The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-08-05
sKeNE UNDER $4,000 BAIL
Special Grand Jury Finds 10
indictments.

/ Indictments.
Albany. n. Y, Aug 4.-Seyenteen
! indictments were reported TO SUI
preme court Justice Henry B. Conan
yesterday by the special grand jury,
which for over two weeks has been
investigating charges of alleged ire
gularities in awarding good roads
contracts during the administration
Of former State Engineer Frederick
=. Skene, who is named in each in
dicment. The indictments are di-
rected against
Frederick f. Skene, state engineer
during 1908.
Frank L. Getman, first deputy I'M
der Skene, formerly of Lyons, but
now said to be in Havana, Cuba.
John p. Kelly OF Roch, ster, Skene's
western division engineer.
Louis r. Harrison Of New York,
eastern division engineer under
Skene.
John p. Russell, president of the
Russell Contracting company of New
York city
John F. Clancy, Long Island city
contractor.
Thomas J. Gerehart of Robinson
and Gerehart Contracting company
of Brooklyn.
James X Palmer Of James X. Pei
mer & Co., of Clearfeld, Pa.
The grand jury. which was con
vened by Gov. Hughes at the request
of Attorney Gen OMalley, reported
TO the court that it had not finished
its labors and had information upon
which it desired to make further in.
vestigation. The court excused the
jury until September T. The charges
which are made in the indictments,
were presented to the attorney gen
eral by William r. Hearst.
The accused former state engineer,
who was in court with his attorney,
Mr. TenEyck, has also engaged Fred
erlck E. Adams, secretary of the
state Bar association, to aid in his
defense. Skene entered a plea Of
not guilty and bail was fixed at $1O,-
600. Harrisons bail being placed at
$4,000 after plea of not guilty, and
Kelly was given week in which to
consult counsel
Counsel for Skene and Harrison
asked to be permitted to inspect the
minutes of the grand jury, and Attor-
ney Gen. OMalley asked that Skene's
bail be increased Justice Conan
said he would hear any applications
next Wednesday at p. m. to which
time court was adjourned.
Skene and Russell are charged
with grand larceny, first degree, il be-
ing alleged that the bid OF the Rus
sell Contracting company on road No.
431 in Nassau county Of SG1,357. 02
was raised $4,000.
A similar charge Is made against
Skene and Clancy II being alleged
that a bid of s56,022.50 by Clancy for
constructing the Liberty-Jefferson
road in Sullivan county was raised
$4,000.
Grand larceny, first degree, is also
charged against Skene, Gerehardt
and Harrison, it being alleged that
the Robertson and Gerehardt Con.
tracing company submitted a propo.
sal to build the Quogue- Riverhead
road in Suffolk county for S64,09690
and that a false bid was inserted in.
to the contract instead Of the origi-
nal, securing to the contractor, $1,000
more than the original.
Grand larceny is also charged
against Skene and Palmer, It being
alleged that a bid Of Palmer & Co,
for constructing the Otsego-Oneonta
road in Otsego county of S3S,67931
was raised $500. They are also al.
legged TO have raised another Otsego
county road contract. $3.50 over the
original bid.
Skene, Harrison and Gerehardt are
charged with having aided and abet
ted in procuring the payment Of an
alleged false claim Of the Clinton
Point Stone company for broken
stone which It is said was not deliver
ed and an excess Of % cents per
yard for stone delivered above the
contract price, aggregatng upwards
OF $4,000.