The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-12-27
PROBE into THE
KHAKI PURCHASE


Robert w. Dick. of the state peniten-
tiary, told the senatorial committee in
the state board Of affairs
Thursday what he thought Of the
whereby the state paid 30
cents per yard for khaki cloth, which
the United States government, accord
ing to the senate's information, buys
for 19 and % cents The state first
agreed to pay 35 cents per yard
Wednesday the board said they had
accepted Dicks price as set forth III
his requisition A. cents and placed the
responsibility on the warden. Thurs
day Dick said the requisition was only
advisory and the boards duty was to
see that the price was reasonable and
the quality of the goods correct.
Finally, the board and warden agreed
in placing the responsibility upon the
penitentiary storekeeper who is not
attending the hearing
Warden Dick said that in making
the requistion he relied on the judg-
ment Of his storekeeper who had
talked with John Whayne, sales agent
for the Falls City Clothing Co., the
jobbing house that sold the khaki. He
said he made no inquiry into price or
quality, observing that was what the
board of affairs was there for" He
admitted that the state had made
| bad bargain and called it mistake
number one" He said the bargain
was so bad that no more goods would
be bought of the Falls City Co
Discussin the controversy in which
the board, the warden and the cloth
ing company engaged in before the
price was reduced nine and one-half
cents a yard, Dick said opinions varied
as to what the price should be some
placing it as low as 19 cents. He ad-
United that he had been lost in the
shuttle" and didn't know khaki from
Ibroadcloth."
Questioned as to the clothing com
pany's assertion that the cloth cost
them 20 cents, at the mills, Dick said
he thought the concern was a pretty
poor buyer"
e. B. Howard, secretary of the board
questioned Dick as to the qualifica-
tions of the storekeeper and later
sought his opinion on the general
proposition of competitive bidding.
The warden declared that the plan of
buying supplies by competitive bids
was a farce. He was sure the pur-
chase of a sample would be economi-
cal, for the state
There has been a rumor since the
senate recessed last week, that evi-
dence was brought out in executive
session, that the United States gov
ernment bought the same class of
Icloth as purchased for the penitentiary
at 10 and % cents per yard. Senator
+ Franklin and Chairman ]. Elmer
Thomas, questioned both Dick and
, Howard as to their information on
this point
/
2 ploye" had wired through Bird Nc
: .Guire to the government at Washing
ton for information regarding the cost
| of khaki to the United States. He
/ said the ex-employe had personal rea-
: sons for seeking the information and
+ added that the board had not been in
the habit of entrusting the search for
: information to the person in question.
. "Who is this ex-employe," asked
-, Chairman Thomas.
4 "He is DR. T. c. Deeler,' replied
t Howard
Asked what information Beeler had
' secured from the war department,
t Howard said Like everything else
e that was entrusted to the employe, it
disappeared with him" Howard ex-
:, pressed the belief that the govern
o ment should be able to buy khaki at a
s price 20 per cent lower than the state
{? !of Oklahoma could purchase it.
g The board offered as an exhibit, a
/, letter from the Falls City Clothing
Co, received Thursday, offering depo-
:, sitions from its officials and vouch-
i safing the belief that the senate in
! yestigation of this particular transac-
=. tion was inspired by some disgruntled
i wholesaler who hadn't got desired
:, contracts.
e The extraordinary popularity of
ir Madame Sherry" which comes to the
Grand Friday, December 9th, is un-
doubtedly due to the infectious melody
Every Little Movement, so indus
lltriously employed from the rise of the