Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-04-03

selves" that the Directors mot only knew all
about it, but planned the whole scheme, and
while Mr.. May had $4,000 in his hands, Mr..
Mullen or Blake, or both of them, demanded it to
be paid over to them. This Mr. May refused"
The best comment upon this statement is the
evidence itself, as now lying before us.
Mr.. May swears that $50 900 was placed in his
hands BY gentleman of Fort Wayne, SO, 900 in
money Yin draft, $4,000 in cash note, and
power Of attorney to draw $4,000 out of the
State Treasury, in case the prison was located at
Fort WAYNE He says, al proposed to Governor
Willard to pay the $4,000 to the State (that is,
in case he confirmed the selection of the site at
Fort Wayne), but the Governor declined, as he
deemed it unfair, unless there was something in
the law to place other points an equal footing
with Fort Wayne"
Mr.. Dunn swearS: "After came home, and
had located at Fort Wayne, Mr.. May said to me.
he had bill of exchange for SlO,0J0. | told
him to send it right back which he did Per-
sonally, know nothing of any offer made to US
or any of us, to induce US to locate at Fort
Wavne"
MIR. Blake swears: sMay told after the 10
cation was made at Fort Wayne, that donation
was made by the citizens of Fort Wayne-thls
was two or three DAYS after the location was made
at Fort Wayne. / ordered May to send it back
Immediately. never had an offer made to me,
either directly or indirectly, to induce me to vote
| for the location at any place. Neither do know
of any member of the Board having any offer OF
i a similar character"
| DR.. Mullen swelrs: 81 never was informed,
| until we had located at Fort Wayne, that May
had any money or notes placed in his hands to Sc
| cure the location. | never did demand any money
| from MAY, or threaten to shoot him if he did not
pay this money over to ME.
There is the evidence so far as it appears as
furnished us by the Clerk of the Committee, in
regard to this $50 900 transaction. Does it var
rant the inference or conclusion of the commit
tee Mark the impression sought to be conve ed
by the Report, that these things are admitted L
the Directors themselves. Where is the evidence
90 from the facts and statements of the Directors
themselves" that % they planned this whole
scheme that " they knew all about it, before
they maize the location, that Mr.. Mullen or
Blake, or both of them, demanded the money to
be paid OVERT them" and that Mr.. Mag refused.
Very probably, the Committee heard such talk in
the streets INDUCED in by scandal mongers, and
the miserable partizan pcddlers of SANDER, who
infest our large cities, or perchance they made
another draft on their fruitful imagination. Ger
tain it is that their statement is totally unsup-
ported by the evidence of the Directors, whom
they represent as having admitted it.
HOW MICHIGAN CITY WAS SELECTED.
The Directors first located the prison at Fort
/ WAYNE, it appears; but, for some reason, the
Governor refused to approve the location, he being
| in favor of LOganspOrt Afterward this difference
between them WAS compromised, by locating the
| Prison at Michigan City. The committee are
sorely perplexed at this ''magic like" termination
of the differences between the Governor and the
Directors. They not see how the Governor,
deeming Michigan City the next eligible site to
Logansport, and the Directors deemingit the next
eligible site to Fort Wayne, could finally give up
their first selections, and compromise upon the
point they both agreed to as the second choice OF
each. Strange, isn't it2 Practical, common sen Sc
men could at a glance perceive how reilly natu-
raj the compromise upon Michigan City was, but
the committee, gifted with supernatural foresight
smelt fraud at oncel And nobody could unravel
the fraud but Mr. Achey, who, they inform us
"was the peace commissiOner-the angel oil
mercy-that did the whole thing. and that with
out him there could have been nothing done that
was DONE" and straightway Achey was brought
before the committee. We are then informed
that Mr.. Achey swears: "That he told the Direc-
tors he would see the Governor, and he would fix
it, He did see the Governor, fixed the matter up
and tremendously had the location made at Michi-
gan City. He swears that when he went into /;
he was for sale, and was to have 81 900 forwhat
he did. Who was to pay him he does not dis
close"
Here theimpression is left that Mr. Achey was
the manlness to make the charge, but the sneak
ing insinuation is clearly put FORTH willing to
wound, but yet afraid to strike" Now, what are
the facts in the case? Mr.. Achey knew that
Michigan City the second choice of each
party, and, like sensible man, he perceived at
once that where they could not get their first
| choice, reasonable men were generally willing TO
compromise upon the second. Hence he went to
both parties, as he swears and told them il chad
IL and FOR
was arranged between them In regard to his
pay, he considered 81 600 fair remuneration for
his trouble, and that "Mr Allen May (then a
citizen of Laporte county, in which the Prison
was located, said should be paid for my services
in securing the location at Michigan City," And
this is the terrible fraud and bribery. about which
the committee is SO much perplexed!
