten such delicacies in her own room rather than cause comment by putting them on her table. From what evidence the committee could gather, the superintendent at times has a trifle more variety than the other tables, but hardly sufficient to justify complaint.

LAND CULTIVATION.

The question is often raised, in the testimony and by others, whether the present plan of cultivating the land, keeping cows, poultry, etc., pays in dollars and cents. Or would it not be more profitable to buy the milk, eggs, vegetables, produce, etc., in quantities required by the necessities of the Home? The following estimates for the year ending October 1, 1894, have been carefully prepared, and are submitted for the information of the membership:

COST OF HORSES AND FARM UTENSILS. Date of Purchase.

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Last August a petition was presented to the visiting committee, signed by a majority of the inmates, asking that smoking be prohibited in the halls, stairways and corridors. That committee turned the petition over to the superintendent, and a notice was posted requesting inmates to refrain from smoking in the halls, stairways and corridors. This request has generally been complied with, though there have been violations from thoughtlessness by some— possibly from spite by others. Tobacco smoke is offensive to those who are suffering from lung trouble, as it irritates the throat, produces coughing, etc. Yet, with smoking confined to the bed-rooms and the assembly hall it still left only the halls and corridors for the non-smokers. They were practically debarred from enjoying the assembly hall. Much feeling was engendered on both sides by the petition, and possibly this might be regarded as the origin of the bitter personal animosity which now exists between many inmates. Believing that the rights and privileges of all should be respected, and in order to give those who objected to tobacco smoke a comfortable reading room, the committee suggested that Superintendent Schuman remove the carpet from the Denver room, and fit it up for that purpose. This has been done, and will give general satisfaction. The superintendent has communicated with Denver union on the subject. We believe that Denver union will be more than pleased if the room, so generously furnished by it, is put to a practical use in allaying the feeling of injustice among those inmates who object to tobacco smoke.

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