The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1909-02-22
Pen Committee S
Report, in D tail


cheeis was taen Issue 10 the ei1tlins
,econpans from time rs dime Tor the
agggegate amoant oe purehases rnads
Ton behalf Of the convict. a aforesaid.
The warden of the penitenfiary aps
;Epears 70 have been the usual party
who was trustee for he convict but
during tlte time 0f service Of G. q.
!, Dawson. as acting warden. John a.
Bloyd, the treasurer, was Trustee ana
had the custody OF the funds
Purchases made in the manner
above indicated aggregated. for the
period from Jan. i, 1906, to Deeem-
Der 80. 1906 the sum OF $io.sIA. 10.
outside Of hold-opt orders which state
and federal prisoners gave, in the Of
flee Of the superintendent for dis
charge outfits Similar purchases for
the last reported period, from octohe-
1907 to september 30, 1905, announced
Ito s2,s65.s5.
Your committee reports that In
respect to the last foregoing charge,
there IS diversity OF opinion
among its members as to whether or
not the transactions above detailed
constitute a direct violation Of SEES
tion AZ OF chapter 1875 Of the code
of West Virginia OF 1906. (serfai
number 1870. but your committee
is Of the unanimous opinion, ana so
report, that irrespective Of whether
or not such transactions constitute
a violation of the specific letter Of
the law, they do violate the spirit.
intent and purpose of the statute,
Your committee further and that
the firm Of Carney & Mullen. IN.
which firm Director Mullen is a
partner, sold directly to the penlten-
tiary furniture Of the vare OF ST.
O20.s2, and that the penitentiary
purchased from the schaefer and
Driehorst Company, a corporation.
Of which Director Hamilton was an
officer, spirits to the amount OF ST.
28s72, and from the West Virginia
Clothing Company. of which John a.
Bloyd was owner as aforesaid, many
thousands of dollars worth Of cloth
Ing in addition to that sold the con-
yicts, and that the funds belonging
TO the institution were deposited in.
certain banks in which certain; d.
rectors were largely interested.
Your committee further finds that
the board of directors had knowI-
edeg of the transactions iiereinba-
fore detailed between Director John
A. Bloyd and the conyicts,. and had
like knowledge 81 the sales made ~
the firm in which Director Mullen
was interested, and of the deposits
made in the banks in which Direct
ors Gilkeson. Bloyd and Hamilton
wers concerned, all of which trans
actions your committee finds were Inn
proper, and should have been pro-
hibited by the board Of directors.
While these transactions are posi-
bly, not in conflict with the letter.
they are clearly in conflict with the
spirit of the law, and must be con-
demned on general principles Of
propriety and good policy, and
your committee strongly urges that
those practices be discontinued.
4. As to the charge that contract
ors OF labor in the penitentiary
were making gifts to officers ana
employees of the institution, your
committee finds that the Kraft Man
ufacturing Company, made direct
payments in violation of the law to
Mrs. $. Horn. matron of the insti-
tuition.
5. Your committee further finds
as to the charge that contractors
we're behind with payments due the
penitentiary, on account oc convict
labor hire, that some Of said con-
tractors are in arrears with regard
to such payments. and that the same
Is in violation of the statute In such
case made and provided, hut your
committee reports that the direct
ors OF said penitentiary, are making
every effort to collect such overdual
accounts, and in one instance have
taken an extra bond to secure the
payment Of the account. We feel
that the state is in no danger Of
financial loss on this account. Your
committee does not believe that the
statute is broad enough to enable
the directors to act in the hest in
terests OF the Institution. especially
during periods of financial depres-
sion. such as recently prevailed.
AS to all charges not above hereia
specifically treated. your committee
finds some minor Irregularities