New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-24
.|ND|CTS z FOR GREAT
MEADOW PRISON GRAFT
Grand Jury. in Presentment,
Says Hundreds of Thousands
Have Been Taken.
ONE CONGRESSMAN NAMED
Alleged Corruption Took Place
in Connection with Construc-
tion Under Administration
of Cornelius v. Collins.
TPy Telegraph TO The Tribune. J

Glens Falls. y. Y, Sept. ga
shameful story of the misuse of state
funds is told in presentment made
to-day by the extraordinary grand jury
OF Washington County, which also
found twelve indictments, after consid-
ering evidence on the charges of corr
ruption In connection with the con-
!. struction Of the Great Meadow Prison
made by George Blake, Governor Sui
zer's special investigator.
The grand jury was convened with
Justice Henry Borst. Of the supreme
Court, presiding, at Hudson Fails, on
August 26. The evidence has been pre-
sented by Erskine c. Rogers. District
Attorney Of Washington County. as
sisted by Arthur T. Warner, OF New
York City, a law partner Of James w
osborne. The grand jury in its pre-
sentiment charges that s500,OO was paid
the Hudson Valley Construction Com
many Of Troy. Of which Charles F. Bo-
land. OF that city, is president for WORK
on two buildings. the actual value OF
which was only 100000.
It states that payrolls were padded
and signatures of inspectors forged to
invoices to the extent OF s12S.0O0; that
the state paid sl1.l75 for the use OF the
company's plant. when the company
Maid only $4,000 for the entire outfit;
that although the state paid $50 week
for a physician and hospital. the COM
many charged for the services and
failed TO make a memorandum TO the
state. that in addition to the amount
Maid for the use of the contracting
comnany's plant the state paid $4,000
for materials chargeable to the item.
Contract Was Changed.
Tho presentment also states that
whom the work was nearly completed
rho form OF contract was changed from
nercentage to lump basis and labor and
materials paid for by the state on per-
coptaee contract were used by the con-
tractor in the lump sum contract. The
original percentage contract was on
basis OF 5 per cent profit on the cost
with per cent additional II completed
uithin one hundred days. with an al
Iowance Of s75 a day for the use Of the
contractors plant. There was TO be
forfeiture Of s25 day for delay after
one hundred days.
The presentment states that when
the time limit expired the forfeiture
clause was waived The amount fixed
nc being sufficient for the work was
so5oO coo. The prison site was bought
in 1904 from the late Isaac V. Baker,
former member of the Republican
ctate committee, who shortly before
&c purchase by the state voted with
Governor Odell to wrest the control of
the state committee from Thomas c.
pIatt The cost TO the state vas
$4,000
A lump sum contract is still in prog
ress on the Great Meadow prison. The
contract price is $500. GOO. and the work
is being done by A. Pasquini. an AL
bany contractor.
The persons against whom indict-
ments were returned will be arraigned
in Hudson Falls on October 4. before
Justice Borst, at which time they will
plead to the in, ctments and have he
time for their trial fixed.
The names OF those indicted were not
Continued on second page, NTH column.