Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-03-06
LAX METHODS DISCLOSED,
Commissioners Shurtlf and Johnson
Say That II Was Not the Rule to
Take Receipts.
IT WAS DONE IN SOME CASES,
One Instance of twenty-five Dollars Be.
lug Charged to the State Twice
The Frauels Incident.


The subcommittee appointed to in
vestigate the affairs Of the Utah
worlds fair commission, "biew In"
from st. Louis this morning and was
on hand promptly at 10 o'clock, ready
to report the result Of It's Investigations
The committee consisted OF Represen-
tatiyes Joseph, stookey and Gundry
and their trip to 81. Louis was for the
purpose OF looking into Utah's bank
account and ascertalnlng, II possible,
whether or not any Irregularities ex-
listed In the settlement Of accounts or
in the making OF contracts pertaining
to the states exhibit Aside from stat
ing that they were well received during
their stay there, the committee had
very little to say preferring, no doubt,
to divulge whatever information they
had in the regular course Of examlna-
ton.
THE FRANCIS EPISODE,
Concerning the episode with President
Francis. the gentlemen stated that
they met him by accident while in con-
versaton with President Huttlg OF the
Third National bank. lntroductlons
followed but when Mr.. Francis learn
ed who his newly made acquaintances
We're. he turned on his heel
and left the bank, like a shot
out OF gun" Mr.. Huttig was
somewhat embarrassed with the
strange conduct Of President Francis,
and apologized TO the gentlemen from
Utah. for the manner IN which they
had been received. The committee IN
tended TO make an official call on NJ.
Francis. but this Incident WAS enough
and the proposed visit was called or
sHURTLIFF ON THE STAND.
The hearing was resumed this morn
Ing with J.. ". Shurtlf n member OF
the Utah worlds fair commission on
the stand. He was shown large NUM-
Der OF vouchers signed by himself, for
sums varying from S25 TO $780, and
asked whether or not he had taken re-
ceipts for these sums. Mr. Shurtliff
replied that I'm most cases no receipts
had been taken, although IN some In
stances receipts had been given him.
although II was not practise OF tho
commission 10 require them,
Mr. Shurtliff stated that during his
term OF Office as a member Of the COM
mission he had received the sum OF 500
for expenses incurred-S25 AT one time
and SIS nj another. Part Of this. Il APP
pears, had been charged up to the state
twice. as vouchers covering the same
amounts were shown the witness dur
Ing the examination.
SENATOR JOHNSON.
state Senator Wills Johnson was re-
called and gave similar testimony with
reference to the matter OF receipts. lie
said the commission did not make a
practise OF requiring receipts, and adj
mitted on close examination that this
was rather lax way OF doing bust
ness
Asked by Mr.. Joseph 10 read an In
teryiew published IN the News" the
witness refused TO do co. and stated
slider himself under any obligations
whatever TO deal with newspaper
statements. He would answer any
questions asked him concerning the az
fairs Of the commission. but he refused
to discuss Newspaper Interviews
MR. sHURTLIFFs TESTIMONY.
The hearing opened with J.. w.
Shurtlh, n member OF the commission
on the stand Before proceeding with
tho testimony, Atty Smith stated To
the committee that during the recess
the experts had been busy on tho
books, end that while they had found
the totals correct, the manner OF keep
ing the records was very unsatisfac-
tory, IN that the accounts were not
sufficiently explicit 20 permit Of
comprehensive analysis Of the expenses
incurred,
TOOK FEW RECEIPTS.
Mr. shurtlirr was first shown vouch.
e. No. Tor SS9.75 and asked whether
he had received any receipts from tho
persons to whom he had paid tho
money The witness said he had not
nor had he received any such except
IN rare instances, such as IN cases Of
hotel expenses etc. These receipts
however, had N"f been flied with the
commission aicyed though, that
he could furni 900 TO the committee
II they desired we them The wit
ness was instr TO turn over all
such receipts 20 tao committee.
Voucher % for iHg.9i was shown the
witness and the question asked wheth-
err he had received receipts for the
money spent None had been received.
Similar action was taken with refer
enoe to vouchers "a for SsO25; li5, for
Sl06.25. 1853, for 800. not signed: rs,
for Sl915O 1S9, for S25 to meet per-
sonal expenses: 2ll. for s.. 1893, for S75,
ESQ for 1926 %; 293, for $685. S0i for
s1G2.SO, 424 for 500, 5ls, for S25 and
S04 for s25.
HOTEL EXPENSES.
Voucher No 2li related 70 expenses
at the jefferson hotcl. the cost Of a
room for one day being 81. Mr.. shurt-
llff was questioned closely as to this
account and testified that this was
the price charged by the hotel At
tentlon was called 10 a charge by Sem
ator johnson OF Sl05O for three days
lodging at the same hotel and the Wit
ness asked II he could explain the dif-
ference "a the accounts He stated that
he could although he believed he ane
Mr. Johnson shared the same room NJ
that time.
TO PAY a NOTE.
Vodcacr geo wos payment i.
Uo,O 90 thc Third Nutoul
bank Tor SO. The witness stated
that he had borrowed this amoanS