Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-02-14
PENITENTIARY INVESTIGATION.

The Work of the Committee About Con-
ciuded-Warien Smith and Others Tes-
tify.
TOPEKA, Kan, Feb. 6-The Penitentiary
Investigating committee did not meet un-
til eight O'Clock last night ]. R Braid
wood Of the Riverside Coal Company of
Leavenworth was the first witness. He
testified that the screens at the peniten-
tiary were two inch screens while the
ones used by his company were one
inch. This gave the pen" contractor
better quality of coal
H. Ensley Jones, chief clerk of the peni-
tentiary, who was on the stand at Lans-
ing, was recalled. He produced contracts
with Barnes in 1885 and 1887, with Loper
in 1885 and Thomas in 1885. He said he
had forgotten the Barnes contract of 1885
Witness produced one bid from Barnes
for 81, 600 bushels month. at six cents for
lump and CRATE COAL four cents for nut,
two cents for pea and one cent for slack.
The witness said there were no other bids.
Witness testified that lumber contracts
had always been let to the lowest bidder,
but the contracts for -four for 1885 had
been let to rush s. Sprague although j. d.
Bowersock was the lowest bidder. The
reason given was because the Rush &
Sprague -four was of better quality.
Director Richter here stated that for the
-four contract of 1886 Bowersock's sample
for S1.97 was the same quality as that of
Rush & Sprague for $1.S0 and the y. 90
sample was accepted. In 1885 thorough
test had been shown that Rush & Spragae's
sample was the best
The Warden's Testimony.
;oi
tentiary Investigation Committee met
yesterday morning. Warden Smith was
sworn and took the stand, and the exam
ination of this witness occupied the
entire meeting.
In answer to inquiries relating to the
meat contract the Warden said that he is
instructed by the board once a year to ad-
vertise for bids for furnishing the PEN
itentiary lumber, dry goods, fresh
meat and flour, the schedules to
be furnished by the Warden. The pres
ent meat contract is held by 'the
Armour Packing Company" He gave the
figures of the different bidders, given al
the time of letting the last meat contract.
The contract was let in 1886 tc Volz Bros,
| of Leavenworth, at $4.90, that being the
lowest bid.
The Warden then requested that the
matter relating to the resembling of the
Loper contract in 1885 be taken up, and
said that Loper had disposed of part OF
this contract to Ed A. Church.
Convict Parker said Church had asked
him, as clerk, to cut the weight of coal on
cars from 1000 to 1000 on each car and he
would make it satisfactory.
In relation to the sewer pipe item in his
report for 1885 he said the sewerage sys-
tenn was under contract when ne came to
the penitentiary. A contract had been lei
to Blackmer & Post for sewer pipe, desig-
mated as best grade, salt glazed pipe.
He emphatically denied the charges re-
lating to furnishing lumber for the erec-
tion of private houses.
On a question of Senator Hardness, he
said that the Hiatt residence had been
built by request of Director Hiatt VINO
desired credit for the amount to be charged
for this until the first of January. H.
said nothing of any value had been manu-
factured for the directors and never paid
for. The buggy manufactured by Director
Richter was done on contract by Carriage
Contractor Caldwell, and was paid for.