Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1910-06-16
PEN INVESTIGATION
CONCLUSIONS OF EXPERT EXAM.
5@i NERS NEVER PUBLISHED
AS INTENDED

Bismarck, June 11.-At the last
session of the legislature a great deal
of attention was directed to the in
vestigation of the state penitentiary.
The legislature started and partly
completed report, the substance Of
which was published, and which
showed little of serious nature to
warrant the exaggerated reports of
mismanagement and corruption. Not
satisfied, apparently, with the report
made while the session was sitting,
that body left special committee
and authorized still more thorough
examination of the institution.
This was done by company of
expert accountants and their report
was turned in last August, nearly a
year ago. Nothing has been heard
from that report in the hands Of the
governor. 1t has been quietly sleep
ing and the great sensations that were
promised as part of political cam
paign, have remained inspiring. The
legislature instructed that the find
ings be published; they have not
been.
What is the reason? Is it because
the report relieves the former man
agement from any implied or in
tended dishonesty" as the report
states. There are no political cam
paign arguments or powder to burn
in the report and that may be why
the findings have not been publish
ed. The report is an expensive af-
fair and cost the state considerable
money llstold, but it still lies quiet
ly in the state house, it's contents not
given forth to a waiting public that
had been led to believe many things
of grave nature.
Those who have seen the report
state that the present warden is criti-
cis4d for causing loHs to the state
in not attending promptly to the
business of recovering certain duties
on sisal imported for the twine plant.
The matter was an oversight, but
the loss was the same.
After making the investigation
that took weeks, the conclusions of
the experts who are not residents Of
this state are given as follows:
Conclusions
AS far as the transactions recited
in the records which have been pro-
vided and kept, this examination re-
veals no implied or intended dishon-
esty on the part of any administra
tive officer or employe.
The absence of competent and reg
ular inventories of institutional pro-
perty and supplies, and the omission
to provide records and entries cover
ing depreciations and. obsolescence of
furniture and machinery and the con-
sumption of material and supplies,
prevent the preparation of statements
covering these important features.
However, it is quite impossible at
this late date to state the ultimate
disposition of much of the property
of the institution.
Clerical errors and omissions will
occur in amy undertaking and are
readily corrected at the time of audit.
Such clerical errors as have been OBJ
served in the process of this examina-
tion, have been noted herein and sug-
gestions have been made for their
correction. -
A careful review of the results of
the examination, forces the thought
that there has been neglect in the
matter of providing suitable and COM
petent records and routine and such
neglect has caused the operations of
the administrative officers to be ques-
toned and criticised.
Economic results are necessary in
every undertaking and can only be
reflected by the use Of suitable rec
ords and failure to provide such rec
ords places the good motives Of ad-
ministrative officers in the position of
being doubted, and even criticised.
It is further concluded that those
in authority should require an early
inventorying Of all buildings, machin-
cry, equipment, material and sup
plies, relating to the institution; that
this property should be carefully ap-
praised or priced and so prepared
as to reveal location and description
of the same in q consistent and COM
prehensive manner; that a ledger for
the twine plant and penitentiary in
ventory should be properly establish
er therein; that suitable and proper.
accounts should be established under
each fund which Will reflect economic.
operations in each fund Or dspart-