The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-16
MR.. JoRDAN,s TWO STATEMENTS.


It might make neat campaign doc
ument for future use if the statement
made by Mr.. Jordan to T h e Clio e
and published in our issue of March II
and that made by Mr.. Jordan before
the board Of control on March 2, and
sedulously pigeonholed by it until
forced to make it public, were to be
printed between the same covers. The
literal correspondence between these
two, each Of which required some
hours to make, is a most remarkable
feature and one of the strongest testf-
monies to the good faith and veracity
of the relater.
The Globe published yesterday
such extracts from the statement given
out in sorrow and chagrin by the
board, because it could not help it, as
contained new matter, consisting of
questions put by the board and an
swers made by Mr.. Jordan, that he did
not incorporate in his statement be-
cause he chose to give the members
of the board still further opportunity
to reveal those portions Of the hearing
in which they themselves actively par
ticipated. 1t published, further, a con-
siderable and material part of Mr.. Jor-
dams testimony there which was in
eluded in his statement given to T h e
G o be, SO that any interested party
might compare them at will.
If any reader will take the trouble to
set side by side this statement as Civ
en- out by the board and the statement
published March II, he will find the
exact! correspondence most compelling
Of confidence. We can assure him that
this absolute identity in idea and prac-
throughout the whole document. The
statement given to T he Globe is
virtually transcript Of the statement
at last surrendered by the board. Any
one who has remaining doubts can
compare them at this office. and he will
be amazed and convinced.
i The good faith Of Mr.. Jordan is
borne out by this witness. The board
of control really did him good service
in holding back the notes that he de-
manded Of his interview with them.
Had they been given to the public
earlier, it might have been said that
Mr. Jordan merely adhered to the
statement already made, which was
always at hand convenient for refer
ence. The transcript having been re-
fused, he was obliged to tell the story
over again from the beginning, and the
second relation runs parallel with the
first.
Any expert in testimony will tell you
what is the effect upon a jury of this
absolute correspondence, this absence
Of the slightest discrepancy in two
accounts of the same series Of events
given by the same person with an in
terval of many days between them.
each extending to several columns of
type when printed. Unwittingly the
board Of control has turned its weap-
ons against itself, desiring apparently
to cover up Mr.. Jordan's words, to hide
his testimony from the public gaze and
to get him out of the state without I'M
covering what he knew. 1t has simply
added force and credibility to his tale.
The people are whiting for the au-
thorities to take proper action, and
they have waited about to the limit of
patience or liberation. With charges of
such gravity as these to the front, with
put to the challenge of proof by Mr..
Jordan that the warden of the state
prison is financially interested in the
company contracting for prison labor,
there has been nothing so far but a
bare denial One mans word against
another in such cases as this, where
public officials are accused Of what. If
true, Is fragrant misconduct, Is not
enough. Every day that the matter re-
mains in It's present situation adds
gravity to the accusations that have
been made, and convinces hundreds of
still wavering people that Mr.. Jordan's
statement of the case is true.