The information below was taken from a broadside, which reprinted an article that appeared in the Dayton Daily Democrat newspaper on October 10, 1885

TO THE PUBLIC!

The following article from the Dayton Daily Democrat of October 10, 1885, is republished by the Democratic County Central Committee of Montgomery County and circulated in this form for the information of the public and the inmates of the Home.

W. D. McKEMY, CHARLES E. MILLER, JAMES H. BAGGOTT, JOHN McBRIDE,

JOHN D. TURNER, JOHN BETTELON, W. H. GRUNDY - Commmittee.

INCREDIBLY CRUEL!

Startling Charges Against a Ward-Master at the Soldiers' Home Hospital!

And Affidavits in Support of the Same Which Tell Their Own Story.

The following affidavits tell their own story. The statements contained in them are of such an astounding character, and imply so much cold-blooded barbarism and inhuman cruelty, that we are well aware that they are almost unbelievable in a civilized, Christian community, and that any person or newspaper giving them publicity assumes the gravest responsibility. Nevertheless, as the charges they contain have been reduced to writing, solemnly sworn to, and presented to us for publication, we feel that we would be derelict in duty, both to the public, the persons implicated, and above all to the invalid, enfeebled veterans who are alleged to be the victims and sufferers by the practices charged, if we refused to give what purports to be an exposure of the same a place in our columns. But we wish it to be distinctly understood that we do this not for the effect that the publication may have upon the present political canvass, but for the effect it will have in bringing about a thorough and searching investigation, after the political contest which has developed these charges shall have passed away, and when humane citizens, Republicans and Democrats alike, can unite to ascertain their truth or falsity. The charges contained in these affidavits concern not only the comfort and lives of the men in the Home Hospital, but also affect permanently the reputation of at least one person employed in the Home Hospital, and of some of the superior officers of that institution who are supposed to be responsible for his selection and retention. It is not for the interest of either the veterans or officers of the Home, of the persons implicated, or of the citizens outside, that these charges should be passed from mouth to mouth in vague whispers, which allow no opportunity to punish the guilty (if there be any guilty) or to vindicate the innocent, where all may be innocent. And in this spirit the Democrat lays the affidavits before the public, and calls upon those whose duty it is to ascertain their truth or falsity to proceed to a searching investigation. The principal affiant, Frank S. Breene, is a respectable young attorney of this city, and of known, unimpeachable veracity. As to Mr. Stevenson, he is not so well known to us, but inquiries instituted as to his character justify the belief that he is an entirely credible person: The State of Ohio, Montgomery County, ss.:

Frank S. Breene, of lawful age, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am a resident of the city of Dayton, in said county of Montgomery, and am by profession an attorney-at-law. Prior to October 7, 1885, I received information that improper means were to be used at the hospital at the National Soldiers' Home, near Dayton, to increase the Republican majority in the hospital precinct at the coming election, and that one Gustave Schwartz, ward-master of Ward 7 of said hospital, was the person who was expected to use said improper means. In pursuance of said information, on October 7th, 1885, I called on said Gustave Schwartz, at said hospital, in said Soldiers' Home, and then and there, in said hospital building, had a conversation with said Gustave Schwartz, in which Schwartz said that he had been offered $300 if he would manipulate and run the hospital in the interest of the Republican party and thereby increase the Republican majority in said hospital precinct; that with a part of that money he would procure the assistance of the other ward-masters in said hospital, and that he (Schwartz), with the other ward-masters, would increase the majority as he had contracted.

When I asked how he would do it, he said that they would bulldoze the Democrats, that the men would vote even a piece of brown paper, as they (the men) did not know the difference between a ticket and a piece of brown paper, and that the men would vote anything that was put into their hands. That if they refused to vote as the ward-masters desired them to vote, they would keep the Democrats away from the polls altogether. That they had a safe plan, and that was to administer croton oil, which would be given to the Democrats early on the morning of election. When I asked how this would be done he said, "You know the ward-masters have charge of the grub and administering of medicine, and that he and the other ward-masters would administer the oil in this way. That where the Democrats took medicine, the oil would be put in with the medicine, and where they did not take medicine it would be put into the grub. I then asked what effect that would have, and he said that it would produce such a bad case of diarrhoea that the doctors would not permit them to go, or to be taken, to the polls on election day.

I then asked if it would not be discovered. He said no, that the diarrhoea was a common thing among the inmates of the hospital; that he had used croton oil on two former occasions for the same purpose, and had been successful, and had not been discovered. I then asked if the doctors would not discover that something had been used to cause all this sickness. He said no.........*..........*..........*..........*..........*..........*..........*

[The space indicated by the lines of stars contains matter implicating other inmates of the Home, besides the ward-master speaking to affiant, and it is, therefore, omitted.--Editor Democrat.]

I then asked what the politics of the doctors were, and he said that the doctors were all Republicans and would do all they could to secure the success of the party.

Schwartz repeated several times that he would surely administer the croton oil on Tuesday morning, the day of election; that he did not want it known that oil was to be administered, because if it got out on him he would lose his position, and the feelings of the men, both in the hospital and in the barracks, against him, would be intense. Schwartz divulged the above information to me, thinking and believing me to be a special agent in the interest of the Republican party in the State.

Affiant further says that this statement is made for the public and for the benefit of the disabled veterans of the Soldiers' Home, and affiant is willing to appear before any proper authority or tribunal, either in or outside of the Soldiers' Home, and substantiate the statements herein made.

Frank S. Breene.

Sworn to before me by said Frank S. Breene and by him signed in my presence this 9th day of October, 1885.

W. Belville,

Notary Public in and for Montgomery County, Ohio.

The State of Ohio, Montgomery County, ss.:

Thomas W. Stevenson, of lawful age, being first duly sworn, deposes and says that he was a member and First Lieutenant of Company H, Ninth Illinois Cavalry; that he is now, and since March 30, 1882, has been, an inmate of the National Soldiers' Home near the city of Dayton, in said county; that in the month of July, 1885, he was employed in the hospital at the Soldiers' Home; that he is personally acquainted with one Gustave Schwartz, who is an inmate of said Home, and is now, and has been for some time, ward-master in Ward 7 in the hospital at said Soldiers' Home.

Affiant says that he had conversations with the said Schwartz at said hospital concerning political matters upon several occasions--the first being during the month of July, 1885, in which conversation the said Schwartz made the following statement: That provided the Republican Committee would furnish him money sufficient, that on the day of election, October, 1885, he would increase the Republican majority to 350 in the hospital precinct. On being asked in what way he would accomplish this, his answer was: "By administering strong purgatives to all the Democrats in the hospital, which would give them the diarrhoea so badly that they could not get to the polls on election day." Affiant then asked, "How about the other wards?" and Schwartz answered that he would arrange that with the other ward-masters so that the Democrats would all be affected in the same way.

Affiant says that a second conversation was held with said Schwartz in September, 1885, at the hospital, on which occasion, noticing said Schwartz in conversation with three gentlemen, not inmates, that he (Stevenson) remained in the hospital until they had gone, and then this affiant stepped out on the south porch of the hospital, where these gentlemen had left Schwartz. That affiant asked Schwartz who the gentlemen were who had just left, and he answered that "they were the committee." Affiant then asked Schwartz whether he had made the arrangements formerly spoken of in reference to the election for carrying that precinct, and increasing the majority, and he answered: "Yes, it is all right." Further deponent saith not.

Thomas W. Stevenson.

Sworn to before me by said Thomas W. Stevenson, and by him signed in my presence this 9th day of October, 1885.

W. Belville,

Notary Public in and for Montgomery County, Ohio.