Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14

warden has always been willing to correct
evils"
General Goblin held similar views. Sem
ator McAleer said: "We have seen moth
ing vet to Justify the charge of mismanage-
ment against the prison officials. 1 think
the ladies the night before made a very
poor showing. They didn't say anything
against the management, and as Maharneke
has been discharged, his case is settled"
Senator Newmyer couldn't understand
why the investigation was continued, since
it had fallen fiat, as he predicted.
With the exception of Handy Smith, the
committee went to Erie early in the after
noon.
WESTON TO THE CHAIRMAN.
Milton Weston, who was confined in the
penitentiary for 80 months, has written a
letter to Chairman Reyburn to the effect
that he is ready to 60 on the stand and tes-
tify in the Senate investigation. The letter
was mailed last evening; but it will proba-
bly, not become necessary to hear the testl-
mony of the writer, Mr.. Weston, who had
been in the city for the past ten DAYS, was
at the Union station last night on his way
home to Chicago. While waiting for the
Limited he spoke freely of the investigation.
As his testimony would be worth something
" Is 0eIeDy given. MI. w eSVO0 SdlQs
wrote letter to Senator Reyburn this
evening, saying that 1 would hold myself in
readiness to go on the stand and say some
thing about the way the institution has been
certainly had an opportunity to familiarize
myself with the way things were
run in the institution. When 1 was a
clerk, while not having supervision over the
drug department. 1 handled all the bills for
the supplies that were bought. We received
a drug journal there, and often amused my
self comparing the quotations of different
drugs with the prices marked on the bills
The latter were no higher, and in a great many
cases they were lower than the quoted whole
sale prices. OF course the discount had to be
taken into consideration, but it did not amount
to much. As the drug bill for two years
amounted to but little over 5000, do not
think there was much chance for fraud.
AS STRAIGHT AS A STRING.
think the whole investigation is the worst
rot, and nothing will come out of 1t. The talk
about fraud and sensational disclosures are
bosh. In regard to the rumored charges about
the mat department there is not the least
foundation, as far as 1 know, for them. While
in charge of the department, saw everything
that went in and out and handled every bit of
the stock. / can say that during the time
was there, there was not a suspicion. of
crookedness. All the mats were accounted for
Some of them that were called shorts" and
which were made by prisoners who were learn
ing the business, and were not as good as those
made by experienced men, were thrown among
the job lots.
1 can tell you, when it comes to taking the
testimony of convicts, who have no regard for
an oath, it is entirely wrong. Do you suppose
tnat commission of intelligent men are going
to believe what men of the McPhillamy stamp
say? What regard has a man like that for an
oath Why should you put him up against the
testimony of a man like Warden Wright? l
do not know whether anything will be devel-
oped or not; but, so far, the investigation has
been farce.
The Pardon Board will meet Tuesday to take
up Bowser's case. / sincerely hope they will
grant the pardon. All ask is that they give q
hearing to the facts in the case.