Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1889-12-19
F. II. OVERS STATEMENT.
He Answers the Structures in the
Grand Jury Report.
SAYS THEY ARE DUE TO MALICE
OF FEDERAL OFFICIALS.
Grand Juror Eyer's Letter 60 n
Peniieniiary Guard.

2 which are unjust to me because they
e are not based upon facts, and il !:
only fair to myself and my friends
that / should correct these errors.
Ii is, | am aware, an ungrlciOus
: thing 10 assail n document which
, emanates from a body OF selected
citizens sworn TO an impartial dis
charge Of official duty; but rs hon
est men are often mislcd, and may
with the best motives err 10 the
prejudice Of Others, n correction Of
their mistakes is no imputa.ion
upon them, and so without any
wish to impugn the good faith Of
the grand jury, l wish 10 defend
myself. While saying this / do
not conceal from myself, nor wish
TO have the public understand,
/ that Influences were not st work
to do me personal wrong. 1t is TO
those influences / attribute what
ever Of injustice TO myself is found
in that report.
IL was my misfortune while Unit
Ell States marshal 10 incur the dis
pleasure Of some prominent persons
in this community, and they con-
tinued since my retirement from
office TO pursue me. ! do not care
TO resort to personal vituperati0n for
my defense. / shall dismiss that,
leaving my statement 10 such
weight rs the public may give to my
assertion. | come to the matter
which ] desire TO correct.
1.-THE POTATO MATTER.
When l was appointed marshal l
found that the custom had been for
the marshal 10 furnish the seed and
team, and the prisoners 10 do the
work, necessary TO raise a crop Of
potatoes, and charge the govern
ment for the potatoes the market |
price. In accordance with this !
practice which had prevailed with |
my predecessors, aud 10y the sugges-
ton of my immediate predecessor. |
Mr.. Ireland, | bought the necessary 1
seed at n cost OF about forty dollars. |
furnished the teams, and raised in |
1856 about two hundred and ffy |
bushels Of potatoes. For them the
government was charged ut the cur
rent rate. The net amount received
did not pay for the use OF the team.
In 1857 | raised over one thousand
and two hundred bushels Of potatoes
which were used, and 10 charge
whatever was made, because. while
l did not believe the sale of them TO
the government was improper. |
knew that it might be objected TO,
and | desired TO DO nothing that
could he open % any reasonable
aud, save for the first wear
Df my marshalship. never charged
Or received a single dollar for pota-
.Oes raised on the reservation. and
hen was not reccmpensei for the
lctuai cash cost and Use Of team {
iOing that work. The report states {
nat the amount of ''pO.ato vouch- {
u.s. was not known 20 them. The {
emark could not apply to my ac- t
cunts, for my entire Transaction I'm |
nat respect was open 10 them. For I
ny predecessors | could not be ex- {
ected to answer.
1.-THE MILK QUESTION.
l furnished milk, not from one or
vo cows, rs stated in the report. but I
ever less than three aud as many 5
5 seven head. | instructed the y
arden to charge the regular market u
rice, and il at any time that was l
Sceeded, II was without my knowl- o
ige. Mr.. Brown was the warden r
] charge and had entire control of L
lis matter necessarily. l had no \
lspicion, at any lime, that exces- 70
We charges were being made for :,
nix, and while l cannot say that /
us milk account is correct to the u
'op, Il always appeared so reason Il
Die, that even now, making some y"
lowances for unfaithfulness in my =,
coordinate, which | afterwards ID
scovered, and which induced me. p
It'll other things, to remove him q
ON the position about the LIST of r.
ebruary, lsoS. The grand jury =. "
'idently got their information Il
ON this man, rs understand he CT
as before them. | still think the q
'vernment received all on this &C. lli
unit for which it ever paid, as all dl
e other wardens who have been OF
ere do affirm. ST
CANDLES, HAM AND m
BEEF. A
AS TO flour, candles, beef aud ham Ju
| only say this in reply 10 ~
e criticism, THAT the prices were a.
tavagant and the supply exces- q,
re- That goods furnished 10 the
1ited States were not always paid -
in cash. Every year for the last ~
e years there was a deficiency N,
tending over n period OF about -,
IT months each year, and | was T.
npletely at the mercy Of those ro,
nishing the goods, some of whom a.,
one time notified me that they -,
I'D not furnish them on such long "a
1 uncertain time at the usual cash -
ces. Under these circumstances ~
at was to DO? Would they have ~
turn the prisoners loose, keen o..
m IN prison and starve them. or 80
goods at small advance from w.
rchants who were willing 10 carry on,
government If permitted to ~
Ne fair profit, and | do not Le- -
'e any Of them ever made more.
~ are reputable, honest men.
assert that the government has va,
'er suffered 10y reason of its deal
; with any of them. But to a,,I.
his criticism about the prices | a. H..
e but one general answer. fur IL
ned by the grand jury's report ~, .t'
lely, that the expense OF keeping mo,
oners, "including pay and biari na ai-
yards and wardcn's salary was IL
nj ~ cents per DAY, and deduct ~,
pay OF guards 81 cents per day,;, -;
n this statement MAZE by the r.
1rt, think I can fairly submit 20 ri
he common judgment Of the g..
nc that no extravagant prices IL 81,
ID have been paid for subsistence. -
m It Is admitted that the sun 80 -
TO the prisoners were generous 49, -
uantity and quality. and that .i iel
resulting cost only 35 cents per To-,
L think no man who has any I,
Wedge ofthe cost of living will IA.
any place to lodge a successful o ,iu'
&c OF extravaganza upon such no..
Py
lind by a letter now in my Dos this
on from the Attorney-GeneraI vide
e United States, that in the wears tray
and 1857 the prisoners in the
penitentiaries OF the ter pens
les of Idaho and Montana nea
for subsistence from zoe. to S5c. Daid
lay, nearly twice the cost of the and
ners in my charge. The mar own
OF Idaho at that time Is now the l.pricf
red Delegate in Congress from such
Territory, and no charge. even local
ne heat and bitterness Of a caus,
san elective contest, was ever fixed
OF extravaganza, although the the o
per prisoner was nearly twice been
ost in Utah under my admins PROV
IN. III paid from 10 to q per insuI
TOO much for supplies, then the atten
OF subsisting prisoners would const
been advanced accordingly. rect i
any honest or sensible man AZ L.
I ~. 70 oeheye that the cost Of adopI
ting my prisoners could have mile