The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-27
MIR. M'DoNALD's STATEMENT.
He Replies TO the Charges Made by
Senator GOOdwine.

John S. Mcdonald, a member of the
board Of managers of the Indiana Reform
atory, has furnished the following state
ment concerning some of the charges made
by Senator Goodwine and which appeared
in Sundays Journal:
THE manner i'm which supplies are pur-
chased for the institution is entirely prop
er and strictly within the law. Under
the rules of the board various commit
tees are appointed TO give special atten-
ton to the matters intrusted to them
Mr.. John G. Williams and 1 constitute
committee on contracts and supplies, / be-
ing the chairman of the committee. It Is
my duty to go to the Reformatory when all
bids are In, open them, see that they are
all regular, and II, in my Judgment, the
prices made by the lowest bidder as
low as the purchases can be made for on
the basis of the market at the time the
bids are submitted, then such bids are
recommended to the board for acceptance.
II, on the other hand, in my Judgment the
bids submitted for supplies are too high and
more than the supplies can be purchased
for in the open market such bids are re-
jected and new bids are taken, and In ev-
cry. case when the bids have been rejected
the supplies have been purchased by the
board, on my recommendation, for less
money. 1t Will appear by the bids now
on file in the RefOrmatory office that in ev-
cry case the State has been benefited by
the first rejection. and that during the past
twelve months between 5000 and 5000 has
purchasing of supplies has been conducted.
feel confident that the records of the
institution will show that the supplies
purchased for 1T were at prices as low as
could possibly be obtained by any person
or set of men.
What was done in settling with Con-
tractor Mccormick was certainly good
business proposition and just what any
fair or honest man should commend. We
admitted we owed him $4,000, or there
abouts, and we paid him what we admit
ted we owed him, and all that we owed him.
We did not think 1t was businesslike, hon.
orablei or right to withhold the contrac-
tors money that we thought was justly due
him simply because he claimed there were
paid over the protest of the attorney gen.
eral That gentleman expressed no opinion
about Ii during our meeting. / have been
told by one of the members at that time
that after we made what considered a
full settlement with Mr.. Mccormick the
attorney general said that we did the prop
er thing.
NOT AN APPLICANT.
st cannot refrain from stating that /
was never an applicant for a place on the
board. i did not want the place. But the
Governor sent one Of his most intimate
friends to me and insisted on my acceptance
of the place. After considering the matter
1 said that if 1 could be of any service
to the people Of the State and a benefit
to the institution would take the place.
and after 1 was appointed talked to the
Governor and told him In plain words that
i would at all times stand for what was
right and straight and be opposed to ev-
erythiEg that was wrong; that | would not
be responsible in any way for the past
but that everything dated from the day
accepted. The Governor said this was jus,
what he wanted and all that he could ex-
pect. 1 have done just as L agreed and
have discharged my whole duty as / un-
derstood IL TO the best Of my ability. There
is nothing within my knowledge calling fol
any special investigation of the manage
ment Of the Reformatory. but if the Gov
ernor or the Legislature thinks otherwise
the board invites a thorough investigation
made in the most effective way possible
and /, with every other member of the
board stand ready to assist in making any
investigation thorough and effective"