The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-11-04
CRAFT
ALL MOONSH|NE
CHARGES BY BISHOP UTTERLY
FAlL-CAN PRODUCE NO EVIL
DENCT-BoARD EXoNERATED.

McAlester, Okla, Nov. 3.--The sen
sational charges of graft in the con.
struction Of the state pententiary,
the investigation of which was com
menced by the state board of affairs
here this morning, have so far proven
to be a farce. They fall to pieces
because w. l.. Bishop, the man who
preyerred the charges, had no evil
dence except the idle talk of convicts.
w. H. Chappell OF Guthrie, attor-
ney for Bishop, a former foreman OF
the steel gang who swore to charges
as to misconduct of divers individuals
in the construction of the penitentiary
making numerous startling allegations
old the board of affairs that he found
that Bishop had no evidence Dut me
idle runlors of convicts and cy-con.
yicts to substanliate any of his N
formation and belief charges" The
charges were withdrawn and the
board of state affairs was eXonerateI
from any such charges.
Chappell then limited the inquiry 10
two general allegations. That n sew
eral instances work had beel charged
to the state when done for the con-
tractor, the state thereby paying twice
for the same, and specifications had
not been followed in the work. He
said that he desired to present proof
on those charges.
The forenoon was largely Wran-
gle over Bishops refusal to answer.
He had furnished a list of ten wit
nesses, but he refused to tell which
of them had told him specific things
or even whether the things he said
had been told him by any of the wit
nesses on the list. J. J. Quarrells and
Royal J. Allen, members of the state
board Of public affairs, became so I'm
patient with the witness on his re-
fusal 10 tell them the name of any |
person who had ever told him such
things, that their attitude at times
was characterized by severity IN grt-
ling.
Mr.. Chappell, before noon today,
promised the board that he would talk
with Bishop during the noon hour
and that at 130 o'clock he would
have him either tell the names OF
the persons from whom he got the
and belief or that he
would publicly announce that he
found the charges were without any
ground whatever. The announcement
vas that the information and belief
'harges were groundless.
The state board of public affairs
md the Texas Building company both
insisted that there ought to be an in
'estigation anyhow. The building
company, represented by r. w. Flour
10y of the firm of Flournoy, Smith & ]
'torer, of Fort Worth, and James II.
iordon of the firm of Stuart, Gordon
iLiedtke OF McAlester, felt that it
'ught to be allowed, in order that the
oard and the company might be pub
jcly vlndicated. They desired to en-
er fully into the charges and show
hat there was no truth or basis of
ruth to any of them.
Judge Dickerson of the board of
fairs suggested that the voluntary
tatement of the counsel of Bishop,
olely responsible for the charges en-
cred in the record, would be suffici
mt vindication. He said that an at
Drney had a right to dismiss a
harge. I
At the conclusion Of the complain (
nt's testimony the board said It was
OF necessary to hear any rebuttal
stimony. admitting that no case had r
cen made, but the defense insisted .
nd this is being heard tonight.
\ dozen witnesses were sworn and 5
,yeral times as many more We're t
Y
The board viii, so to the site Of the Il
Ildings in the morning and probab- =,
will render a decision before leav-
& here at noon tomorrow. }