The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-03-20
OTTAWA FREE TRA DEK: SATURDAY. MARCH 20, 1915


'capacity of II rp-hctwcen, passed the voucher
over Ia W D. Richardson, who alone recev
led lhe benefit of executive interference.
At Il Joint meeting heretofore referred TO
Mr. Richardson then having had his bid foI
the stone cutters accepted, hut not having ye
signed the contract, was permitted to be pres
ent and TO participate in the deliberations OF
that meeting, and TO assist IN
REVISING THE PRICES
which he was to receive indirectly through
the penitcntary
The committee find that the state house is
being c considered practically by the will OF
one man. who is unknown 10 the law, as one
| OF its responsible officers, but individually
whose estimates and conclusions are as bind
ing rs The written law.
A. ii. Piquenard, the architect, whose voice
LOCKS AND UNLoCKs THE STATE HOUSE FUND
for favoriie contractors, and by whose direc'
ton the people of the state are compelled to
invest $4,000 IN gewgaws and elaborate
Ornamenlation, which is much out of har-
mony with the substantial character of our
people. The original estimates being upon
the basis of an expenditure Of SO, 0OO,0OO made
when labor and material commanded high
er reward than now, the law then required
commissioners TO select the most durable ma
terial. ii was II matter OF surprise to your
committee to learn that the commissioners in.
tended to disburse $780, 600 upon this build.
ing at time when financial disaster had
forced laaar and material down low in the
scale Of prices.
VAST AMOUNTS
Fave been saved by this changed condition
only to he lavishly expended in some other
ornameHtaton of this building, when the
basement is certainly of stone whose durable
character ls questioned by the architect
The committee called the attention of the
house to the fact that, in their judgment, the
state house commissioners have violated the
law which compels them to advertise for bids
in all cases contemplating an expenditure Of
over $4,000, tor they have been procuring
work by day labor, without contracting the
supply of material, at such price rs IN their
Judgment they deemed best, and for all of
which they are responsible to no one for er-
rors of judgment.
The committee called the attention of the
house to a personal letter from John II. Bev
crldgc and also TO
A LETTER
of Commissioner Beveridge, signed ]. IL. b.,
addressed to j. w. S. o. W. Smith, formerly
warden) in which such commissioners urge
the warden to advance loan to Richardson
of $4,000, that he might meet a note of his
at the State National Bank, the object being
to relieve the necessities of a private party
by improper Il of the public funds.
The evidence of j. w. Wham, penitentiary
commissioner and former warden, is SAID 10
be to the following effect: He laid before
the committee letter he had received from
| III RayprIfup Df the state hp1sn
missoners, inclosing t. him a number Of
blank vouchers, which he (Beveridge) re-
Quested Wham to assign to him. The vOuch,
crs were the regular printed state house
vouchers, and were indorsed in Beverages
writing, "pay to the order of. II Beveridge
The letter OF transmttal which was laid be
tore'tle committee explains that this was the
method of doing business before Wham was
elected warden. Wham testities that he re.
fused to assign the vouchers as requested,
and he retained them from September, 1873,
when he received them, until he laid them
before the committee Wham refused to
sign the vouchers, and explained to Gov. Bev.
eridge his reasons refusing, and this was the
reason that Wham Was removed from the
warden's office. Wham testified that he sign.
ed no state house vouchers during his occu.
pancy of the wardcns office, except for
freight or some small mattcr; out WITHIN
three days after Major McClaughry was ep,
pointed warden, he (McClaughry) signed
$32 90 of vouchers tor stone for the state
house, and in ninety days signed $500 of
state house vouchers Wham also LAID before
the committee letter from J, H. Beveridge
asking HIM TO loan W. u, Richardson SIS
600 or $4,000 of the funds in his possession
rs warden.
Wham also testified that Richardson fell
behind with his bills due the penitentiary for
convict labor, and he threatened if the bills
were not paid to report the fact to the board
of commissioners and have the contract re-
voked, but Richardson got letter from the
governor to Wham, telling Wham not to
press Richardson, and so he acceded to the
request. On the day the committee visited
the prison, Richardson owed for labor about
$4,000.
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