The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-03-13
THE TRENTON SCANDAL
Further Startling Charges Against
Ex-State officials.
EXoRBITANr PRICES FOR DESKS.
The State Paid Sai0 Each for Dosks Which
Cost sit to Manufaoture-NearIys sea-
900 for Filing Cases That Would Have
Given Liberal Profit at $1,000.

oNch u 81 . FttObOs
TRENTON, March I8-The third days
session of the investigation Into state house
expenditures under superintendent
Ford was resumed yesterday. John Null
lins, the Jersey City furniture dealer, was
first called and aske5 If he had the per-
sonal ledger to which T. ~kkeeper Murphy
referred last week. Mr.. Mullins said he
had here all the books that he knew about
Bookkeeper Murphy was then recalled.
He pointed out many entries In the sales
book mado after he left Mullins 81 Co.,
and which were transferred to the ledger
pages claimed to have been torn ont No
vsmber 7, 1893.
Witness then showed a number of en-
tries of desks, chairs, carpets, etc, charged
to Leon Abbett Jr., and delivered to No.
g99 Broadway, New York. the Second Ma
tional bank, Jersey City, and his private
residence The vouchers also showed these
Items to have been paid by tho state.
Murphy then showed charge against
the state for $50 for leather couch for
Comptroller Heppenheimer's Office, which
had been paid for twice. An item of seven
desks for the governors office was charged
to the state at s210 each, tho cost price be.
ing Sii each. These goods, Murphy said,
were never delivered, and only about one
huil VI llG bODuS SOlu W buO btuue ndu Dctu
delivered.
Murphy then showed by the check stub
books of Mullins 81 Co. that check for
s239, just 10 per cent. of IL state house sale,
was drawn March IL Mullins & Co. and
and the word "Ford" written on the stub.
Neither the check itself nor three others
could be found. The stub showed these
four checks to have aggregated 1878, and
marks indicated they were drawn for
Ford's benefit.
IL was shown that metallic filing cases
had been put in the vaults of certain Of
fees of the state house ut total cost of
salSi7.3s. Henry N. Booze, of Phllade-
phia, testified ms an expert that 81, iS0. 95
would have afforded a profit of 331s per
cent. 1t was also shown that William G.
Hcppcnheimcr, who was state comptroller
at the time, interested himself very much
to have the different state officials consent
to having the cases put in. In one in.
stance, that of Adjutant General Stryker,
the latter refused to approve the bill sub
nritted claiming that it was exorbitant,
but the bill was nevertheless paid.
The personal ledger of John Mullins
e. Co., was produced, and ex- Book keeper
Murphy swpre that checks aggregating
81, l07 which had been drawn, according
to the cheek book stubs, to the order Of
John Mullins 81 Co., were charged
up to the firms personal account with
nothing further to explain what had be.
come of the proceeds. Counsellor Corbin
drew attention TO the fact that leaving
out the furnishing of the senate chamber
the total of Mullins 81 Co. g sales to the
state footed up n sum that made the
amount of the checks referred to Just the
10 per cent, which Murphy claimed Ford
had been paid.
The committee took occasion to inquire
of Counsellor Corbin as to the responsible.
ity of Fords bondsmen, one of whom is
United States Senator James Smith, Jr.
Mr.. Corbin replied that Ford was under u
bond of 5000 for each of three years to
"faithfully and honestly perform his
duty"
Chairman Voorhees,, after the committee
adjourned, said that report would DO
submitted to the legislature probably next
week, but thut the committee would by no
means have completed an investigation
into state house affairs to say nothing
about the wider powers which have been
conferred by the resolution under which
the investigation was started.
He also added, rather ominously that 1t
would be Il satisfactory thing if some inn
pcachment proceedings were begun. He
would mention no naines but when asked
how ex-ollieials could be impoachod he
said that proceedings could be instituted
at any time within two years after por-
| son had ceased to hold office.