Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1895-07-18

following is a copy:
estate OF KANSAS, RENO COUNTY, IS.
A. c. ScHERMERHoRN, of lawful age
and being first duly sworn, deposes and
says, that he is resident of Hutchin-
son, Reno county, Kansas, that he is a
furniture dealer and member OF the
firm of "Schermerhorn & Harper" do
ing business at Hutchinson, Kansas,
that he is acquainted with II. F. Hatch,
Superintendent of the State Indus
trial Reformatory at Hutchinson, that
on the 23d day of June, 1895, between
) aud 6 o'clock p. m, Mr.. and Mrs.
Hatch came into the furniture store of
Schermerhorn & Harper, in the city of
Hutchinson, for the purpose of looking
at and pricing furniture to be used in
the State reformatory at Hutchinson,
Kansas. Mr.. Hatch stated to me that
he thought we had some goods that
would answer the purpose On inquir-
ing the price of brass and iron bed,
stated to him our regular price but
if we were going to have chance on
all the furniture and carpets needed
for the refOrmatory, we could afford
to make a great deal better price than
the one stated, and the same rule
would apply on all goods; also that if
we were to be considered in the buy
ing of the furniture and go with them
to Kansas City, we would gladly give
him prices on any goods we had in
stock, and at the same time assuring
him we could make lower prices if we
were to furnish the whole bill than
we could on part; that we at least
wanted chance and if we could not
sell the furniture and carpets to him
as low as any one else, we didn't ask
for the bill He said that was fair and
invited me to come over to the Mid
land hotel after supper and that we
would talk the matter over with Mr..
Armstrong. called at the Midland
hotel that evening and found Mr.
Hatch, Armstrong and Mr.. Jamison in
conversation in hotel office. They in
vited me to pull up chair which
did. They were talking to Mr., Jami-
son about the placing of pump ETC.,
at the reformatory, Finally Mr.. Hatch
said it was time for him to be getting
ready as he was going to Topeka He
turned to me and asked if was going
to Kansas City with them. replied
that it depended upon circumstances.
If they wanted me to go and would
be of use to them and to myself, would
be glad to go. Mr.. Armstrong spoke
up and said he wanted me to go and
thought could help them in the mat
ter, as he said he knew nothing about
buying furniture, and that he thought
if went there would be no use of his
going, and he would stay and see to
setting the engine and pump and get
to irrigating the potatoes, but Mr.
should 60 Before Mr.. Hatch left us,
it was agreed that Mr.. Armstrong
would go home Saturday evening,
would return to Hutchinson Sunday
evening, and that Mr.. Armstrong and
myself would leave for Kansas City on
the late train and meet Mr.. Hatch and
Mr.. Humphrey and Scott at the Coates
House in Kansas City on Monday
morning. Mr.. Hatch assured me be-
fore leaving that he would use his in.
fluence with Messrs. Scott and Hum
phrey at Kansas City to have him Sc
lect or sell the furniture to them.
have been credibly informed that Mr..
Hatch stated that he had seen letter
that l had written to parties in Kan
sas City saying that the furniture
could be sold to the Reformatory
Board at regular retail prices This is
utterly untrue and false, as no such
letter was ever written by me-
"a. c. SCHERMERHORN.
Subscribed and sworn to before me
this sth day of July, 1895.
N. L. HOLLOwELL,
Notary Public.
my commission expires on the 9th
day of May, 1890"
Atterward you reported to the full
Board that you had gone through
Emery, Bird, Thayer & Co.'S establish
ment and that there was nothing
therein that suited you, or that we
would want, and that prices were
about the same as at Keiths. AT you
instances we then visited the Burn
ham, Hanna, Munger & Co. establish
ment where we inspected and priced
their carpets exhibited by your wife'i
nephew. Whereupon you declared
that the carpets were cheaper than a.
Keiths and that we should begin buy
ing at once. The Board then sug
gested further inspection of estab
lishments in that line, you declaring
that we were through with all in TIT
city that carried stock sufficient Il
select from. You were asked if tn,
North Furniture company was not al
establishment of sufficient importane,
to justify inspection, whereupon yol
declared to the Board that 1t was onl,
small installment house and that
was useless to go there. You finall.
; consented to go and after full in
vestigation of carpets and furnitur
; you were notified that the Board ha,
: concluded that the prices were bette
than at any other place visited, Will
. you admitted that the price of the car
, pets were much lower than at eithe
of the other establishments, and tina
5 the furniture was equally as cheap
a You objected to purchasing either an
D said: don't like these people and
3 don't like to ask my wife to go ther
S and make selections, besides, my wit