The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-24
GOODS PURLO|NED
IN WAGON LOADS.
Confession of William Boettcler
Discloses Additional Graft
Methods at Insane Asylum.
EMPLOYED AS STABLE MAN.
Declares He Received a Dollar
for Bringing Barrel of Apples
From Fruit Company to
Litzau's Store.

That grafters at the Insane Asylum pur-
Joined goods by the wagonload developed
yesterday in the confession of william
Bosttcher. stabIeman at the asylum.
who confessed that he had often taken
barrels OF groceries back TO supply houses.
The health officials. by this confession.
believe that the supply-heuses which re-
ceived the good resold them to the in
stitution thereby making huge profit for
the clerks In charge at the asylum.
Boetteher. in his affidavit. accuses Rob-
ert L. Lee Gibson. former chief clerk at
the Insane Asylum. as the leader and the
one who commanded him TO haul supplies
entered upon The asyllms books.
The New Era Supply Company. South
Side Supply Company and the store of H
T. Hoff. No. 2S01 Chippewa street. are
mentioned as piaoes to which quantities of
supplies. were hauled.
The confession Of William Boettcher in
regard to The hauling away of supplies
from the Insane Asylum Is as f0llows:.
I went 10 work at the Insane Asylum late In
until about February. 1892
work Twas ordered by Mr Gibson. chief clerk.
TO take certain supplies from the storeroom. load
times to the New Era supply Company. on
OF sugar. barrels Of -four. barrels Of noiasses.
cases OF canned goods, tobacco. bacon. hnms,
delivered about the same things In about the
same quantities to the South Side supply Com
pany. TO whom also delivered buffer every
delivered to H. P, Hoff. grocer ct No sSm
time. One time in particular remember I de-
Hvered i've or six cases OF canned peas; These
BY me under orders from Mr.. Gibson to various
supply houses. made these deliveries on a. an
time met That held the position Of stablefian at
the Insane Asylum. and only very seldom, did
goods that delivered. So far as 1 could see
there was never anything wrong with the goods
The fTes meat and MO esser ' things that were
sold by persons at the insane Asylum to Au-
Litzaus store by me. Sometimes IAtzau's
wagon would be sent to the Insane ASYLUM
taken to Ltzaus store by the driver OF the st.
Louis Dressed Beef company's wagon.
HAULED VEGETABLES AWAY.
The Vegetables that sold to Litzau while
I was gardener at the Insane Asylum were
called for by Lltzau's driver who came with a
covered wagon and hauled them away. He
paid nre in cash few times. but as a general
rule. would take my pay out in groceries at
About the second year after began to work
at the insane Asylum, On numerous OCCASION
covered wagon come into the yard The driver
was man 3 years old. medlnn, ,sa With 9
sonally. but was told that his name was J.
p Holden. and that he had meat contract at
the Insane Asylum. =
often saw him come with d load of meat.
unload 1t at the storeroon1. and then as he left
the asylum many times there were two or
three barrels in his wagon am positive that
most of the time these barrels were put on his
wagon at the asylum, because IL there had been
barrels ON his wagon when he came in would
have seen them. ~.
from stablen1an 60 gardener. and even after
that time was often called on to make trips
downtown with the wagon. delivering goods to
the various supply houses
At one time within the last two years was
given an order for q barrel OF apples by Mr..
Gibson. I Eot the barrel OF apples from either.
the Hartman Commission Company or the
Scalzo Fruit Company. took the barrel Of APP
pies TO August Lltzau's grocery store and TO-
ceived SO for them ! gave the 50 to Mr.. Grow.
chief cook at the Insane Asylum and he handed
me back 81 for myself. Mr. Gibson never In
auired OF me what became OF the barrel OF
Health Commissioner Simon yesterday
received communication from the Insane
Asylum to cut of two deliveries Of pota-
toes due there.
So quickly did the grating stop after
the starting of the investigation that large
quantities Of provisions were left at the
institutions. Among the provisions were
lots of potatoes. II Is believed the asylum
fas enough to last month or more
Large quantities of salt meats are also on
hand, enough to last several months, 1t Is
~ffh