The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-13
WOLF[R AND BOARD
ARE STANDING PAT
Board PromuIaates BeIated
Explanations From Warden,
Bronson and Caldwell.

After thirty-six hours of oppressive
silence and executive elaboration and
when w. B. Jordan, who had made his
charges against Warden VOTERS Off
cial conduct at the Saltwater prison
had gone to Montana, the board of con-
troll yesterday gave out three state
ments as bearing on the Jordan charges
against Warden Wolfer
No official statement came from the
board of control as supplementary to
the statements made by Warden VOL
fer, r. H. Bronson, the new shoe con-
tractor at the prison, and w. H. Cad
well, secretary and treasurer of the w.
B. & w. G.. Jordan company.
S. w. Leavett, member of the board
of CONTROL was alone at the office yes
terday, his colleagues being at Red
Wing, and in giving out the statements
for publication he declared that there
would be no statement as to conclu-
sions or comment by the board. He
absolutely declined to discuss the mat
ter with the newspaper representatives,
nor would he say whether the signed
statements of Wolfer, Bronson and
Caldwell were convincing to him and
the other members of the board as re-
futing the charges made by Jordan.
The board of control has adopted the
plan Of standing pat on the whole prop
osition. 1t gives out the statements
as made by the board by the man ac-
cused or interested in the transactions
which have been the source of so much
criticism without any suggestion to the
public as to the private opinions en-
tertained by members of the board as
to who is telling the truth in the con-
troversy.
VOTERS statement Is dated March g.,
the day before Jordan's charges were
published in full in T h e G o b e. This
fact proves conclusively that Jordan's
charges were on file with the board Of
control, as contended by TIL G b e,
but denied by members Of the board
some days before T h e Clio b e gave
them publicity, and that Wolfer had
been furnished with a copy of the
charges.
w. H. Caldwell, whose affidavit ac-
companies the statements of the other
two, is a nephew of Warden Wolfer.
VOTERS EXPLANATION.
Warden VOTERS statement is as fol-
lows:
To the Honorable Board of Control of
State Institutions l have
received, and have carefully read,
board Of control by W B. Jordan
in the matter of the prison labor
contract. do not wish to tire you
with a long statement, but want to make
clear, concise and frank statement of
the whole matter, not only to cover the
points raised by Mr.. Jordan, but to give
you any information that can think of
that will be of interest to the board in
arriving at a correct and just conclusion.
will, therefore, with your permission,
commence at the beginning, or from the
date Of my return here as warden, three
years ago.
I had been back here but a short time
when Mr.. Jordan came to me and COM
planned about unfair treatment on the
part of my predecessor and the attitude
of the different members of the admins
tration; said he wanted to get out, was
anxious to sell, that he would sell cheap
ly to anyone who would take the busi-
ness off his hands. that he would sell
on inventory and throw in the machinery
and equipment for nothing, etc. said
to him in reply: what would you sell
for? 1t ought to be good business, If
properly managed, and there ought.to pc
inventory and tried to make a sale, and
finally offered me $4,000 if would find
a purchaser to make a sale for him. l
tried TO 90 SO, Out QiQ not SuCCeSu. LII
nv efforts to find a purchaser I talked
with Mr. R. H. Bronson, and, as result
of this conversation, Bronson and Jor-
dan came together, and the W. B. & w.
G. Jordan company was organized My
object in bringing Jordan and Bronson
together was to accommodate Mr.. Jor-
dan and, at the same time, to do what
l believed would turn out to be favor
to Mr. Bronson. / did not ask for and
Mr. Jordan never offered to pay me any
thing. for making the sale to Mr.. Bronson,
nor did I at this time or at any subse-
uuent time acquire any stock of the
Company from Mr.. Bronson or anyone
else directly or indirectly, excepting tenn
porarily, as hereinafter stated.
I never had any difference with Mr..
w. B. Jordan worthy of mention, but |
have not always gotten along entirely
pleasant with Mr.. W. G. Jordan.
Neither one of the Jordans ever men.
toned stock to me nor to either of
them until about the middle of January,
1904.
I do not know whether Mr.. w. B. Jor-
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