Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-28


trustees without authority of law allowed them
selves $3.50 per day and travelling expenses,
then raised tito 81 per day and travelling ezpen-
ses, then again to IS per day and travelling e1-
penses, while some, if not all, were entertained
in the hospital during the sessions of the board
at the expense of the State. In addition to
this, they drew pay for more days than the
minutes show they were in session, and for
travel and services never performed.
an illustration of the peculiar manner in
which the trustees appropriated the funds of
the institution will be seen in voucher No.
1856, where one trustee, living only ten miles
from the hospital, drew 513. 60 mileage for one
trip, receiving constructive mileage from Min
neapolis and return rather than actual mileage
travelled.
Another illustration. In 1868 one of the
trustees went to Chicago ostensibly to purchase
slate roofing for the hospital, he was paid rail-
road fare from st. Peter to Chicago and re-
turn, hotel bills at Chicago and st. Paul, and
in addition thereto, the moderate sum of IS
per day, for FIVE days. (See voucher No. 259
building fund account.)
ITEMIzED BILLS OF THE TRUSTEES.
The following will show the number of days
the trustees were in session, and thepisits made
by them. which is taken from the minutes
book Of the hospital and the moneys from the
vouchers
L. Fletcher, number of days attendance from
1873 to 1877, inclusive So; amount received for
said service and travel $462.25; expense in
visiting Auburn, N. Y, att convention of nedi-
cal superintendent, s99.4O.
f. Talbot, number of days attendance from
1875 to 1877, inclusive, 25 days; amount re-
ceived for said service, including travel,
$207.50. Number of yisits-amount paid for
same, $45.6O. Expense to Philadelphia in 1876,
$3.50.
81. B. Strait, number Of days in attendance,
H. from 1873 to 1877, inclusive; two visits
with d. &. How; and one visit with Rev. Chas.
Z. Coer; amount received, 21S1.20.
VIM. Schimmel. number of days in attend
ance 67, from 1873 to 1877, inclusive; amount
received, 1920.
A. II. Kerr, number of days in attendance.
60; for attendance board and visiting, he
received the sum of $267 in addition to his sal
AIRY as secretary and treasurer, and pay for SER
vices and expenses when travelling business
for the hospital; he also received $3.50 for a
visit to Philadelphia in 1876, and S45.25 for a
visit to Madison, Wis, under the following reg
olution adopted by the board of trustees:
MARCH 6, 1872.
Present-C. T. Brown, A. Il. Kerr, Il. Buffers
VIM. Schimmel and L. Fletcher.
By Schimmel-nhat the invitation extended
by the Medical Association of superintendent
of Hospitals to our superintendent and board
of trustees to attend the convention at Madison,
Wis, on the 2Sth of May, 1872, is hereby ac-
cepted, and that the travelling expenses of
them that can attend be betrayed by the hos
pital. Adopted.
Under this very liberal resolution the entire
board might have visited Madison at the ex
pense of the State.
sPECULATIoNs AND POPULATIONS IN REAL ESTATE.
Mr.. McFadden, the superintendent of the
farp hui a hoer al 1an1 forh
own use; his salary was raised from $40 per
month 10 $50 per month, including board;
then the house was purchased from him and
given to him rent free The trustees paid out
of the current fund appropriated by the legis-
lature 81 900 for the house, being at least one
third more than its real value.
They also, out of the current expense fund,
purchased from the steward his house and two
lots in the town OF st. Peter, paying for the
same $l,775, an amount we believe to be large
ly in excess of it's real value. Then after pur-
expended S2,7OO to enlarge the house
for the residence of the steward
and gave it to him rent free, notwithstanding
they had recently increased the salary of this
officer from 81 200 to 81, 800 per annum.
Lands were purchased at prices exceeding
that paid for other lands of like character in
the same neighborhood, and without authority
OF law. The trustees acting on the presump-
ton that they have full right to purchase any
lands they want, and pay for the same out of
moneys appropriated for the current expenses
There seems to be no limit to the power claimed
by the trustees in this direction. One of them
in giving his testimony before the committee
said he did not know whether they had any au-
thority TO purchase lands and houses, but they
had exercised that right it considered a
current expense by the trustees.
Only one occasion has authority been asked
from the legislature to enable them to pur-
chase land, which appears in the special laws Of
1877, chapter 142, page 2l0.
An act to authorize the trustees of the Min
nesota Hospital for the Insane to convey real
estate.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State
OF Minnesota
Section l. That the trustees of the Mime
sofa Hospital for the Insane be and they are
hereby authorized to convey by warrantee deed
of conveyance to Alexander Pettis the lots
numbered two (2) and three (3), in section
number six (6), in township number one hun
dred and nine QO9), north of range number
and twenty-one and forty-five one hundredths
(121 $4,000 acres, in exchange for
lots five (5) and six Co. in section
fifteen (15) township one hundred and ten
Q10), range twenty-six (26), containing one
hundred and ten and thirty one hundredths
G10 3O-100) acres.
Sec. 2. This act shall take effect and be in
force from and after its passage.
Approved Feb. %, 1877.
Eight months prior to the passage OF this
law the trustees had entered into contract
with Mr.. Pettis for the purchase Of this land,
and agreed to pay for said land $50 per acre,
and sell the land of the State for S15 per acre
c1ot,,
kept in ignorance, and from the reading of the
law it will be seen that that body never con-
templated the payment of any money, as the
law expressly states the deed of conveyance
shall be in exchange for the land described in
the act.
The difference between the land contract
price was 81, 4S7.25. Mr.. Kerr in his settlement
paid 81, SOC. This small matter is mentioned
merely to show the loose manner in which the
moneys appropriated for the support of the
patients disbursed. 1t will be seen by
this transaction that there was q studied and
successful effort to deceive the legislature eay-
ing them to think there was no money consid-
GRAFTON in the exchange. The 81 800 paid was
taken from the current expenses fund appro-
priated for the support of patients.
THE SNYDER AND DAMREN swINDLE.
Gross careiessness is manifest throughout the
proceedings of the board of trustees. Con.
tracts drawn loosely and contractors allowed
bills for extras, when in some cases the work
charged for as extra was in the original con-
tract. This is notably the case in the contracts
Of Snyder Damren, who presented bill for
building porticos, when the same was in the
original contract, and SO regarded by the
trustees, as appears by the following taken
from the records of the trustees:
MAY 10, 1872.
By Kerr-That the lumber, etc., be fur
nished for the portico on the right wing; and
that Snyder & Damren be requested to put it
up as soon as possible the work thereof being
included in their contract.