Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-03-27

after such disability shall be removed
shall be allowed such person, his heir
or legal Representatives to bring their
action. And provided further, That
the foregoing provisions of this Sec
ton shall not apply where the patent
title owner, or those under whom he
claims, have been In the actual occu-
patton and possession of the land for
period of five years from and after
the execution and recording of the
Treasurer's deed; and procided fur
ther, that the foregoing provisions of
this section shall not apply when the
real property sold was not subject to
taxation for the year or years for
which such tax was levied.
A bill was passed canceling unpaid
taxes voted in aid of railroads be-
tween 1868 and 1875.
| .... SENATE.
The bill appropriating $4,000 to
the Insane Asylum at Mt. Pleasant
passed, also the appropriation bill
for the Agricultural College, the sum
being $3,972.25. The bill appropriat-
ing $4,000 to the Insane Asylum at
Independence passed-$4l 500 of this
is for new buildings. The bill ap-
propriating SAC, 600 for the Deaf and
Dumb Asylum passed.
Senator Bcstow presented the fol-
lowing report of the investigating
committee Of the penitentiary at Fort
Madison:
To the General Assembly Of the State
Of Iotca:
We, the undersigned. having been
appointed by your honorable body as
committee to investigate the admin
istration of Seth H. Craig, during his
term Of six co. years as Warden Of the
Penitentiary at Fl. Madison, would
respectfully report that we have ex-
amined the books of said Warden and
have made an abstract therefrom,
which has been printed and is before
you. A careful examination of
which evidences, to say the least, I'M
warranted extravagant management.
We further find, from such testi-
mony as we have been able to take,
the misapplication of the resources of
the prison, as well as the moneys ap-
lpropriated by the State, from legiti-
mate to illegitimato use by said War
den. The extent of which, from the
time we have had for such investiga-
ton, has not in our judgment, been
fully developed. There has been ev-
idence taken tending to show that
large amounts have been misapplied
by said Warden, and we believe fur
Their reliable evidence can be obtain
ed tending to show other such misap-
preparation, our limited time alone
preventing us from obtaining the
same.
The books, while on their face cler-
ically correct, were not kept as re-
quired and provided for by law. No
cash account was kept, as shown by
the books, and the funds of the differ.
ent departments were used promiscu.
ously by said Warden. 1t was work
of great labor to trace and separate
the disbursements so as to make a
statement showing the application OF
the moneys of the institution.
We found that the Warden did moi
advertise, as required by law, fol
J bids for the buildings for which mon
; eys had been appropriated by the
J State, nor for the supplies of the pen
, itentiary, except beef. The evidence
, and the admissions of Warden Craie
tend to prove that large amounts il
the bills for telegraphing, express
charges, dry goods, hardware, ani
groceries. have been paid out of tn,
State funds, which have not been blu
should have been paid by said S. Fl
. Craig and not refunded to the State
: and from the testimony of witnesses
, tends to show thatin many directions
0 large amounts Of money ought to b,
: recovered and saved to the State.
y We further find an indebtedness
l incurred by Warden Craig aggre
Q eating thirteen thousand five hundred
Q ($l3, 500 still unpaid, and no mean
: in the present warden's hands to pay
current expenses or pay said indebt
b edness.
The testimony of said warden ant
: the books of the prison show that h
has expended during the last tw,
years of his term over SIS per m omit
], for the general support of each con
: vict-an excess of about 81 per month
q for each convict more than allowed
8 by law.
l On account of the absence from tn
Q state of several material witnesses, an,
8 the large amount of testimony whicl
it will be necessary to take. your com
8 mittee cannot complete the labor as
signed it before the close of the pres
ent session of the General Assembly
should Fan adjournment be had q
= now contemplated.
We therefore recommend that sue
action be taken by the General As
! sembly as will insure q full and com
! plete investigation of said Craig du
ring the six years he was warden Q
said penitentiary.
Respectfully submitted.
s. L. BEsTow,
CHAs. E. BRONSON,
ii. w. GLEASON,
J. A. ISRAEL,
j. w. MILES.
The evidence has not all been cop
!. pied by the clerks from the report o
!, , the shorthand reporter, and we ar
at this time unable to submit the sam
The report was passed on file.
HOUSE.
Dies MONIES, March Il.
The following bills passed: II
compel railroads to fence their track
in certain cases; to prevent the sal
of State public lands for taxes; t.
limit homestead in value exemp
from execution to 5000; to provid
Board of State Charities consistin,
of three persons, and Abe Board au
thorized to employ secretary at 81,
200 year, and the salary of tn
members of the Board to be 1850
to pay w. r. Craig $l9,62S, amour