The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-01-25
RENTZ ON
STAND
The Commissioner Brings to Light Some
Facts Not Known Before.
THE MISSING $4,000 NOTES
The Accused Official Answers All Questions
Propounded by the Attorneys in
straightforward Manner and
Makes a Good Impression.

Rentz was the principal witnesses yesterday
afternoon and to-day, and he gave his testi-
mony in clear, concise manner. His state
ments had a marked effect upon his auditors
and the jurors. 1t is expected that the trial
will occupy the attention of court for
another week and will not terminate until
to morrow a week
Frank Rentz, County Commissioned, one
of the defendants and resident of Ashland
since 1862 was the first witness. He was
elected Commissioner in November 1894
was clerk of the Ashland Council for 25
years and has been secretary of various
companies and Loan Associations Charles
f. Allen was president of the Board of Com
missioners during the first three years.
Witness identified the petition to court asking
permission to build new hospital ard other
Improvements at the almshouse. In his be-
lief it was true and correct
Inc nhanclal statement filed October Z,
1898, was prepared by Counsel Ulrich, Clerk
Connell and the Commissioners; the latter
signed 1t and 1t was prepared and filed ander
the advice of our solicitor. The statement
was true account of the finances.
Q. Tell MS what the $500 indebtedness
omitted from the statement was?
A. We omitted the temporary loans because
provision was made for their payment during
that year from the tax levy
q. These loans were simply to pay cu trent
expenses and they were based on the cu rreut
revenues of the year?
A. They were as l have stated.
Q. Was not the temporary loan fe hture
discussed before filing your statement?
A. les, sir. We discussed the whole mat
ter ana under advice OF our counsel di u not
include the amount of temporary loans
q. The contract for excavating was exc.
cuted with Charles j. ConnOr, August l, 1896
III was for the almshouse hospital and the
price was 20 cents per cubic yard
In answer T questions by Mr. Mari he
said they had nsulted with the Directors OF
the Poor ali t the excavating, etc. We
found on April 9, 1896, when We opend d the
bids that we'd have to modify the plans
we changed the location of the boiler house
Tor which the Poor Directors had already
uone the e1cavatlng and made other changes
The boiler house location was changed be-
cause tunnel under the l.. V. railroad
"tuld nave been necessary Ar. RentH told
Oh the new YORK trip and asserted the
ueneral Electric Company was the ON ~ one
"hlch manufactured the dynamos advertised
lor. lie does not know whether any Other
hrm could or not. The wiring was included
in the first bid, but the second did not.
There was great deal of surveying nee
essary and }. w. Geary, Jr., was employed
inns preliminary work was started in May
1919, ana Geary was employed forl time
Keeper ana superintendent Of the eItlta eX
caVatlhg because his presence there wbs re
CURED by his surveying work and they com
bined the two jobs in one.
There had been no money paid to iIeary
Illegally the Commissioners questioned
some OF his bills but Geary always cen4inceG
them OF their correctness and offered to make
ahdavit to this. The trench digging tvas
dIfhcult JOB because should the steam pipes
sag at any point the water would dollec
there in the pipe and prevent the passa ge o.
the steam. The almshouse inmates cou id moi
do the digging and they had to employ men
Mr. Mari called Mr. Rentz's attention t
the asbestos ful nished by II. w. Johns * Co
to wrap the steam pipes.
Objection was made by Mr. Schalch and
Mr.. Marr said they proposed to prove the
asbestos was necessary to insure heat for the
inmates. The objection was overruled.
Mr.. RentZ said the drain was Is feetl deer
at some places and only three feet wide, il
was partially filled with water, and wis de.
cided to get asbestos at rs cents foot tol pre-
vent condensation of the steam and to save
fuel. Architect Hill was instructed td buy
it, There was only one firm in the United
States that could furnish it and there wi las nC
use in advertising.
If we had not gotten the asbestos wrap
ping promptly we would not have beenI able
to heat the hospital and some of the .othel
buildings, aud some of the drains might' have
caved in, making it necessary to dig Itheu
out again.
Mr. Rentz said he knew John Woll oIhe o.
the men who had the painting contraGt, fol
years, and heard he was good painter.s Mr.
Helms was also good painter.
Q. Why did you have the painting dohe by
days work ?
A. We thought 1t the best way.
Q. Why did you put two and three icoat,
on2
A. The place was weather beaten.
We inspected the work almost every day
The doors, window frames and the IwooC
work had to be rubbed down and in IsOmt
cases planed; the metallic work was scrAped
Clerk COnnell was instructed to see tha4 tn,
work was properly done, aud the time Kept
all the bills were itemized,
Commissioner Rentz said Architect Wlb. d
Hill was employed by former boards of lom
missiOners and he was merely continued by
this board at the same rate that he was paiC
before
Q. II do you know it was the same hate
A. l examined into it, and saw th3 ole
bills.
Among other things Mr. RentI test tifiet
that when it was learned the Alulshouse in
mates could not do,the work the CONT Iole
advertised for bids. aharles J, Conner wa
the lowest bidder; that the CommissiC pner
had two intarviaUa with tho cou rt aud lbai