The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-05
Transactions Between De-
partment and Montgom-
cry Firms Pr0bed
NO CONSIDERATION
OR FAVORS EXTENDED
Representatives of Tullis Hardware
Co., Scheur-W Wise Co., Cudahy
Packing Co. and Harvey Seed
Co. Are Examined

Montgomery. April 3-(speciaio -Busi
ness transactions between the state con
vict department and four wholesal.
houses of Montgomery were investigated
at the public inquiry this morning b,
Attorney General Robert c. Briclsell ant
Robert V. Evins, legal advisor to Gov.
error O'Neal.
Representatives of the Tulls Hard
ware company. the Scheur- Wise com.
pany. the Cudahy Packing company ano
the Harvey Seed company were exam
.ined Clayton Tullis of the Tullis Hard.
ware company told the examiners that
the convict department had done bust.
ness with his firm for 10 or Is years.
The Supplies purchased by the depart.
ment were always on competitive basis
according to the witness. and no consid-
Grafton or favors were extended the de.
partment for the states business. Mr.
Tullis said that both Oakley and Lacy
had personal accounts with the com.
pany, and that goods were usually sold
these men at wholesale prices, prac.
tice that had obtained for a number Of
years.
j. III. Bowman, sales manager for tn,
Cudahy Packing company, said his com.
pany had sold the convict department
large supplies of meats and lards. Foi
the months of August, September. Oc.
tober and November, 1912, and January
February and March 1918, the company
had sold the state about $4,000 worth
of supplies The convict department still
owes the company s3,77e.44, according to
witness
Another account which the department
still owes is for a quantity of socks
purchased from the Scheur- Wise company
in January, 1918. The amount of the
bill is S251. This was the statement of
Moses Scheur, representing the firm.
The last witness of the morning was
p o. Franson of the Harvey Seed COM
pany. Mr.. Franson said the department
had done business with his company
for 10 years. The company had also
purchased a large number of supplies,
such as corn and garden seed. from the
convict DEPARTMENT. The two accounts
usually balanced
Scheur First Witness
Moses Scheur of Scheur, Wise & Co.,
was the first witness placed on the stand
Friday morning. Witness said the first
transaction his company had had with
the convict department was January Is,
1913 at which time the department made
bill of s251, which is still unpaid. The
bill was for cheap socks for the use of
convicts.
Witness said his company had obtained
the business from the convict department
because of low prices quoted The trans
action was a private sale. The company
has never purchased goods from convict
department.
j. II. Bowman, local manager of Cudahy
Packing company, was next examined.
Mr.. Bowman has been with the company
more than year. The books of his COM
pany showed that business with The Oak
ley administration began in August, 19if.
Witness said business was always OBJ
tanned by putting in lowest bid, there
being no solicitation. Each time business
was obtained, said the witness, the COM
pany put in the lowest bid. Witness
then told of kind of meats that were
purchased by the convict department. No
inducements were offered for the busi-
ness.
Last purchase of the department was
in February. Supplies were sold the de-
partment for August, September October
and November. The department shipped
the month of December. Sold the depart
ment in January, February and March.
The entire business for these months
amnlptp1 n The still
owes $3776.44
Clayton Tulis of the Tullis Hardware
company was the next witness. The Tullis
Hardware company succeeded the cor
poration of Snow-Tullis Hardware COM
pany in 1911. The corporation began busi-
ness with the convict department II or
10 years ago.
Mr. Tulhs had with him a statement
Of the transactions with his company since
the beginning of the Oakley administra-
ton.
Payments We're made the company by
auditors warrant on the state treasurer.
The department purchased largely farm
ing implements, fencing and hardware
supplies. Witness said his company So
icited the convict department business.
frequently making bids on supplies want
ed. No inducement was offered for the
convict department business.
Inc WililtSs ltStllit>u tldt Odhicy 0iiN'
Lacy had personal accounts with the COM
pany. Goods We're sold convict officials
at wholesale prices. This had been the
policy of the company for number
of years. The company had never pur-
chased anything from the convict depart
ment
p. o. Fronson of the Harvey Seed COM
pany was the next witness. Convict de-
partment had done business with his
company for 10 years. The company also
purchased goods from convict department.
Witness said his company had never paid
the Oakley admins alton any money,
stating that the departments business
usually balanced the company's account
for supplies purchased from the state The
company offered no consideration for the
business of the convict department. Oak
ley had a personal account with the COM
pany
Following his testimony the hearing ad-
journed until O'Clock this afternoon.
DnkIn IccIlE nhDDIrc