Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-02-19
Report OF Investigating Committees.
ASTOUNDING FRAUD DISCOVERED.
CORRUPTION In HIGH PLACES.
State House, Penitentlary aho
Lunatic Asylum Frauds:


We have received from special Coium-
bus correspondent the following abstract
of the Renorts made to the Legislature by
COMMITTEES appointed last winter to in
sest;cate the charges of frauds in the State
.House and Lunatic Asylums and Peniten-
tiary contracts. The developments here SO
specifically stated will be read by honest
men of all parties with Indignation and
dismay.
OHIO PENITENTIARY.
The books show defalcation of $5,-
1SS S3-about $4,000 of which is
charged to R. 8. McEwen, the former
Clerk of the Ohio Penitentiary, and now
in the Franklin County Courts.
The above items of fraud are treated as
such in the Report. The Committee have
abundant and conclusive testimony tc
the fact.
NJ A. Britt = Copper Roof FRAUD
$2,7l2 IS.
Copper roof was put on by N. A. Britt,
of Cincinnati, by days work. He was
paid s6 per day, his hands So per day
He made over s4s per day clear profits.
He had bid to put on the roof by the
square at So rs; as it was done by days
work, it cost 50 so per square. A respon,
sible bid was made to do the job for 81 so
per square. All bids were rejected, and
Britt hired by the day. The testimony
shows bargain and sale between o. Case
fthe bidder at "a sol and James Lennox,
who was assisted by Gen. E. 7. Stickney,
one of the Commissioners. Case was to
pay Lennox $500 for the job. Why the
work was not done by contracts, as per the
bids, nowhere appears.
The fraud shown in the roof business, is
$2,712 IS.
o. Case-Tsn Bill,
This bill is small matter, but fraudu-
lent 1t was a bill for $13 IS, So 90 Of
which were for preserved tomatoes got BY
James Lennox who has hand in all the
fraadsl The bill was paid twice by the
State once to Case and once to Lennox
making fraud of $40 IS.
j. Il. Prsoe, Lancaster, Ohio-Fraad
1901 rs.
This is very bad affair. 1t shows that
Price was paid 50 per day, full time, as
Iumberman. The testimony shows that
he was at home working for $40 per month
at his trade, VIZ: miller. He was toady
of Gov. Medill, who, with Gen. Stickney,
is responsible for the fraud. The testimo-
ny in this case is full and explicit
Fraud on General Matters-s4,139 60.
This IS made from numerous small mat
sers, abundantly proven by testimony.
Pfnnabisy, $4,000 Il. johnson, of
CincsHsaafi, Contractor.
II is proVen that the Plumbing has cost
$4,000 more than it should. Peter Glib
son, of Cincinnati, swears that it can be
done for that much less.
Plate Gass for Wandors, 81, 200 go.
Here is transparent fraud. The above
sum more than should be, was paid for the
glass. 1t is a dark looking affair to be
connected with so transparent matter.
Columbus Machine Manufacturing Com
.pany-Over Charge, $s,s3S Os.
This Company had the contract for all
inside iron work. They have charged Is
cents per pound for castings, besides charg-
ing for patterns, planning, drilling, and put
ting up in some cases-making castings
cost over thirty cents per pound. The
Committee have had the most skillful men
in Northern and Central Ohio to pass up
on the work, and they make the above
result.
James Lennoz-C Contract for Heating
$18,597 II.
Of the above $2,597 IL was made by in
creasing weights; the balance-Sl6, ,000-
was paid him, more than any man in the
business would be glad to get the job for.
Miles Greenwood, of Cincinnati, testifes as
to the value of pipe and fittings. For
these articles Mr.. Lennox has charged over
100 per cent. above the highest market
price, besides charging for putting up, $3,-
900 more than it was worth. The testi-
mony on this point is very voluminous and
overwhelming.