Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-02-19

States prison investigation was held at the
capitol last evening, at which were present
the warden and W. P. Clough, counsel for the
warden and inspectors.
Mr. Armstrong read the resolution under
which the committee were acting.
Mr.. Marsh then addressed the committee,
and said that it was their purpose at the out.
set to be on the defensive, but that before the
investigation was over they should take the
aggressive. They should ask no quarters
from anyone and should give none, and by
anyone be meant anyone who had ever had
anything to do with the prison either as con.
tractor or otherwise.
Mr. TARBox's TESTIMONY.
]. B. Tarbox was sworn by the chairman.
Resides in st. Paul; manufactures boots and
shoes; put in bid for convict labor; G. j.
Thompson put in bid also; Thompson is an
attorney; is not manufacturer; saw his
bid; my bid was lower; did not see Elward's;
the first time I heard of the charge of corrup-
ton was when I saw Mr.. McCracken's resolu.
tion; friend of both parties called on us and
said it would be betterfor us to take $4,000 or
$4,000; would rather not give his name;
there was nothing to it.
The committee insisted on having the name
given.
It was not either of the firm of
seymour, SaDiH O. W. lue OHSr
was not made by Seymour nor
Sabin, nor Nelson. It was not made by any,
one that had any connection with the firm in
any manner whatever.
Mr.. Marsh insisted upon the name being
given.
Mr.. Tarbox would state positively the man
doesn't belong to the firm of Seymour, Sabin
g. Co. The man has since said that he had
no authority to make any such proposition.
J,o fhoo f,1,.
that firm.
Mr.. Tarbox then wanted to make an expla.
nation which he thought would satisfy the
committee. He thought the card published
in the newspapers ought to satisfy the COM
mittee.
Mr. Dunn said Seymour, sabin & Co. were
not the ones to be satisfied, it was the people
of the State who must be satisfied.
Mr.. Tarbox said the man was in delicate
health and this thing worries him; the prOpo-
sition was made in his store; Mr.. Forepaugh
was present; don't remember the day it was
made; it was before we put in our bid; it was
not made by an officer of the prison; nor men,
ber of the legislature; nor State officer; he
thought the man was member of the firm of
Seymour, Sabin 81 Co. at the time the offer
was made, but had since learned that he was
not.
Mr.. De Laittre said it was stated all over the
State that the money was offered by Seymour,
Sabin & Co., and that still they get the con-
tract. The name of the party making it should
be given SO that the public could judge wheth-
er the contractors had anything to do with it
or not.
Mr.. Marsh said that since the names of
these honorable men (the officers of the pris-
on) are a hiss and by-word there was no rea-
(Mr. Tarbox) should stand in the way of a full
knowledge of who made the proposition to
give Forepaugh s. Tarbox $4,000 to step out
of the way.
By Mr.. Dunn-What is the name of the per-
son who made you proposition to receive a
certain amount of money to withdraw your
bid or step one side?
To Senator J. B. Gilfllan The interview
was at our store; myself, Forepaugh and the
other person were present; can't say just when
it was; it was in the front part of the store; he
was there five or ten minctes; as near as I can
recall it, he said: 81 feel satisfied Seymour,
Sabin & Co. are too strong and you can't get
the contract anyhow, and think you can get
$4,000 or $4,000 to step one side;" think
made some answer; can't tell Just what did
say just what 1 said; 1 have
already given the substance; don't think this
is all that was said, but til the purport;
think he went right out.
Mr. Dunn-Who is that third person?
Mr.. Tarbox-I don't like give it.
Mr.. Dunn-If you refuse to give it the com.
mittee will have to pursue another course.
Mr.. Tarbox-I don't want to give the
name.
Mr.. Dunn-Do you refuse to give the
name?
Mr.. Tarbox-It will cut the thing short to
refuse.
Mr.. Dunn-It will cut it short for to- night,
but will cut it long tomorrow. You under
stand what mean?
Mr.. Tarbox-I understand that the legisla.
ture canlpunish contumuacious witnesses.
knew of Mr.. Thompson's bid; I saw il;
saw Thompson's bid at our store; am not
sure lever saw Thompson's bid; don't recol-
lect what conversation had with Thompson;
had not made our bid; he did not make out
his bid in our store; don't know where I saw
his bid; had conversation at Thompson's
office and at the store; did not ask him what
business he was going into; Thompson depos-
the money; his bid was in our interest; we
were to have the bid if we paid for it; did not
agree upon terms; we were to pay him
sum of money for it if we got it;
don't remember Thompson's construction
of the bid; have had conversations with
Thompson; he was not going to maDufacture
anything himself that know of.
10 Mr. McCrackeQ--.Iue LQlTu party resides
in St. Paul; had interviews with him at the
store and at my house; no one else was present.
Did the party ever ask you to name the sum
you would take?
I don't know; no one was with him at any
of the interviews; he called upon us occasion
ally before; had a conversation with Senator
White; told him that a party offered us S1O,-
900; don't remember telling him that there was
another man with him; don't remember the
reasons given Mr.. White for not accepting the
$40 900; can't recall what did tell Senator
White; don't think know all the members of
Seymour, Sabin & Co.; know the gentleman is
not member of that firm.
Mr. Armstrong--How do you know he is
not member of the firm?
Mr. Tarbox-He tells me he is not.
Mr. Armstrong-What was your bid?
Mr. Tarbox-It was 42H cents for labor.
and 81, 900 for use of shops and machinery.
Thompson bid AK cents for labor and 5000
for machinery.
To Senator j. B. Gilfillan- Have known the
party who made the offer for ten or fifteen
years; have had business relations with him;
have not engaged in business with him; have
an acquaintance with him; what one would
term an intimate acquaintance others would
not; don't think we have had business rela-
tions the third interview was
at the store; no one was present;
don't remember which was the first; don't re-
member what we said;~I remember his CON-
ing there; he came to our store twice with
reference to this contract; the interview
at the house was the last one; think we
fo1Lad oho11f IL h11t don,t ram nun har. rndnr