Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-10-12
TEMPEST N 4 teapot |
Board Of Controls Report on Theft
Of Leather at 1t Pleasant
Filed
shows That sensational Charges
Made BY . Des Motnes Paper
We're False
Whole Thing Amounted 70 Petty.
theft, uggssted and Allotted
by Detective.
pecial 10 Tfmes-RepublIcan,

81 4
Des Moines, Oct. 12.-The state board
Of control filed with Governor Shaw on
Thursday its finding after investigation [
Of the charges Of the Daily News Of Dee
Moines. These charges were that whole
sale thefts were extensively practiced in
the state institutions. that high state
officials were involved in the conspiracy
to effect the steals. and that at least one
state institution building had been burn
ed to conceal the crimes committed.
The board finds, after an investigation
covering two months, and the examina-
ton Of scores Of witnesses on oath, that
the News has no ground for its charges.
The board also finds that John w. Stone
of Mount Pleasant committed but one
theft, for which he is under Indictment
In Henry county. The value of the goods
stolen from the state by him was not to
exceed 500. The board also finds that
the theft was committed by him upon
the urgent insistance of Tony Valid, OF
Des Moines. who cooperated with Eli
Hardin private detective, and John j.
Hamilton, the editor OF the News, in ex-
posing the theft. which the board finds
was committed by Stone under the in
fuence of Vaid.
After reciting the charges made by the
News and the subsequent action of the
board, heretofore published, the report
Of the board says:
The testimony of witnesses who were
employed in the hospital at Ciarinda
when Stone was there shows that his
conduct there was never questioned and
so far as known was exemplary in every
respect. DR.. Hoyt, who was superinten-
dent of the hospital at Clarinda while
Stone was there, states that he was em-
| ployed in that institution as foreman of
! the industrial building about fourteen
months, and resigned and left in Sep
tember, 1898. and accepted position in
the hospital at Mt. Pleasant under the
late Superintendent Gilman; that DUR
ing the time Stone was at Clarinda he.
did not. SO far as known, appropriate or
attempt TO appropriate any state prop
sserty 10 his uWn use nor act illegally In.
any respect. When, after the death of
DR.. Gilman. Superintendent HoyI took
charge OF the hospital at Mt Pleasant,
he found Stone there and retained him
as foreman Of the Industrial chop.
The testimony taken at Mt. Pleasant
shows that no special intimacy existed
between DR.. Hoyt and Stone and that
their relations Were those which ordi-8
narily exist between employers and their
iemployes. Prior to the shipment of the
Leather and hair rope to Valid and the
4 disclosures made by the News. Stone
stood well in the estimation of all who
knew him at Mt. Pleasant and no Illegal
act by him was either known or suspect
ed. All Of the male attendants who
were In the hospital when the industrial
building was burned, and who were also
there the time of the investigation in
September. 190U, except night watchers
who were asleep and some who Were too
i'll to be ques toned, We're examined, and
also other employees. The total number
thus examined was about twenty Ave,
land included five of the eight attend
lants named by Valid as persons he had
heard say Stone was res ponsi Bile for the
destruction of the building and did not
! lose his clothing. All, without exception
denied that they had ever heard Stuns
charged with the burning OF the build:
; ing or with misappropriating property
: prior to the publication of the New.
article. and denied that such charge:
: were commonly made IN 1ne hospital
The attendants named by Vaid and ex
. Ianained made positive denial of thu
statements he attributed to them. TIL,
Others he named Who were not examined
had left the hospital some months be
;, fore and their testimony was not obtain
able.
. It was also shown that Stone lost b,
: the fire all of his clothing except th
articles he had on when the fire started
not even saving coat, and that he los
a large quantity of valuable music.
!, Immediately after the arrest 0
Stone the hair rope and leather ac
= counts with him were checked3up by tn
\ hospital authorities, and after ascer
. tanning the quantity of each kind o
Z goods which had been delivered to Ston
: since the fire, the quantity Of each o.
. hand, and the quantity of each used i
: mending and manufacturing, 1t wa
found that there was shortage Of six
y Ity-five pounds of leather and $40 pound
! Iof hair rope About tifty-five pounds Q
e leather and 1886 pounds of hair rope wer
). afterwards received from Des Mo!ne.
! -leaving an apparent shortage OF abou
2 ten pounds Of leather and four pound
: lof hair rope.
h Agents ofSthe railway and expires
companies at Mount Pleasant were eS
81 Aa1l1lNeu, Dul suOlIllHE COUlui Ue oDletlIle
y from them that indicated that Ston
II had ever sent anything from Mour
n Pleasant to Burlington or had receive
anything from Burlington to Mour
? Pleasant either by express or as raj
= way freight. An official of the post
office showed that Stone had not re
. ceived any registered mail from Bul
3 lington since Jan. 1, 1899.
- After the examinations made {
q Mount Pleasant were completed thel
!, was an adjournment to Burlington
:, where the investigation was continue
:, by the chairman Of the board. DiligeI
{. and exhaustive inquiry was made an
& the testimony Of the assistant postma!
ter. of two prominent Hebrews. and 1
a policeman, all of whom had lived
5 Burlington for years. was taken, but
d could not be ascertained that any pei
,r son or firm named Mauche or Maucl
le & Co., Rausch or Rausche & Ok
of Hauclle or Hauche & Co. had been
= Burlington during the preceding tv
.gl years which was the time covered
a the inquiry. The name. most like tho
.. sabove Eiven, was Rssche. There HI
ssssss.; sssss