Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-08-31
House of Correction Revelation

After months Of research the special com.
mission authorized by the Vermont legisla-
ture two years ago have now made report OF
their findings in relation to the house Of cor.
rection at Rutland. Like unto their report
concerning the state prison at Windsor, they
announce that they have been unable to find
any evidence OF graft by any employee or
attache of that institution. That is very pos.
sible and quite likely il would take an ex-
traordinary board to find it, for during the
period from 1890 when the State of Vermont
embarked in the direct sale Of its prison la
Dor without contract down to the time when
Vermont woke up TO the fact that business
principles We're demanded which was in
1904, there has not been one stroke of audit
on the books and accounts Of the manufact-
uring department of the institution. The rea.
son for this lack Of method is frankly stated
IN the report made public today, II was be-
cause the auditors were mot required to do
So And where is the auditor who would do
what he is not required TO do 2 And what au.
dtor would interfere with that which was
apparently not his business Consequently the
business end of this large state institution
doing thousands Of dollars business each year.
was left practically to its own devices. II in
those fourteen years the state of Vermont
has not been mulcted ont of something, then
Vermont has indeed been very fortunate in
her selection of stewards. 1t is likely that
since 1904 no one has had the temerity to
squeeze the states pocketboOk in view of the
awakened public interest. That there was
possibility for grating is admitted by the
commission through their special accountant,
+. S. Pratt, who says; THE accounts are in
much better shape than might have been ex.
pected under the circumstances, adding
what may be taken as Significant or not,
4fDbpir substantial ha I'M
pugned''
To better understand the conditions, it
may be explained that following the collapse
Of the company to which the house of cor
rection sold the labor of the institution by
contract and since the failure to make new
contract the prison directors took upon them
selves the manufacture of marble To all in
tents and purposes the state of Vermont is
IN the marble business through its agents,
The directors of the house of correction, |
working under the name known to the public |
rs the Rutland Marble Manufacturing com
Dany.' The directors engage competent
manager with the usual clerical force. In the |
sixteen years since the new order of things |
he state of Vermont sold $437, 733.os worth |
# finished marble, and all the transactions,
ave during the last two years, have gone |
without auditing by the state auditor. That
S the sample of the methods under which we
AVE been living. Since 1904, however, by
legislative enactment, there has been sys-
ematic auditing of the accounts.
1t is needless to say that we have been
nserably slack in allowing this thing to
ontnue but there are promises for the bet
er now that we have decided to let our right
and know what the left is doing. The good
york may be furthered by following ont
ONE of the recommendations of the special
notably the placing under, bonds
the several agents who have the manage
TENT of the states marble directly in charge.