, 1873-03-01
JOLIET.

Special Hspdech to 1he chicago 1ftbAfs.
JOLIET, Fob. 28.-Tho Ponitontiary Invostiga-
ton Ia progressing. No frauds Or mlamanage-
mont havo boon developed 80 fur.
The Committee mot ut O'Clock this morning,
ana Elmer Washburn, late Warden, waa tho first
uitnesB called, who testified aB follows
was Warden Of tho Ponitcntiary until Juno
10, 1872. am familiar with the property on
hand there thon:: Il consisted Of wagons, mn
aud ehenra, wagon stock, lumber, TO-, aome ct
it In oxcollent condition, sonlo not. Tho
wagons woro now and In good repair. Part Of
osRs ~ ef%pSG 1s p e. qan 1 H. 80" M Sw wse sny rns Ts
not as good as Hchuttler's or as the Wisconsin
wagons, but they were. rnorchantablo. We got
diMerent pr1ces, according to tho number sold
.s We traded s thom for supplies: Thoy sold COM
p1oto for s6b to e90. These wore average wag-.
ons. Tho machinery Waa not new: most OF It
had soon considerable scrvico; not In tho condi-
Osn't toll tho value, excopt from, tho In
ventory. Tho. inventory at tho prison was
too high, and always has boom Don't think tho
proporty could haze been sold @ nt MagiS MinaFgientosy
tho invoice price. Think that loft was aa valua-
bio as that sold. Tho INVOICE whs made Do
eober, 1s71 The property Gid mo-, not asproo'ssts, st.,
not depreciatc. took It out Of tho shop, bad e
doped, and roof put ovor 1t outside, and left II
] 30. Mover know that tho prison authortice put
| In coal-Rhaft at Bratdwood. Two contraota
wero nude with that coal company--ono BY Per-
| kina and one by tho Commissioners during my
torn, in March, 1879: Was told by tho hoBecrotary OF
| tho Board Of OommiBafonora that they had con.
d with thnt oomp1, fr Gas Of sS
coal company consisted Of Robert Glow, John
| Reid, aud Ja1nes Brafdwood. Tho coal was very
| good. Advertisement wae made, proposals. ro-
ceiyed, and contract awarded. Under The first,
aa fast az we needed 1t, Under tho last con-
tract 1t was. Whom I became Warden found
my Predecessor had contracted to furnish tho
They began delivering il Juno, 1871. Ii 5optom;;
her tried to lay IN the winter stock 80 as to avoid
running out in the wintor.- Could not got 1t any
faster. Spoke to Reid, and ho thought ho would
faster. wrote several lettors without SUCCESS.
running out Of coal. Went to Springfield to 800
Mr. Glow about It. Glow said, " Reid md have
It to you Unless you pay money for it, and OF
tend tho timo on what wo owe You. II you do
We will furnish rs much as you want" tried
make ether a,"1 %th9at w. o
last eli tho coal, though for q timo Il
cost s25 . day extra to burn wood:
Rcid mover took any management Of tho coal
the en bon sS SS sGS e
Commissioners Of .theao things, except Reid.
Ho acknowledged tho noceasity of having the
coal, and always Expressed q willingness to Try
and Induce tho coal men to ship it. =. I was dis
charged % Warden. Noyer know the reason,
except that given to tho Governor. Have read
tho Commissioners laat report. Presumed tho
1ettore there given are eopiea Of tho correspond
enco betweon mo and the Commissioning.
think tho roasons tho1e given wero tho true
ones, az to some Of tho Commissioners, bnt
have heard that as to others they arc not.
I do not care to give what havo hoard as the
stono there belonging to tho State, without con-
sulting with the Commissioners. Tho first inti-
nation had that that was ono Of the REASONS
Of tho Oomm1asioners know sold It. Tho stone
| WAS not fit for tho 6tato-House, and it not sold
would have boon loss to tho State, It wont
into the Otis Block, Chicago, and tho State got
informed mo that they woro we'll satisfied with
the selling Of the stone. It WAS good sale at as
as good 9 price as the State paid Tor it. There
ss aa9 Is to ~ dsshaftsss ftss
Of duty. toro down Hhanty, not awarehouso,
ap Tes sod
tho wagon stock, and took 1t down, and caro-
fully stored It, .Thore was danger Of its burning
up from railroad SPARKS, and, il it Ind II would
Isl par mouth; sold tho lumbor ut sla
per m, tho market price being e1d
account Of salea Of property on tho books. The
chairs in inventory wsro such aa wore selling at
nootiont Lest. used for cigars, It must have
been in good condition It It ever was, as 1t waf
| well stored. Never examined tho tobacco tc
know Its quality. It was part Of an old stock
| when went there. We did not sell more thar
once to tho samo parties. There wore diffaroni
reports about the reputation Of our wagons
They woro not frat-olaas wagons. We sold
t. e$r1 on& nt1n 1nn$h L. IL
VAS for tho wagons complete, They had breakf
on. Think tho purchasers vera generally aatis.
fed With tho wagons. for ths price they Paid to-
contract In March, 1879. Was Warden whom tho
inventory, WAS made. Tho appraiaomont wat
| made with reference to its then condition
Miller Was one q Tho ths Appraisers;
think that inventory was too high I, at thai
time, stated that I should have appraised tht
whole prison property s6o, goo loyor Tho nrop,
wagons. I had an offor from noBenlo1d Of
! Thayor. Thia WAS for all tho wagons on tho IN
! in April, 1879. Can't seo how any difference
could bo betweon tho wagons then and whor
they we're sold. They were we'll protected from
; the Weather: Whom thsso offers were made
. vontory aold.. Did not aoll to thom, bacauat
! they we're. bolow tho invoice. Thoro was
thon necessity for, ,aolling, aud !
| thought could do bottor. Quite lo
Of old property WAS not valued at all in the in
ventory. Two boilers on the inventory were
inyoicod at 81 400 for tho two. / think that wat
all thoy were worth. lam mot IN export. Their con
dition could not have been different when loft.
think Miller l. Stewart valued thon. In April
! 1874, sold aomo wagon etook to Roscuaeld for
, cash. It was woll aeasoned, and 10 WAR to take
II just 40 IL t11e did noe ray tas nan1,, 1,t
claimed. Tho wagon stock was not good. lot
him take it without paying down, as
i heard thRt he. was financially responsible.
He paid part aud refused to pay the balauoo, bo.
cause tho stock was .snot good, Wo guaranteed
! nothing. Tho State own two houses and lots ii
Morris. While wns Warden, the title was II
Mr, Miller. Thora WIS nothing On tho books to
show that tho State owned it. 1Er. Logan tolt
ma Of It. Miller was tho master mechanic, ant
held the title two years. Iproourea Mr. h[illo
the ronts up to that timo and paid 1t over tt
| mo. This property Waa taken to par