The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-03-29
new JERSEY BO0DLING.
Further Testimony Before the SEN
ate Investigating Committee.
EXTRAvAGANCE EXTRAORDINARY.

the Amount of Paint Paid for for the
State House Ho Would Have Used q
Trowel.
TRENTON. March eo.-The senate inves.
tlgating COMMITTEES resumed its sittlngu
In the senate chamber with all the Nom
bnrs Of the committee present. William
ii. Corbin, counsel for the committee, re-
ferrod to various sales Of state property by
superintendent Ford in 1891, 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 search Of tho books in that office
and had found only three returns of these
sales, one for s206i a. another for 81, ,O5O. 90
and another for s703.S5 There was no
itemized statement. A public sale of fur
niture advertised to take place in Decem-
per, 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 $iiI o.
No return has ever been made of 1t. In
january, 1895, he sent record to Ford at
the latter's request.
MIR. 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
We're sold. Some of the furniture was re.
placed twice, and there was no record OF
IT, IL cost from Sl20,000 to si25, 900 to re-
place 1t. There was returned from 90. 900
to $4,000. but nothing at all from tho last
sale Tho matter WINS managed as though
private property.
Mr. Corbin next went into some of the
expenses in the executive department..
during Governor Greeno's administration
the bills for postage ran 1901 year. In Gov.
ernor Abbetts time they amounted to
sSlI year, with an incidental account of
y, ,5oI. In the two years of Governor
Werts' administration the postage ave.
ragged 500, and the incidentals $3.50.
MIR. Corbin next paid his compliments
to Leon Abbott, Jr, the private secretary
to bis father when governor. In the first
year OF his official career 1880, he received
Tor various duties including private sec.
retary, S72S; in 1891. Si,6l4; in 1899,
$6, l55.Ss
Mr.. Corbin presented bills showing ex-
travagance in caring for the capitol
grounds Grass seed and flowers cost in
1879 Si3l, In 1891 1855, in 1892 1868, in 1903
Si,v3s and in the spring of 1891 81 ,3gO.
Henry j. Bennett, Il painter of Trenton,
was called to testify as to the cost Of paint-
ing done by kinnard s. Co He showed
that kinnard Sc Co had charged for /, ,OO5
pounds of mixed paint at fifteen cents per
pound, and li5 days labor at $3.50 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 2yD3 pounds of paint
were charged for on the exterior OF tho
capitol, and was asked If that much could
be used, II could not put it on with a
brush. would have to use trowcl," was
the reply.
Il. A. II. Berrod fresco painter. gave
tho current prices for culOrs used in decor
ating, showing that Kinnard & Co. had
charged from 30 to 100 per cent. above the
current prices, and Mr. Corbin said this
was In addition to the cost OF the satne
material already charged for as mixed
paint. For picture moulding fifty-flvo
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 Martins
family knew OF his whereabouts. MIR. Kin.
nard produced bills of wholesale dealers
showing that Expert Berrod's testimony
about tho price OF colors was underesti-
mated.
The committee adjourned until Friday,
April D.