The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1898-04-01
RECORD OF FRAUD.
Morrin's Administration as Govern
or One Of Brazen Corruption.
People Boldly Robbed by the Giving q
state House Contacts 70 Republics
FavorItes-ProOf Matters
OF Racord.


TOPEKA. Kan. March 2A.-The popu-
list state committee has spent months /
collecting figures and information, /
having in view a campaign Of charges |
and accusations against the republic /
ans. principally those Of the Morrill, /
administration. The charges refer to /
the penitentiary and to alleged job /
berry in statehOuse contracts The |
committee takes up the statehOuse |
con tracts and makes 10 separate
charges. All of the contracts, 1t says,
were let to one firm Fellows and
Van SAINT are the contractors referred
70. The senior member Of the firm
Charles A. Fellows, is the present
mayor Of Topeka. According to the
figures Of the committee, SO, 644.75 ap-
pears to have been paid out without
return TO the state, besides an amount
Jumped at several thousand dollars"
Following is the statement Of charges
ssFirst-That the legislature Of 1895,
in abOlishing the board Of public
works and placing the letting Of state
house contracts in the hands OF the
executive council, opened the way for
abuses Of all sorts in the capitol I'M
movements. Under the old law, the
board Of public works was required to
advertise for bids for all contracts In
excess Of 81, 900, but no such provisions
applied to contracts let by the execu-
tive council Other safeguards, which
were provided for the regulation OF
the business Of the board do not apply
to the council and the way was thus
opened for the letting Of contracts
under circumstances which call Tor IN
limited explanations
s'Second-That S225 was paid out Of
the governors contingent fund Tor
checking up the state treasurer's office
and that several Of the men employed
and paid for this work were already
on the state pay roll, thus drawing two
salaries for the time occupied In the
transfer Of the treasurer's office
.sThird-That several hundred dol
lars were paid out Of the governors
contingent fund for services and sup
niles for the month Of December, 1894,
/ in connection with the governors pri-
vate business. All Of the service was
/ performed and the supplies were fur
nished before the governor was in
/ augurated and while another was
/ filing the duties Of that Office.
/ ssFourth-That an estimate by the
/ state architect Of So, rs for getting the
statehOuse ready for permanent I'M
provement was submitted to the exec
utive council and that body directed
the architect to do such work by day
labor. That the architect gave the job
to a firm Of contractors to whom
s.. 52s. o. was paid and that afterward
81. $50. gS was paid, after which the
| council let a contract to the same firm
to complete the work for s., 337, which
Iamount was also paid, making the
n total expense for this work S., AS, not
withstanding the architects Origina
estimate Of s., T75.
ssFifth-That at the first cOnsidera
ton Of bids for the statehOuse wOrl
there were ten bids; that a cOmbina
ton. of certain bids would deprive th'
firm of contractors above referred Z
of this contract and that one Of tn
said firm and a prominent republican
politician offered a bidder for a par
of the work 500 If he would WITHDRAW
his bid Of So, I33 for the plastering-
ssSixth-That several thousand do
liars worth Of work contracted for III
der the contract referred TO was neye
done. although paid for, and that IN
Dresent administration has had 70 lie
contracts to do the work cOntracte
for by this firm and paid for by tn
state.
..Seventh-That 81, I59. SO was paid b
the state to various persons, hired b
this same firm Of contractors to d
work for them for which the state pr
viouslv paid the contractors, thu
: making double payment to tn
Z amount
.sEighth-That under a contract Il
> S3I.645 in August, 1896, for hnishin
Z rooms s.. $50. 81 was allowed and pal
for extras, and that in addition 81. 725
z 50 was allowed and paid for extra
= which work was included IN the ORR
II inal contract
ssNiuth-The same contractors, WI
got all Of the work worth havin
failed 70 pay q sub-cOnJractOr clai
for Sl35: that the sub-cOntract
brought suit against the firm and e
Judgment; that Notwithstanding tn
the contract price had been paid
= full, this Judgment against private
>, dividuals covering work provided
= in the contract was paid IN full out
= the state treasury.
. .'Tenth-That on July Q, 1896, {
state architect submitted an estima
y Of So, T5S % for the work Of preparil
- the drives around the capitol GROUND
= and that the work, when done, CT
~ the state SIS, sT9. 81, being s., I22-62
RI excess Of the estimate"
y. other charges in regard to cOntra'
ne let for work on public buildings q
lily also made. They are in the same to
an as the foregoing, and specific sums a
dates are named
a webb McNau for Congress.
lie n