The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-26
Frauds in the Penitentiary.
Our Reform Legislature on
the Track of Republi-
cam Swind1ers.
The Louisiana Investiga
ton Going On,
Hunting Legislators with
Revo1vers in Florida.
Another Rotten Bank
Bursts.
Bank
Crime, Fire, Etc.

New ORLEANS, Jan. 25.-The congress
sional committee IS still investigating the
action of the returning board. No new
developments in the evidence. The Nc
Eneryites again propose to submit the elec-
ton of 1872 to arbitration.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla, Jan. 25.--The ser-
ate met to- day. No quorum was present.
The sergeant-at- arms was directed to ar
rest absentees While in pursuit of his
duty he was fired upon by Senator Partin,
who, however, alleges that he was first
fred on by the sergeant at-arms. reso,
tlutiou offered calling on the military to aid
lin bringing absentees to the bar OF the
house was voted down,
| NASHVILLE, Tenn, Jan. 25.-The two
houses met in convention at noon. The
galleries and lobby were crowded, and the
excitement was intense. The forty-nlnth
ballot stood johnson AZ, Bate Al, Ewing
7, scattering 2; necessary to choice 49,.
Fiftieth and fifty, first ballots, johnson A.
Bate At, Ewing Z, scattering 2; fftysec-
ond ballot, johnson As, Bate 46, Ewing Z,
Sneed /; ffty-third and last ballot, John
son "A, Bate 4e, Ewing 9, Sneed l. Gov.
Brown was then renominated amid cheers
and. excitement Gen. Bate was with
drawn Immediately after the denomination
of Gov. Brown, which seemed to be the
signal for renewed cheers and applause 10
the galleries. Adjourned till 10 O'Clock
tomorrow. The general opinion is that
the race is narrowed down between John
C son and Brown, and will be decided on the
first ballot tomorrow.
New YORK, Jan. 25.-The Star and
Herald, of Panama, of January Is, just
received, contains the obituary of Ensign
Thomas g. Spencer, of the United States
: navy, who was found dead early on the
morning of the 18th, in his room in the
Washington House, at Aspinwall, Mr.
Snencer was attached to the United States
IS photographic party, on duty IN Centra
nd America. His widowed mother lives IL
- Cincinnati.
ROCHESTER, n. Y, Jan 25. -Th
!, George Washington Bank, of Corning.
private institution owned and controlled b.
Geo, W. Patterson, was closed by the sher
iff Saturday. Liabilities 100000. Man.
of the depositors are poor persons am
there is much excitement in the neighDor
hood.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, Jan, 24.-The mem
bers of the house penitentlary eommltte
returned to the capital from Joliet thu
morning, They left Springfield las
Thursday, and during Friday and Satul
dav did some good work as investigator
They struck trail, three of them, in fac
all radiating from the penitentiary and en'
l0' ing in the pockets of certain rich contra
SO tors. That they may have chance
i fully follow up these trails, the chalrma
of the committee will tomorrow mornlr
ask the house to adopt resolution glvlI
the committee authority to again Wis
Joliet, with power to send for persons al
UO papers. The Times correspondent b
been informed of the facts in the case,
far as developed, which are as follows ::
Trail No. leads from the prison COZ
house to Braidwood Some time ago t
m penitentiary commissioners advertised
o. contracts to furnish the prison with 3,5
tons of coal, The lowest bid was 81
the next lowest So 25. The party maxi
the lowest bid was unable to furnish
&c. necessary bonds, and his bid was thro'
IG out. Then Chicago firm, in which
name of Ward appears, went to the pal
Having the next lowest bid, and offer
NN him a sum of money exceeding $500
rs. his bid. The man refused to sell out,
. he never secured the contract. The G.
,.r. tract was let to the Chicago firm, the
Tears cuse being made by the commission
wIs that the miners employed bv the act
YORK bidder we're on the eve of a strike, and
could not be depended upon. Having
mao cured the contract, the Chicago hrm M
an arrangement with Braldwood mine
reeth ah to supply them with coal at certain hgul
far below the sum obtained from the st;
They further manipulated matters SO
to have their coal received at the prl
ns Oln,; nf without being weighed, except at rare
tervals but they took good care to we
the coal when they themselves receiVe
from Savage, or whatever ms name Il
Hair The Braidwood man was disposed tt
3i d ST., the fair thing, however, by his employ
m. and when he sent his bill, which was d
from time to time, he invariably allo
Id for for shortage Ii there were but l.
Winter ps hounds instead of ton, he would bill il
,orSed and be paid accordingly. On the o.
Our hand. the firm would deliver the coal,
IN the the invariably bill it as full ton. Before
xceed 500 tons we're delivered. it is estim
It's, re re that the firm had swindled the state
yoane y are of at least 100 tons. To be sure thi
make not a very great sum but the worst
ousi is. it is said the commissioners knew
~ J ,;nht Sa about it, and secured their share OF
o work proceeds.
rs n;lS and Trail No. leads from the Ware
" " H can Office to the Office of the parties who
at once tracted to furnish the pententiary
: dSress %qss good fresh beef 1t has been state'
III. the committee that on several occa
- the class of beeves furnished was
- from being in accordance with the
w tract. On more than one occasion
d warden's attention has been called to
= rotten meat hanging up in the but
shop at the prison several times he
found the beeves absolutely rotten,
at other times innumerable pus
m were noticed on the dressed careasses
- The third trail is not yet, sutic
s. developed to furnish material tor
= cation. 1t is sufficient to state that
e more important, possibly, than the
@ already mentioned, and if it come
as good as anticipated, it will place
r, ' srs, the commissioners, is an unen
light before the public.
III. DETROIT, Mich, January 25.-
hue Web. b. night party of Irish and German
y,thusre- dies went to Polish saloon, crea
connect. ! nnS disturbance and 10 the consequen
t. Ie offs Of sus. lee killed Max Fortschoofski,
Pole, who took part with his ass
,Cston o4;, sountrymen, Five roughs, who ar