The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-03-29

Further Testimony Before the SEN
ate Investigating Committee,
BXTRAVAGANOB EXTRAORDINARY.

LA AbLA v ANALOL1 La ~ |
One Witness Declares That to Have Used
the Amount of Paint Paid for for the
State House He Would Have Used "a
Trowel.
TRENTON, March 29.-The senate inves-
tigating committee resumed its sittings
in the senate chamber with all the mem
bers Of the committee present William
H. Corbin counsel for the committee, re
ferred to various sales of state property by
Superintendent Ford in 1884, 1899 and
1898, but said he could find no records in
any of the state offices of these sales.
John Riker, clerk in the treasurer's of
flee, was called, and testified that he had
made u search of the books in that office
and had found only three returns of these
sales, one for s., ,06424, another for 81 050.29
and another for S703.S5. There was no
itemized statement. A public sale of fur
niture advertised to take place in Decem-
ber, 1898, was not reported at all.
John Cornell, an employe at the capitol,
testified that he acted as clerk for sale in
December, 1893, which amounted to $4l4.05,
No return has ever been made of it. In
January, 1885, he sent record to Ford at
the latters request.
Mr.. Corbin stated to the committee that
up to 1894, while Ford was in power, sub
stantially everything in the way of carpets
and furniture was sold Even the safes
were sold. Some of the furniture was re-
placed twice, and there was no record of
it. 1t cost from 100000 to S125 600 to re.
place it. There was returned from SO 600
to $4,000 but nothing at all from the last
sale. The matter was managed as though
private property.
Mr.. Corbin next went into some of the
expenses in the executive department.
During Governor Greene's administration
the bills for postage ran S501 year In Gov
ernor Abbett's time they amounted to
SS47 year, with an incidental account of
Sl,367. In the two years of Governor
Werts' administration the postage ave
ragged 1890, and the incidentals $3.50.
Mr.. Corbin next paid his compliments
to Leon Abbett, Jr., the private secretary
TO his father whe 4 governor In the first
year of his official career 1890, he received
for various duties including private sec
retary, SAFES; in 1891, $4,614; in 1892,
&c. 155.S8.
Mr.. Corbin presented bills showing ex-
travagance in caring for the capitol
BrOuuOlS. UFttSS SeSu b1u uOW6FS COSU III
1890 S431, in 1891 1885, in 1892 1868, in 1898
$1,938, and in the spring of 1894 81, 800.
Henry j. Bennett, painter of Trenton,
was called to testify as to the cost of paint
ing done by Kinnard & Co. He showed
that Kinnard & Co. had charged for 1,005
pounds of mixed paint at fifteen cents per
pound, and 145 days labor at 50 80, and
afterward had charged for different colors
that went to make up the amount sep
arately, thus getting paid twice The wit
ness was told that 1893 pounds of paint
were charged for on the exterior of the
capitol, and was asked if that much could
be used. II could not put it on with a
brush. would have to use a trowel, was
| the reply.
| l.. A. r. Berrod fresco painter, gave
the current prices for colors used in decor
ating showing that Kinnard & Co. had
charged from 80 to 100 per cent. above the
current prices, and Mr.. Corbin said this
was in addition to the cost of the same
material already charged for as mixed
paint. For picture moulding fifty-fve
cents foot was charged, when they could
be purchased for twenty cents.
! Hugh Kinnard testified that Martin,
| who was his partner in the state house
| painting job, has been missing since last
| November, and that not even Martin's
family knew of his whereabouts Mr.. Kin
nard produced bills of wholesale dealers
showing that Expert Berrod's testimony
about the price of colors was underesti
| mated.
The committee adjourned until Friday,
April 5.