| WHAT THE EVIDENCE OF INTERESTED PARTIES Is
WORTH.
This brings US 20 the consideration of the 10
cation, the real question in which the people OF
the State are interested. By any amount of mis-
representations, ridiculous figures and absurd
statements, the committee, in the very face and
teeth of the great bulk, seven Fights, of the evil
dence, pretend to think that Logansport or Fort
Wayne would have been the most eligible site for
the Prison, on account of the cheapness of mate
rails, &c And in order to bear oct this impress
sion, we are told by that man and this man, in.
terested of course, in their respective localities
that lumber, stone, and brick could have been
| furnished at their place at such and such low
rates. And the architect is censured because he
would not take their figures to estimate upon
when his own knowledge taught him that they
could and would be furnished at no such rates
Let us burst the bubble by one illustration. A
man by the rame of Fleming states in his evi-
dence, the price of brick in Fort WAYNE at :" 81
thousand, kiln-burnt, delivered on the ground
and that the usual prices for furnishing materials
and laying up brick is from 81 % to 81 per thou
sand, !" and the price of oak lumber is from "Ss
to so per thousand" Now, in order to show
how sectional feeling will warp the judgment OF
personally interested men, let us turn to the evil
dence of Mr. Nav, who is the architect of the
new courthouse now being built at Fort Wayne
Mr.. May sweIrs that the contract for building the
courthouse at Fort Wayne was 90 IS per thou
sand for common brick in the wall and for front
brick in wall so per thousand" and the price
paid for oak timber was Sl2 per thousand" Ii
is to be presumed that this contract let out to
the lowest bidder by the Commissioners of Alien
county, where all the mechanics contested for it,
is better and safer index of the real price OF
commodities there, than the unsupported state
ment of this man Fleming, who is personally in
terested, and guided by disappointment and re-
venge, seeks to crafty his feelings by throwing
Odum upon the location and the dire tors and il
tect to base his calculations upon the enthusiastic
statement of persons deeply interested in any
matter. Before we pass from this point, we viii
notice the statement of prices for Logansport
DIR. Taylor states the price for lumber there al
| so to Sl2 per thousand Mr.. May states thai
the price for lumber at Logansport was reported
at Sl4 per thousand" and " that the price OF ma
terials was fairer at Michigan City than at Lo
gansport'
THE HEALTHY ATMOSPHERE FORT WAYNE AM
i LoGANsPoRT.
But say the committee: " If the location haC
been at Fort Wayne or Logansport, saving by
donation ut the one, in cost of material, ant
donation at the other, rs stated by Governor
! Willard, would have been
$4,000 o.
Excess of cost OF shipment and travelling ex-
penses on account Of remoteneSs Of loca-
ton, say. ...-..-......-.... ....... 5000 OF
Excess oott Co.'s bill that of
Dunlap ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 56Os3 ,;
Excess paid 10 Directors over lawful wages. 9243 q
Excess TO Seey do do -. 26e3 o
The whole expense at 25 per cent. too large
as the evidence shows. ........-....... I7,lOO q
Paid for land .-.....-.............. $500 OF
Loss. -..............-........S l24, 500 I:
There now, if this committee has not imlnor.