The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-05-03
NORTHERN STATE PRISON.
How II Is Managed Under a Repub-
lican Beard of Directors.
A Nut for Their Party to Crack
That Promises Unsavory Meat.
How StoOl-PigeOns Are Made to Serve the
Purposes of Levy.
Illumination Democrat.l

The present Board of Directors of the
Northern State Prison was selected by the
Repul licans of the last Legislature. and is
composed of A. c. Beeson, of Winchester;
w. 4. HORNE, of Crown Point, and Leo
pold Levy, of this city. When these gen.
tlemen entered the service of the State,
our readers will remember a great -four
ish Of trumpets was heard in this To-
cality, and that the Republican organs Of
the State were boiling over with the per-
trayaI of the reforms and wonderful
amounts Of money likely to be saved to the
State of Indiana through these Republican
managers. AS to their administration and
issuing of orders and resembling the same,
and the making of contracts and their efforts
TO aunul them, we shall not here speak, as
sthese matters have been very generally
placed before the people of the State,
through the action of Beeson and Levy. 1t
is our purpose to bring to light another mat
ter not known TO the people of Indiana, and
= one that calls for an investigation under the
laws of the State.
On page 205. Acts 1881, section IA reads
ANY state officer, County Commissioner, Town
shin Trustee, Mayor or Common Councilman OF
any appointing power, or any person holding a
lucrative Office under the Constitution and laws
oce Sn1 sueS once. or hoid such s sppoIntiSs
power, and discharge the duties thereof, be In
teresied directly or indirectly in any con-
tract for the construction of any State
House. Court House. school house, bridge,
pubic building or work of any kind.
erected or built for the use OF tue State. or any
County Township. town or city in the State, in
which be exercises any official jurisdiction, or
who shall bargain for or receive any percentsge,
drawback, premium or profits, or money what
ever, on any contract. or making any appoint
ment wherein the state, or any County, town or
be fired not more than s. 600 nor less than s. COO
and imprisoned in the State Prison not more than
fourteen years nor less than two years, and dis
office of trust profit for any determined period.
1t will be seen by the readers of the Dem
ocrat that the language of the statute is
plain, and the penalty for its violation very
severe. That il has been violated by at
least one of the Directors of the Northern
Prison is evidenced to our minds con-
clusively upon an investigation OF the
Prison records The records show, under
date OF April Is, 1881, voucher No. 100, a
clothing bill of S93 in the name of Blum 81
Cone. and receipted by them in the hand
writing of Levy, per l.. On May 81, 1881,
voucher1I3, we find another clothing bill of
$3.50 40 in the name of Sam ROsenthal & Co.,
July H. 1881, clothing, $IS, s. ROSenthal
& Co.. voucher No. 81, receipted by Levy.
On November 80, 1881, a clothing account
of $458 81, voucher Ne. lis, w. L. Caldwell,
receiPted Dy Leopold Levy
December s, 1881, clothing. S35.75, w. r.
Caldwell, receipted by Levy.
January 81, 1882, voucher No. Al, clothing,
$d45.TO, w. r. Caldwell, receIpted in the
handwriting of Levy.
March H. 1882, clothing, $3.50, w. r.
caldwell.
The total amount of these clothing bills
foots up 1902. Sc drawn from the State, and
Leopold Levy drew every dollar of the
money upon the vouchers here given.
Mr.. Levy is in the clothing business in
this city, and the interesting part of his ex-
traOrdinary proceedings in this matter will
appear in the fact that Sam ROsenthal, in
whose name he signed vouchers amounting
to SI4S. 40. is q clerk IN his clothing store.
As to the W. X Caldwell vouchers, amount
ing to nearly S7Oe, the fact will appear that
Levy knew the necessity of having stool
pigeon, When we say that Mr.. Caldwell has
only resided among US for short time, is a
young man, and runs a small jewelry store.
We have also learned the fact that the
clothing was, except, perhaps, the first bill
here named, shipped out of this city and
from the clothing house OF Leopold Levy.
Taking the facts with the statute above
quoted, which places heavy fine and not
less than two years imprisonment on any
officer of the State who shall "be interested
directly or indirectly in any contract in
which be exercises any official jurisdiction,
and our readers can understand the effcien
scy and the position of at least one Republic
an member of the Board of Directors of the
Northern Prison. Will the Republican au.
tborities of the State investigate this matter
or will they pass it in silence? is the quss
ton.