The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-11
SAYS. sWOLFER WAS STOCkHOLDER


good, if not better, than the one now
IN force.' / left them, and after they
had consulted awhile they came back
ana said everything was agreeable
here Mr.. Jordan explained that Mr..
Jacobson told him that Bronson had
told the board that the two Jordans
mad rescinded the old contract and
We're now members of the firm again;
that Bronson had given the board to
understand that Jordan was tied up
with him, although Jordan had sold
out altogether. Mr.. Jordan continued:
said: Mr.. Jacobson, that is the
story as far as I can relate it to you;
Tor TO go on would probably be to cast
reHectlons upon the board, which is
not fair to the other two members of
the board or to myself in their abb
sence. Mr.. jacobson answered prompt
~: Yes, that's right; and I don't want
TO near any more of it, He asked
some questions on some points, which
answered, but as the conversation be-
gan to lead back, I remarked: We're
getting back to the point 1 wish to
avold-on forbidden ground He said:
mats true and added: The board S
all here; | will see what to do.
Meets the Board Again.
The next morning Mr.. Jacobson
phoned me the board would give me
a hearing, whenever convenient. 1 an
swered: IF the board wants me to
come before them, it would be more
convenient for me to come up at 2::30
than at any other time. The appoint
ment was made and was there at the
hour fixed. Mr.. Jacobson introduced
the subject. Some member of the
board remarked this had better be
taken down. A stenographer was call
ed IN, and l announced to the board
That had two points that wished to
nave made plain: One, the act of the
board in making the advertisement of
the contract, as to which I wished to
know whether the board was willing
to explain; second, I wished to ex-
plain my position and seeming dis
courtesy to the board when before
them on Friday, the 26th of February.
These two points being settled, the
board was at liberty to ask me any
questions it saw fit. The board agreed.
l made the statement, leading up to
the advertisement, that l came before
the board the latter part of last De-
Tcember and found no one present but
Mr.. Leavett. / informed him that the
purpose of my call was to learn wheth-
er they intended to make a new prison
contract or not. He said they did;
that he was alone and could not do so
then; but II l had any propositions to
make he would hear them. 1 answered
that could make no proposition I'M
til they were ready to make a contract
He said he would see Judge Gould
and we could make a date.
II told Mr.. Leavett that I was going
home. He wrote to me and asked me
to suggest a time. / answered, any
time between Jan. II and Jan. Is.
also asked in my letter if he had any
instructions to give as to how the con-
tract should be made. He replied, MAX
ing the date of Jan. 10, and saying
that he. had no instructions to give,
but if l had any suggestions to make
it would facilitate matters.
Il arrived Jan. TO- Wolfer took
luncheon with me Jan. II. During
luncheon he commenced talking about
his age, his family, his salary, ETC., and
led up to the announc cement that he
wanted more stock in the shoe COM
pany. I answered that I did not know
in that connection He said: Bronson
has not a. d-thing to do with this.
This is my, own Before luncheon was
over some friends sent in their cards
and we went into the reading room.
After sitting there some time talking
to Gen. Joubert and Capt. O'Donnell,
Wolfer asked if he could see me min
ute. We went to another part of the
room and he said: TIL tell you what 1
want; that is $4,000 more stock, and
that will make me $4,000, with the
$4,000 that I have with Bronson l
said: I can't sell you any stock. can
negotiate with Bronson He said, All
right, what will be the price@ I an
swered, Book value accounts guaran-
teed for a year, machinery at whatever
it is worth He then said he had to go
to.the capitol, and left.
Decide to Advertise for Bids.
"On the 18th Invent before the board
as I had been notified, and Mr.. Leavett
and Judge Gould were both present.
When we went into the subject of the
contract they informed me that while
they did not understand that they were
required by law to advertise the lease
of the labor, it was public matter and
rather a delicate subject, and they had
concluded it was for their protection to
advertise for bids. l remarked that
then I had made useless journey, and
they asked when it would be con-
venient for me to come again. told
them that Feb. 4 would be the only
date, as I had to be in Montana on the
of the labor, it was public matter and
concluded that this was SUFFICIENT time
to advertise. and as positively under
stood it, made that the date when bids
should be opened
"On Jan. IA. I was at Saltwater and
Wolfer gave me several copies of the
advertisement naming Feb. as the
date when bids would be opened. The
board explained that they had only
named that date as preliminary.
Wolfer had held the matter some time
and then sent it back, and then they
first changed it to Feb. 10, and then
changed it to Feb %. I said that l
supposed I had something to do with It,
as had come on the 18th of January by
appointment, to, as I thought and eX-
pected to make a contract, and 1t mad
been agreed positively that bids We're
tn be opened on the 4th of February. AS
I had heard nothing to the contrary, l
exnected it to be on the 4th, as agreed
IN. Mr.. jacobson said, He had a right
to think that there was something
wrong, The board said it might have
been wrong, but they did not think
that the date had been named posi-
lively. This was the explanation OF the
change and they asked II 1t was saIs-
factory I said, Tt will have to be, or
words to that effect and that ended
that matter.
Gives History of Contract.
.I repeated to the board all that I
had said to Mr.. Jacobsen IN explana-
ton of nv conduct before the board on
Friday. the 18th of February by ar
rangement and request of Mr.. Bronson.
They then questioned me about the
stock that Bronson had mentioned that
h. would falxn over from WOlfer. They