Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-08-24
Afternoon Session.

that in which Damren gives SO graphically
full expose of his incapability as a clerk G
works or a practical carpenter. The comment
on all sides we're free and derisive of the shoe
had all along Lno~i. that he vas no more fit t
be superintendent of building than Kerr wa
g to be a parson or book-keeper.
! The committee were at the asylum again a
: o'clock. For some half-hour they held
: secret consultation, after which the door wa
opened and the press admitted. The
REV. A. H. KERR
was at once called and questioned by Senate
Morton, first upon the Gage-Breen middle an,
subsequently upon the $3.50 item which look
so suspicious, or, rather, which goes to show SC
, plainly that a deliberate petty theft had beer
made. In response to the Senator the reverend
gentleman OF so many callings submitted tn
following written statements
GENTLEMEN OF THE COMMITTEE lwish tic
say, in reference to voucher No. 7l8, in which
it appears | paid Gage & Co. $65 while
by the action of the building commit
tee, should have received that amount from
Gage d 90. to pay to Matt Brien q Co., that ma,
have been mistaken and should have collected
from him that amount in due tme or as soor
as practicable. will confer with Gage & Co.
and have our transactions fully examined. anc
should this amount appear due from them.
will collect it of Gage & Co. pay it myself
AS to the last voucher of 1877, in which, by tn,
auditing committee i was allowed $780, was
making a final statement of building accounts
and at the time supposed by looking al
the printed reports of 1878 and 1874, that Ihad
erred in carrying forward the balance on hand
from one year to the other of $3.50 against my
self. After comforting with the auditing COM
mittee, put in the voucher to this effect,
l found, however, had corrected the same in
1873, but it had completely slipped my mem
DRY at the time. will fully correct this in
fha al III
on my books. Yours Respectfully,
A. FL. KERR.
Senator Morton asked if the ledger, his only
book, contained the original entries
Mr.. Kerr have blotter in which | put
down matters before entering them in the
ledger.
| Mr.. Morton--That is what we want Can
| you not send for it.
Mr.. Kerr-Let me see. L think can send
my boy, and his boy accordingly sent.
| MIR. Kerr asked to make a. statement about
| che Pettls land exchange. He said that it was
distinctly understood between the board and
Pettis that $1,000 was to be paid over and
above the one hundred and twenty and seven
tenth acres of land in exchange for the one
hundred and ten and three-tenth acres.
| Considerable conversation ensued on this
| point, after which Mr.. Kerr said that he had
noticed in the papers that he was charged with
drawing from the funds full fare for travelling
| expenses to st. Paul, while he had half fare
ticket. 1t was quite true he charged full mile
| age and his whole expenses, but did not charge
his per diem allowance of SIS a trustee. He
had half fare pass, but that was a matter of
his own, and nobodys business.
MIR. Rice-You have salary treasurer.
| Mr.. Kerr-Yes have, a small salary, and that
Is the reason l do not charge the five dollars
| per day when go to st. Paul on business con-
nected with my office.
MIR. Snyder, of the firm of Snyder g. Damren,
was then sworn, and said-Have resided in st.
Peter since 1858; am a contractor and builder;
contracted with the asylum in 1857; amount of
contract was between $4,000 and $1,000.
| Mr.. Doran showed him bill of extras. He
| said: don't know from what the bill was made
out; both Damren and I kept the time of the
men under our supervision; remember a con-
tract in 1868; were allowed 1852 extra for dead
| ening; we calculated the work for a profit;
have an account of the COS days work, but con-
sidered our bill sufficient; he enumerated some
of the places where the work was done; did not
| get profit on covering window sash.
MIR. Doran-But you made profit on the
deadening.
Mr.. Snyder-Because that was our business
We did not work for glory.
MIR. Doran-With extras and the original con-
tract $15,364.64 was the amount of your bill
and you have drawn $15, "a, having over
drawn your account 800
Mr.. Snyder-Well, we will put that in oul
next contract by Mr.. Kerr. The joist are put
in according to plans and specifications
except thai the headers are put together
with six-inch nails instead of pins. My
attention was called to 1T by Mr.. Downs
Mr.. Copeland's foreman. l replied
knew my business. Copeland then came
and said you are not doing this right. l said
go to the devil; don't want you to accept the
contract. l had sense enough to take it out Of
superintend it. Mr.. Sloan was our superin
tendent. He did not come to see the work
Think the trustees wrote to Mr.. Sloan in rela
ton to it.
Mr.. Rice--Was not Mr. Copeland hired TO
the purpose?
Mr.. Morton--Is it not fact that you ant
Damren think yourselves fixed here, and n,
one has the right to interfere with you.
Mr.. Snyder-No sir, but l would tell Cope
land or any other man to mind his own bust
ness if he interfered with what lie kney
nothing about.
Mr.. Rice-But vas not Copeland appointe
to see that the specifications were carried out
What is the use of having specifications if yo
can go and do as you like?
Mr.. Snyder-Specifcatio are for mario,
minded men to pick at.
Mr.. Morton-You say you have book fror
which these items charged in the bill Of extra
are entered. Do understand you to say tina
you refuse to produce it?
Mr.. Snyder do.
Mr.. Morton-It appears that the trustee
take the words of Snyder and Damren. The
| stated here yesterday that they had no book t
show these extra charges, and now they sa
, they have a book and won't produce it. Do yo
refuse to produce that book?
Mr.. Snyder-Decidedly I do.
: At this Senator Morton waxed wroth and sal
that Snyder would find that it would be to hi
/; advantage and that of the trustees to prod NC
l anything they had on the subject.
. Mr. Snyder-The reason l refuse is that
have to do with the trustees and not with yo,
Mr.. Doran-That leaves the trustees in a ba
position.
Mr.. Copeland was then put upon the stant
Y He said he was employed on the ASYLUM
o as superintendent of construction in 1867 an
1868. Remembered the contract of Snyder
: Co., in which they claimed for extras. I sal
e the extras were in the contract. was di
q charged in 1870 The day before the contrac
q were given out Kerr consulted m
: Mr.. Downs was discharged witho,
n notice or reason. Kerr wrote to the Fri
It ane, the asylum organ, stating the reason WI
: discharged was because / was not practic
e man.
i Mr.. Kerr-Do You say wrote such note?
n Mr.. Copeland-It had your name signed to
IT Mr.. Rice asked for the minutes and Mr. Ke
D read the minutes and which said Kerr had co
r suited with Copeland and Henry Downs. Cop