The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-07
SCHOOL BOARDS
BUSINESS METHODS
They Are Being Investigated by the Au.
ditors Of Lackawanna Township.
SOME VERY QUEER TRANSACTIONS
They show Peculiar and Careless
Business Methods if Nothing Worse.
Large Number of Witnesses Ex-
amincd Before the Auditors Yes
terday--Facts That Were Testified
To--Attachments Are TO BE Issued
for Non Attending witnesses.

Z. w. Gallagher, James Mangan ana
James Hogan, the auditors of Lacka-
wanna township are conducting an In
vestigation into the manner in which
the school board which served from
June l. 1896 to June l, 1897, conducted its
affairs. The board was composed of
Dennis O'Lenahan, president; T.R. Low
erng, secretary; Thomas 3. King,
treasurer; John McCrindle, Patrick
Higgins and Patrick Foley. The last
named two retired from the'board June
/ and were succeeded by Il. F. Coyne
and William Thomas.
The chaotic condition in which the
auditors found the affairs of the board
was one Of the things that led to the
investigation. Yesterday the fourth of
the investigation meetings was held in
McDonough's hall. Minooka. The tes-
timony heard up to date indicates that
the board transacted it's business in a
very unbuslness like way to say the
least and some of the transactions tes-
titled to smack of something even more
damaging than careless business meth
ods.
An instance of this was the testimony
of Thomas Kelly at the previous meet
ing of the investigation commission.
He is a plasterer and did considerable
work upon the township schools. He
presented bills to the amount of $40
for his work and actually received only
5000. The orders were countefsigned
by Director Thomas Foley. 1t was also
shown that the amounts expended for
the purchase of coal to heat some Of the
buildings was much in excess of what
it would cost to supply a stove with an
ordinary appetite for coal.
Yesterdays HEARING.
Yesterdays hearing began at $50 a.
M. Attorneys George NJ. Watson and
NJ. J. Donohue appearing for the au-
ditors and Attorney John p. Kelly for
the directors. David Hollenback and
M. ]. Eagan, both of whom had worked
for the board. were the first witnesses
examined but nothing important was
elected from them. Henry Shorten,
who supplied the schools at stark S
patch and No. A with coal, said he did
not receive in payment for the coal the
amount of money the bills he rendered
called for.
George B. Weber, of the firm of
| Weber Brothers, of Avoca; william
Mccormack, and NJ. p. Judge, of the
| firm of Mulherin & Judge, gave evil
| dence with reference to work they dld
for the board 1t appeared from their
testimony that their dealings with the
board were of a straightforward ma
| ture.
Director John McCrindle testified
| that McCrindle & company furnished
supplies to the two Moosic schools. He
is a member of the firm, but did not
instruct the janitor to purchase the
supplies at his place. Only the regu-
lar market price of goods was charged.
Mr.. McCrindle is now treasurer of the
school district. With reference to the
purchase of a lot of ground from
Michael Gibbons for $2,400, he explain
ed the manner in which he voted in
favor of the purchase.
He was opposed to the board buying
any property at the time. Two sites
were under consideration, one owned
by NJ ]. Donahoe and the other by
Michael Gibbons. He supposed that
Directors King, Lowering and O'Lena-
han would vote for the Donahoe lot,
and he thought by voting for the Glib
| bons property to create a tie and hang
the matter up. O'Lenahan was presi-
dent and voted last. He cast his ballot
for the Gibbons lot and the purchase
was made.