Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-03-12
UP TO MR.. MARSH.
Senate Charges Him with Misconduct 10 Office
Unauthorized Purchases.

DcCTCOdIN vi DldlC NldASh 10 Chhi BNN
by the senate committee of abuse OF
authority and gross overcharging in
the purchase of nearly $4,000 worth
of supplies ostenSibly for the lcgisla.
ture. Claims to the amount of S2,7ls
filed with this committee have been
Investigated, but bills amounting &c
81. 600 filed with the house for similar
supplies have not been looked into.
The report on the comparatively in.
significant claims filed with the SEN
ate committee for approval is that
the prices should not be allowed.
The committee was not instructed 10y
the senate to make further investiga'
tion and to pay only such part of the
claims rs seem to be just.
Secretary Marsh was in rage ovel
the turn of affairs. W. ii. Clark,
who has been Mr.. Marsh's chaperone
since he came into state Office and
who has been appointed for the sec
ond time as custodian CT the supply
room and superintendent of purchas-
eS, has counterSigned many OF the
claims. Mr. Clark has also held an
appointment under Postmaster f. IL.
Eizer of Lincoln. Mr.. Marsh has APP
proved the claims as just and correct.
The other members Of the board
Of public lands and buildings had
nothing to do with the purchase OF
with the auditing of claims, as such
bills go direct from the secretary of
state to the committee of the two
houses. The abuse of authority in
the purchase of supplies by Mr. Marsh's
predecessor caused the legislature a
few years ago to pass an act limiting
the amount that can be bought be-
fore the session opens and requires
subsequent purchases to be made by
resolution of the branch of the lcgiS-
lature desiring to buy. Mr.. Marsh
admits that he had violated this law.
Some Of the supplies, notably Ill
yards Of Wilton velvet carpet at 81. 50
yard, could not be found by the
committee. Mr.. Marsh said he had
not bought it and that it was not in
the state house. Later to a report
er he said he was mistaken that it
had been bought and delivered. A
janitor, w. l.. NauSlar, still later in
the day, said he had informed Mr..
Marsh several times that the carpet
was rolled up in closet on the top
floor of the building, that Mr.. Marsh
replied when so informed that he had
repeatedly told Mr.. Clark to have it
returned to the dealer as there was
no place for it and that it was not
wanted, but that the dealer had moi
come for it..
The janitor made his statement
during the afternoon after Mr.. Clark
had announced that he had found the
carpet. This search was made after
w. e. Hardy, the dealer, had stated
positively that he had delivered every
particle of goods ordered. 1t was
then up to Mr.. Marsh and Mr.. Clark.
One Of the committeeman when in
formed of the discovery of the mys.
teriously missing carpet, said:
"What do you suppose would have
become of that missing carpet after
the legislature had adjourned if our
committee had not made its report?
If it was not ordered as was first
stated, or if it was not needed and
there was no place to put it, as Mr..
Marsh is said to have told the jani-
tor, or i it was Ordrcd as later stated
by Mr.. Marsh, why was it rolled up
and put in a dark closet and why
did Mr.. Marsh approve the claimf
Secretary of State Marsh, when
asked to make a statement in reply
to the committee report, said the re-
port was made up Of pack Of I'D
lies" and he believed it was instigat-
ed by persons outside Of the legiSla.
ture for personal reasons. The
committee making the report com
priSeS leading members Of the senate.
men prominent in the state. Sena.
tors Cox Of Hamilton, Harrison o:
Hall, Norris of Pawnee, Anderson OF
Saline and Saunders of Douglas.
Mr.. Marsh said:
Wilton carpet was bought. 1t was
purchased and supplied in fact"
Your committee on accounts anC
expenditures has been handed the
following bills for legislative supplies
Omaha Printing Co., II bills ag-
gregating ................. 81 .6S1. &C
Hardy Furniture Co.. carpet and
carpet lining. ............. $50 !;
Harley Drug CO............. 400
These bills are all certified TO by
Secretary of State Marsh as being
correct and as having been purchas e
by him for account of the legislature.
Your committee was unable to fine
any authority vested in the secretary