The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-26


Tectors. The objection was overruled and
Ewing said he had written to Frank Doc-
man. OF Lawrenceburg. two letters. This
was 10 regard to an alleged statement OF
Ewing that he would defeat Slater for re-
election. This statement the witness
denied having made. He did not know
Dorman was unfriendly to Slater until
after the letters were written.
The majority then pitched on the witness
about his conferrlng with Republican Sem
ators and Representatives, regarding the
testimony he would give before the COM
lnittee. This related to the meeting at the
bates House reported in the Journal on the
oath inst. The witness said the report was
substantially correct as to the statement
he made to those Senators and Representa-
tlves. He had no personal knowledge of
the Pittsburg $500 Item, or interest drawn
by Patten on state funds. As to the money
unaccOunted for on the sale OF hogs. he
knew the sale was made. but there
was no account of it in the prison report.
Relative to the Berner money received by
contractor Patten from Berner, to secure
his pardon, and which money was paid to
Slater. witness repeated that Slater told
him OF the matter. saying it was not enough.
The witness had been told. also by Berner.
of the payment of that money. but he got
no affidavit from him supporting the state
ment he did not know W hether or not the
800 paid Director Mcdonald by Steward
Montgomery and Warden Patten was the
States money. He LAID the matter before
the committee as one of facts.
VERY MATERIAL POINT.
Senator Griffith then wanted to know.
If it were not known to be the States money.
why the committee should take cognizanoe
of the statement. Senator Loveland OBJ
jected. stating that the money passed from
persons to one on W HON they were dependent
for positions and warranted the statement
Of witness. Representative Lindemuth
maintained that whether the 500 came
from private or State funds it was q mat
ter for legitimate inquiry. There
can be but one of two infer
ences; the money was private
fund. or else belonged to the State. and the
fact that its repayment was credited on the
salary of Director Mcdonald warranted
the inference that it was State money.
The question was allowed to 90. and the
witness said that he merely offered tho fact
OF the transaction as one to be investigated.
At no time, witness said, did he tell Director
Mcdonald and Director Slater that he
wanted to be warden.
1t was the warden's order that in case of
violation of rules by cOnvicts they should
be locked up until his return. II he should
be absent at the time. Representative
Erwin asked Ewing what particular inter
est he had in the prison to make charges
against the warden. Representativ Linde-
muth insisted that the witness as citi-
zen, udu u peIlcCb EiBnb w mdko tuo
charges. Representative Erwin maintained
that every one has motive In what he
does and he believed 1t was legitimate to
show the motive of the witness. Senator
Bingham thought the question was proper
without prescribing the right OF witness TO
make such charges.
Upon that ruling Ewing said he brought
the charges because he thought the public
ought to know how the prison was man
aged, and he believed the public did not
urn Io oil nit
pfompted by the best OF motives. Inquiry
was further pursued to show why the wit
ness. before his resignation. took the pains
to inform the Governor and the secretary
of the Board of State Charities OF the mis-
management of the prison. There WAS OBJ
lection to this. but the question was asked.
and the witness explained that he was not
prompted by any sci fish interest in this
matter.
PATTEN TAKES HAND.
Warden Patten then took the witness,
his inquiry being to show that the charges
brought by Ewing were against the direct
ors- 1t was also directed to showing that
the purpose of Ewing was to defeat the
directors on account of the order they
issued calling off the deputy warden's per-
quisites in conveying prisoners to and from
the courts. Patten wanted TO know in
Ewing's letter of resignation IT the latter
did not say he would make "a published
statement regarding the prison manage
ment.
Ewing said he did. He also told the war
den afterwards that he had no charges
against HIM, but he did not say it was the
directors he was after. The warden then
questioned him whether or not ii, after his
resignation, he had sought to have editor
Daily of the Jeffersonville News, publish
charges against the warden, and that he
told the same story to Jack Howard, ex-
warden, and to represen tatives OF the Gin
ciDnati papers Ewing denied that he went
to the Cincinnati papers local correspond
ents. but ho had talked to editor Daily and
Jack Howard. Then. with great deal of
cross firing, the warden sought to bring
out of Ewing. If he did not q few days be-
fore handing In his resignation become
angry and denOunce the management of
the prison in the presence of cOnvicts and
it he was not summoned before the dlrec-
tors on that account. The answers were
not clear, and were more OF an explanatory
character.
Senator Mcdonald asked Ewing if he did
not say TO him IN the Bates House, at In
dianapolis. that he had nothing against
Director Mcdonald. but that Slater
was "a id rascal and ought to
practical admission that such a
conversation occurred. In answer to
Senator Boord, Mr.. Ewing said his reslgna-
tion was prompted by his treatment by the
u " -
through Representative Lindemuth. asked
Ewing what he knew of charges made to
the directors against him. He said the
only charge of which he had any knowl-
edge was that of his criticising the war
den's man agement.
wHYEwING DELAYED.
In regard to the charges not being made
until now. he said he was advised by
friends not to do so when he resigned, as
the political canvass was on.
When MI. Ewing was relieved, G. NJ. Nc
Donald hospital steward and son of the
director, testified that he never noticed
how he was recorded on the payroll. He
had been In the institution two years and
drew $40 of q SIS monthly salary,
the residue being paid for board
to the steward of the prison.
His duties were various. The
chief being that of druggist and assistant
physician, although he Is not a physiclan;
In fact, he had written and filled prescrip-
tlons for sick convicts. Before coming 10
the institution he had read medicine about
four months. During his service at the
prison he attended medical lectures at the
University OF Louisville His name was
continued on the payroll of the prison
during that time. and he drew his money
He had given medicine to free men at the
prison. but not for compensation.
Harry Miller of Hunting guard
for seven years at the prison. bad seen the
cat-o'-nIne-tails. buggy tying mp 10y
wrists and thumbs. allowance of corn
bread. the cage and other forms of punish
ment used under Warden Patterns admin
.srration He descrlbeu the "catp how IA