The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-03-04
DAILY MONDAY MORNING. MARCH 1872

the different Houses Of the Legislature
and from the Convention orders for the
same document, which being once printed
Ia thus charged for three times. In every
way, and at all times, It would seem the
ingenuity Of the Printer Is on the rack to
make extra cost for the State and extra
revenue for his exchequer.
Now q word for ourselves: and pre-.
llminary thereto word about Mr.. LEWIS
BAKER, the man Of many functions and
Of numerous titles. We have expressed
the opinion heretofore that Mr. BAKER
was a partner in the profits Of the public
printing. 1t seemed natural and not i'm.
proper that he should be- The only matter
for surprise has been his persistent denlal
Of It. Now the reason for that denial
begins TO appear; and despite denial, des.
plte the care taken TO cover up appear.
ances a year ago, about the time these
frauds began, by announcing dissolution
Of tho respective firms oil LEWIS BAKER 6
Co. and II. s. WALKER 6 Co., with the IN.
usual omission Of the names Of the parties
who had composed the firms, we are moro
than ever confirmed in that belief Mr.,
BAKER testified before the Judiciary Com
mittec that he had no interest in the
public printing except rs an employee oil
Mr.. WALKRRl When asked what com.
pensation he received, he said he received
q salary Of $3.50 q month for such atten.
ton rs he was able to give to the bust.
ness That veneer is too thin TO cover o
partner in interest. We submit 10 Mr..
BAKER whether It Is fair to leave Mr..
WALKER to shoulder all the obloquy Of
recent disclosures while dividing with
him the profits Of the transactions dis.
closedP Perhaps 1t would be doing no
great violence TO the probabilities in this
case TO suppose that MIR. BAKER, having
longer experience in and n more practical
knowledge of the printing business, is
greatly TO blame for having led Mr.,
WALKER astray.
Concerning the statements in Mr.. BA'
KER's letter printedin Thursdays Register
about Mr.. FREw, he desires TO say that in
letter and spirit, in idea and expression
in general and in particular, they are false
and presumptively malicious So far as
Mr. FREw is aware no attorney made any
such remark as stated; there were nc
rumors that "large sums OF money have
been drawn from the treasury by Mr.
FREw for which no vouchers are to be
found among the State archives" there
was no caucussing oil Republicans on thai
or any other subject during Mr.. FREw's
stay in Charleston. Mr.. WALKERS coun
sci, in the hope of finding something tc
Justify the suspicion which Mr.. BAKER
seeks to create, went through Mr.. FREw's
bills thoroughly, but found nothing which
was unfair to the State-and Mr.. BAKEE
knows it. In this connection we will
be pardoned Tor mentioning, as in
dicating that Mr.. BAKERS unfavora
bic opinion Of Mr.. FREw is moi
extensively shared at Charleston by those
whose good opinion is desirable, thai
during Mr.. FREw's recent visit there as 0
witness before the Judiciary Committee
in the case of the State US. Mr.. WALKER
several Of the State officers asked him tc
make estimates and measurements which
might serve to protect them against the
rapacity Of Mr.. WALKER and his ZEN,
ployee." It seems also worthy of mention
that before MIR. FREw presented his bill
for printing the Code, Governor JACOB
very properly took the precaution to have
Mr.. WALKER measure the work and cal
culate its cost. Mr.. WALKER made il
$4,000. OF course the GOVERNOR was
agreeably surprised TO find, when Mr.
FREw's bill was presented, that 1t was
but $10,509.55. We mention these Incl.
dents as tending to show that, in spite
of Mr.. BAKERS influence, there Is moi
an entire absence of confidence in Mr.,
FREw's official integrity among those
who have had the best opportunities Of
Judging him by his work.
And now finally, for to-day-lor We
cannot extend these remarks further at
prcsent,-we welcome the investigation
which the Legislature has made provision
for. That there is abundant need for it,
we have already shown. I'VE trust it will
be thorough. senrclipss, '-''d Impartial; and
so lar as the accounts OF Mr.. WALKERS
immediate predecessor are concerned, no
pains will be lacking on his part to enable
the committee to make it so.