Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1891-06-10
WHEAT INVESTIGATION.
COMMITTEE BUSlLY LOOKING INTO
THE CHARGES OF FRAUD.

THE CHARGES OF FRAUD.
Inspector Clsusen Explains Methods OF
Inspectins-Eeasops for Some of His
Removals. Important Points In Testi-
mony Given Before the House Commit
tee Denied.
ST. PkuL, June 4.-Testimony in the
elevator Investigation was unimportant
until Inspector Clalsen was put upon
the stand. Mr. Erwin's attempt to show
that ta.e i..;.>,uy ard warehouse COM
mis..,u l2! iscn derehct i'll their han
dliu}r IF the grain business aroused
Clit Inspector ClaIsen, who called at
ttntnl: 10 the fact that the present
grain law was detective in many re-
spects; tliat no one realized it more than
the railway and warehouse commission,
who had attempted at the last three ses-
siors IT The legislature to secure amend
atory il l3isiation, but had failed. He
also showed that the rules and regula-
tions established by the commission
were based upon the provisions of the
grain law, and that the methods of the
business to which Mr.. Erwin objected
were really specific provisions Of the
law, ami
Could Not Be Ignored
nor altered except by the legislation
proposed by the commission. Mr..
Clausen in his testimony also stated that
in no other market in this country did
the system Of forwarding grain in the
dilt obtain, upon which Mr.. Erwin
asked his opinion as he said to the mer-
It's OF the system to which he replied
that he thought that all grain should be
kent forward to terminal markets in a
clean condition, and under the very best
conditions possible. That when the
grain inspection department took
charge, five or six years ago, about one
third of it was received in the dirt, two
thirds of the receipts being clean. To-
day it is very rare sight to see
cleaned car of grain. He ascrlbed the
change to the fact that farmers and
shippers in the country could not clean
the grain as proftahly as against the
light Gockage placed upon it by the In.
spect0rs. This was owing to the supe-
rior and finely adjusted machinery in
the terminal elevators, as against the
primitive tanning mill of the farmer.
The committee adjourned to meet in
the morning at 10 a. IN.
Most Startling Testimony Before the
House Grain Committee Denied.
ST. PAUL, June 5.-In the elevator in
yestigation lr Clausen was placed on
the stand again He was given some
grain to grade, which he did as rejected,
and gave his reasons, showing it had
been burned by heating in the bin.
These samples had been graded by Mr..
Ario as No. Northern. Another sam
pie of grain which Mr.. Ario could not
even name proved to be Kind of a bar
ley raised in some parts of the state to
feed to stock. .-.....
NIr. Clausen further explained the use
of special bins. When shipper has a
lot of wheat which is of extra fine quail
ity he has it stored by itself. In this
way, when shipped from the elevator,
he can have the advantage Of having it
unmixed with an inferior quality of the
same grade, and thus, perhaps get a
higher price for it. AS the grain must
be delivered from the elevator at the
same grade given to it when it was
inspected in, regardless of improvement
by drying or cleaning, the Eastern
buyer would get all the benefit if it We're
not for the special bin feature of the
system. Sometimes the grade is raised
by reinspection, but this entails some
expense. The owner of grain or his
authorized agent may obtain reinspec-
ton, but there is no advantage whatever
to the warehousemen in such case.
Witness further stated that the railroad
com panies did not show any respect fol-
the rights of inspection, switching cars
all over the yards and even taking them
out of town before they could be ii:
Spected.
William C. Weld, state weighman
was put upon the stand. Mr.. Weld tes
titled before the house committee. Mr.
Weld said that it was not an uncommon
occurrence TO weigh grain in at night
but he thought this grain was always
inspected during the day. He did not
know, nor had he ever heard of case
in which the grain was received OF
shipped without having been weighed
or the weighing overseen by a state
weichman. He never heard of case
where more grain was weighed out fol
a vessel than it could carry, that tht
residue, after the vessel was loaded, was
hot weighed back and credited to the
vessel. He had never known or heard
of case in which the elevator men hal
done the weighing and simply. given ths
weights to the state weighman.
It was the duty of the state weighme1
to sec that the shipping bins were empty
after vessel was loaded, and this wa
always attended to before certificate
of weights was given.
An Important Change.
Howard Starkey, foreman of elevator
D. at Duluth, took the stand. Mr.
Starkey testified before the house com
mittee The testimony made him sa,
that there were slides in the shipping
pipes, these slides opening into tn
pocket bins, and that these slides wer
kept open willie vessels were bein!
loaded. His actual testimony, be said
was that there were slides in the ship
ping bins. opening into the pocket bins
and the pocket bins are kept open Will
vessels are being loaded, in order tina
leakages may be discovered. Witnes
also said his testimony in regard t
screenings was not given as he ha
Wholesale trade in screenings. He ha,
sold screenings at retail for 25 cents t
Is cents per bushei Had sold ten time
as much at 25 cents as rs cents, y
Z Nitpesa stated positively that
would be impossible to take wheat froI
the elevator without the discovery @
that fact by himself.
Witness also declared with e,nphasi
that all cars unloaded were properl
swept out
On cross examination by Mr.. Erwi
witness stated that the shipping biz
had been refined with sheet iron once
about two years ago. The shipping bir
lad never leaked. ~ -
. Clark S. Fulton, chief deputy il
spector at Duluth, was next called as
witness, but nothing new or importaI
was elected.
Thc Trouble with Gross.
1T. PAUL, June DC. S. Fulton Wa
sgain called to the stand by the Whes
Investigating committee and questione
regarding the controversy between hin
self and Mr.. Cross. The witness en-
phaticaily denied that he had sent Cro'