The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-03-30
INDIANA.
Cor. Of the cineinnasi Gases!

Cor. dJ the CtnesnHdtt Gdzette.
Democratic RnscaHtiss Illustrated i'm
the affairs OF the Northern Prison.
Near the close OF the recent session of our
General Assembly, the joint committee ap-
pointed to examine into alleged frauds con-
nected with the location and building con-
tract ofour Northern Prison, submitted their
report. 1t presents a most disgraceful rec
ord to those authorized to act for the State
a record, however, not by any means un-
usual in our State affairs for the last twelve
years.
At the extra session, convened at the close
of 1853, Gov Willard urgently recommend
ed the location of new prison north of the
National road During that session, and
until the close of the ensuing regular ses-
sion, the Republicans refused to adopt his
recommendation, but near the close of the
latter session, some Northern Republicans
having allowed local prejudice and feeling
to get the better of their judgments, united
with the Democrats, and hastily passed an
exceedingly imperfect bill, leaving all pow
er in the matter to the Governor, without
such restraints as any Governor should
have had imposed on his action, but espe-
cially Gov. Willard.
The public were informed that he had ap-
pointed John W. Blake of Clinton county,
B. F. MulleR of Ripley county, and John P
Dunn of Marion county, Directors to locate
the Prison. They located it at Fort Wayne,
but the Governor, having the power to
ralify their location, withheld his consent
from the spring of 1859 to the I'd of March
1860, when the Directors and Governor
agreed on its location at Michigan City. On
the 10th day of March, 1885, when these
directors first met, they elected Edwin May
ID do
of construction and Warden, of a prison
not yet located, and both paid from the time
of their appointment. Why they did so is
seen in the use they made Of May.
At Fort Wayne, Mr.. May had offers made
to him for the benefit of the Directors, who
! had told him that such offers would be made
| at points they would visit. May was a
! first disposed to have nothing to do witt
! that part of the business, but the Director!
| intimated to him that be would be dis
! charged if he did not. He then received il
! cash $4,000, a note of $4,000, and ;
| power of attorney to authorize him to draw
| $4,000 more from the State Treasury
/ which he swears was received by him as
bribe "to be distributed among the Director
| and himself, if the prison was located a
Fort Wayne" The Committee say in thei
report that the evidence showed that th,
Directors planued this scheme-that MuI
len aud Blake demanded these funds o
| May, and that, in addition to this, Muller
demanded that the residence of Col. Spoon
er, at Fort Wayne, worth $4,000, should b
donated to him. But May held on to .th
money, and when the location at For
Wayne failed, it was returned
Such is the opening scene in this grant
scheme of rascality, and it should have sen
these Directors to the Northern Prison a
soon as it was made, but we had no laV
properly Furnishing the consent to receive
bribe in the discharge of official duty.
Gov. Willard as before stated, refused t
sanction this location, stating privately ths
at Logansport the prison could be built $50
5 900 cheaper. For nearly a year matter
remained in this condition, until suddenly
the warning Directors and the Governo
spliced hands at Michigan City. The cause
of this fraternizing are but imperfectly IN