The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-01-08
The P0TTSVILLE SCANDAL
Report Of Auditors Reveals a Shock
ing State of Affairs.
GRAVE CONSPIRACY CHARGES
Solicitor for the Investigating Board Tells
Of the Diff cultics Encountered in the
Effort to Obtain Witnesses Against
the AlmshOusc Officials.
By the United Press.

PottSville, Pa, Jan. 7.-This morning
before a crowded court room, with
Judge Bechtel on the bench, William
Wilhelm, solicitor for the county audi
tors. read the report of the result of
their investigation into the almshouse
scandal. The testimony was exhaust
lively reviewed and prosecution recon-
mended. When the reading of the re-
port was concluded Judge Bechtel re-
ferred the matter to the district at
torney, who will present it before the
grand jury now sitting.
The report tells of Lizzie O'Brien's
statement as to Steward Hartman hay
ing on various occasions had Illicit
intercourse with her, but absolves Poor
Director Day from the same charge.
The report calls attention to the way
in which witnesses called by the audi
tors We're Suborned and says:
while 1t is a serious matter to this
community and sad reflection upon
the almshouse management that one
who was put in charge of helpless peo-
pie sent there for treatment and sue
cor should so far disregard his trust as
to take advantage of his official posi-
nate, and while the commission of a
crime such as Lizzie O'Brien testifies
to shocks the moral sensibilities of the
community, still, in the matter of af-
fecting good government the offense is
not to be compared with the con-
spiracy entered into by wellington
Hartman, Georget Walker, John White
and William Gordon to pervert the ends
of justice by forestalling and suborning
witnesses that might be used against
one of the conspirators. The evidence
of this conspiracy is overwhelming and
the crime is greater, because If judicial
Investigations are to be hamDered and
blocked by forestallng and suborning
witnesses, the bulwarks of law and
order will soon be broken down. We
especially desire to call the attention
of the court and district attorney and
the grand jury to these efforts of Will
lam Gordon and Wellington Hartman
to prevent a thorough investigation.
The witnesses to the conspiracy are the
same witnesses aforementioned in re-
gard to Hartman's effort to forestall
witnesses.
Action Must BE Taken at Once.
The report also says:
IAN investigation as to the alleged
misconduct of Elijah Emerich, while
steward at the almshouse, was also
made by the auditors. This misconduct
of Emerich's occurred some time i'm
media tely prior to April /, 1898. Mag
gle Noon and Annie Heyman, both in
mates, swear that he was criminally
intimate with them in the institution,
and Ann Garrity and Mary Brennan
are witnesses to corroborate Maggie
Noon as to her story. Ida Scheafer,
Pierre Condor and DR.. Carr, who was
the physician at the almshouse two
years ago, are witnesses to corroborate
the testimony as to Annie Heyman
Other corroborating testimony bearing
upon the relations OF Emerich and
Annie Heyman at the time is the fact
that presents Were made to Annie Hey
man by Emerich. Ann Garrity is now
on inmate at the almshouse. Mary
Brennon was, up till Monday of this
week, resident of Mahony City. Pierre
Condor, an employe at that time, is
now in business in Palo Alto. Ida
Shaefer resides in Schuylkill Haven.
Should the crime of Emerich not re-
ceive attention at the hands of the
present grand jury, it is more than
probable that the prosecution will be
debarred by the statute of limitations
by the time the next grand jury Is
called together"
The auditors have not yet completed
their investigation as to the money
alleged to have been paid by Hartman
for his position a year ago and their
report as to that alleged transaction
will be made at later date.