The Hartford republican., 1904-03-11
BOMB UNDER GOV. BECK
HAMS CHAIR,
Prison Commissioners Ask
ed to Explain Appar-
ent Excess
Of $325,OOO in Dis
burSement Over
Receipts.
"Self-SuStaining Prison." Was
the Beckham Campaign
Cry Last Year,

Frankfort, KY, March 5.-A bomb
was exploded under the Executive
chair today by the introduction OF a
resolution by Senator DeHaven ask
Ing that the Board of Prison Commis-
sion explain not later than next Tues
day an access OF $325, 900 In disburse-
ment for the management Of peniten-
tjsr,es over receipts from the prison.
As the statement that the prisons
had been self-sustaining under the
Beckham administration was made
from every stump where Gov. Beck
ham spoke In the recent campaign,
few persons suspected that the Car
roll resolution, recently introduced,
to require the Auditor of Public Ac-
counts to lay before the Senate de-
tailed statement of the prison ac-
counts would unearth this enormous
deficit.
Senator Byron called for the resolu-
tion. The report OF the Penitentiary
Committee had not made plain the
$325.ooo deficit.
Although Senator Henry George
was instrumental In having the reso-
luton drawn up, he refused to offer
it, because 1t might be said that he
was actuated by personal feeling.
Senator DeHaven volunteered to
shoulder the responsibility. He said
afterward to The Herald correspon-
dent:
"If everything is straight detailed
report will hurt no one. If every
thing is not straight the Senate ought
to know of It,"
The resolution, which was unani'
mously adopted, is as follows:
"Whereas, 1t appears from the re-
ports made and published by the
Hon. Gus. G. Coulter, Auditor o.
Public Accounts for the State Of Ken
lucky, that he paid out during his
administration OF said office the sum
of S325,o25.4o in excess of the re-
ceipts from the two penitentiaries fol
the same thing.
Therefore, be 1t resolved by the
Senate. That the Chairman of the
Board of Prison Com missioners be re-
quired to furnish the Senate with q
statement showing what portion o.
said sum was paid out for the ordi.
nary expenses of the penitentiaries,
and what portion for improvements,
and under what acts OF the General
Assembly these improvements were
made.
"He will also inform the S :nate
whether or not any prison official Is
i,terested In any contracts for fur.
nishing milk or other supplies to the
penitentiary, or has any interest In
the contract for the slop at the peni.
tentiary, ard he will make said re.
port by March s, 1904"
Senator George made a lengthy
speech, In which he said In part:
~ knew nothing OF this enormous
dehcit until Mr.. Coulter's report
was made public, because am not a
member of the Penitentiary Commit.
tee. 1 do not hesitate to say that Ger.
tain officials of Frankfort have re-
quested that be kept off that COM
mittee, although I am the only man
In the Senate who Is conversant with
prison management and affairs and
that their request was granted.
"When was Warden of the Frank.
tort penitentiary. and later when ]
was Prison Commissioner, the mum.
Der of employees and the general ex
pences were just as great as they are
now. l am at loss to know how the
deficit was created. think 1t should
by all means be investigated"
Senator J. F. Porter is Chairman
OF the Penitentiary Committee. The
other members are: Senators T. w
Hickman, Hffl McNutt, E. P. Gil
lenwaters, E.Sc. Ward, E. Kenton
Brent Spence, Nat A. Porter and w
B. Whit.
In discussing his resolution aftel
the Senate had adjourned Senator De,
Haven said to the Herald correspond.
ent:
During the lastcampaign the battle
cry of the Democrats was that under