Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-02-14
rsQUIsIPIos OPENED.
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AS. Mate. 81 tbs ely. const .tut.ng
shs legislative c9unl.ltee OK the House
II Representatives, appointed - inyest.-
gate tne management OF TIE >ol3lefs
Home. VISITED that institution yestsF-
day Afternoon kna Dsgsn the PFe4mlu-
ary sork Ct the commItLee. MessTs.
baEks0fth All WnlIe ar sea Thurs
DAY aud seTe c.Ossted sJa ssseFAl
prominent politicians unAi ioag i Ene
evening ti1e balance OF the COMMITTEES
aErlYD< Yesterday forenoon.
I Considerable "a - pQfehenslon exists
I "a Felatleu u the scops and p0tpose OK
I tae laEesLi g2Lion. Mr.. Bark aCTln
c0urteously exDla ned TO feportef
I that tile % mary cause Tor tie laYest-
7 CATION arose oseT 4 message written oy
I Cos. Luce, IA nlcE he recommended
I the payment OF a SO, go deficiency 10
I the home funds 1he message Nas the
I nTst general notice % the people that
/ such 4 deficiency existed. IL appears,
however, that such a shortage dld
exist. anu ( was made good Dy moneys
/ falsed on the personal notes gwen by
/ members OF tls board OF control. lt 3
/ 70 inquire INTO tnIs Transaction, or
I series OF transactions. that Lhe commit
I Tee = here. Other matters, touching
/ the business management or the nome
from rs inception 10 the present time,
vii come also within the purYes or
I the committee inquest The inquiry
VIII not extend 10 personal complaints
and grievances, nor 10 the care and dis
tipline OF the inmates.
The committee visited the home al
/ O'Clock ami after passing through the
I buildings Fcpa 10 the main office
/ where General Pierce was questioned IN
regard 10 las Il disbursements and the
general discretion lodged with HIM
/ by the board Of control. Genera.
l Pierce produced the rules of the inst!tu-
/ ton and explained 10 the committee
| that for time the board haC, delegated
10 him absolute authority and dlsere-
| ton 10 purchase supplies IN the open
market. IL also appears that Tor lew
! months after the institution was opened
/ the board OF control exercised super
/ ysOry direction of the purchases made,
/ but soon It fell altogether to the ludg-
| ment of the commandment, until about
SIX or seven months ago, when the sys-
/ tenn OF requlsltOn and proposals Was
ablished.
The committee then took up the
records of the home and began care
| full examination OF the entries. Major
| Long was called and explained his
| method of accounting and exhibited
/ his books, which were declared 10 be
remarkably we'll kept by Mr.. Bark
/ worth.
The manner of letting the contract
| for the plans for the dormitory and
| hospital was touched upon but the
record shed no light upon the subject.
| 1t was ascertained however that the
| contract for the plans were let to
| architect Holhster who was at the time
a member of the Legislature. There
were no proposals asked for and none
were made. Only two plans were SUBJ
! mitted and HOLSTER was successful IN
securing the prize. The record was
examined up 10 the year 1890 when an
| adjournment was taken until this morn
ing at nine O'Clock. The work accom-
pllshed yesterday was purely prelim-
mary. The real investigation will not
be commenced until the foundations
are thoroughly laid. The committee
will leave no stone unturned inferreting
out the cause of the $4,000 deficiency
and incidentally to locate any irregu-
laritIes, carelessness or excess Of auth
ority. All the books of account,
vouchers and contracts, will be SUBJ
| jected to- the closest scrutiny.
| Today's session will close at noon,
and the members return to their re-
| spective homes. Such witnesses as
may be desired Will be notified to ap-
pear on day to be fixed. Both Gov.
Luce and Gen. Alger will be requested
| TO appear before the board. Mr.. Bark
worth is veritable sleuthhound in Dig
ging up facts, and to him is assigned
the duty of examining the witnesses.