The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-03-03
The Penitentiary Frauds.
Majority and Minority Re
ports from the InVeSti-
CATION Committee.
MAJORITY REPORT.

The Joint Committee appointed by
the Legislature for the purpose of in
vestigating the affairs of the Peniteh-
tiary, respectfully submit the following
report:
After careful examination by a ma
iority of the committee, on the ground,
of the work done, material on hand,
conduct of the Superintendent in the
management Of the convicts, oversight
of work being done in the erection of
the peniteutiary and yard wall. and
books of the officers; and also after
closely examining q number OF Wit
nesses summoned before us, (at the IN
stance of irresponsible parties, a3 we
had learned, } for the purpose of proving
incompetency and mismanagement on
the part of the Board, and of miscOn.
duct and fraud on the part of the Su-
perintendent appointed by them, we
have no hesitancy in saying that we
have no cause to believe that there has
been any misconduct on the part OF the
gentlemen composing the Board or of
the Superintendent, but that each has
constantly endeavored to seek and serve
the best interests of the State.
We are of the opinion, however, that
they have made some mistakes and
miscalculations, but probably as few as
might be expected in such an urdertak-
ing. The Superintendent appears to be
particularly qualified to perform his
various duties in controlling and direct
ing the convictS so as 10 make them
comfortable and profitable, as well rs in
superitending the work being done.
We think the work done is of most
enduring character, and at the same
time elegant, indeed magnificent in de-
sign, and when completed will be cor-
tainly one of the most complete i'll the
country. We are of the opinion that
the best interests of the State demand
that a liberal appropriation be made at
this session for the prosecution of the
work the coming season.
All of which is especially submitted.
w. b. ZINN,
Chairman of Senate Committee.
w. II. STEERE,
Chairman of House Committee.
MINORITY REPORT.
WHEREAS, A majority Of your COM
mittee appointed to investigate matters
pertaining to tho Penitentiary saw fit
to make their report, based solely upon
the evidence of employees and con-
tractors in and around the Penitentiary,
and,
WHEREAS, 1t was the conduct of these
very ritReSSes which We were author
lied TOT investigate, therefore we beg
leave to submit this as our Minority
Report: .'EN
lst. There has been no investigation
of the books, papers,and contracts ,ap-
pertaining 10 the enormous expendi-
ture of the public money appropriated
for that building.
ID. The examination of the most i'm
portant witnesses was perempterily
prohibited, and notwithstanding some
of these witnesses were present, they
were not allowed to be sworn. .
Sd. Other responsible names were
read before that committee with re-
quest coming from good Authority, ask
ing that they should be summoned in
behalf of the State, but the committee
paid no attention to this request, and
the witnesses were not brought before
them.
4th. As far as tue testimony Of disin-
terested witnesses went, it appeared
that soft and crumb,iug stone had oc-
casionally been used in the prison
walls, and that the job was not done in
substantial and mechanical manner,
and McGhan an old and experienced
stone mason1 swore that the present
G. S. McFadden, was
not competent to superintend the
mechanical part of the job.
5th. A majority of the committee has
not visited the Penitentiary at any
time, as their report indicates.
9th. 1t was clearly proven that the
Directors entered into contract for the
delivery of 1000 perch of stone at from
Sl2 25 TO SIC 80 per perch, for the sake
of getting this stone in the winter of
lS66-but this contract was not fulfill
ed until the following summer, yet
this fabulous price was allowed, and
it appears from the testimony lthat from
So TO 50 would have been fair price
for the stone where it was delivered.
Hence we see a loss to the State in this
one contract of from $1,000 to $1,000.
7th. 1t was proven by several team
sters that the convicts received and
measured most of the stone, and that
the teamsters paid them from SIS to $40
per month for measuring aud report
ing the measurement of the stone 70 g.
s. McFadden, the Superintendent. lsza