The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-24

letting Ironjaw' Brown Of tho state
penal board said Here. I'm going to
pick out my own stun and you fellows
can 80 ahead and select your own
I talked to Brooks and told him we
were going to defeat the governor
own policy. But the split started
right there and we have been split
ting worse and worse every time.
Asked why, II he had never before
taken part in contract lettings he now
wanted to do so. Bowman answered:
IF they'll all stand back and let me
run it I'll hold one letting that Is run
right. Well buy right straight
through for all the institutions at one
shot and save the money the Demo-
, Gratis have talked about. But II
can't run it myself 1 don't want any
thing to do with it,
Larned in Good shape.
Some OF the most insidious reflections
ON the conduct Of the affairs OF the
control board made prior to the genera
election were those In reference to the
new state hospital for the insane at
Larned. IL
There Kansas owns $50 acres OF iano
which has been selected as the site 1or
q third great hospital Tor insane pa
tents. to be employed for the care OF
those whose condition permits them 10
engage in active outdoor work the
original appropriation was authorized
by a Republican legislature but the
work was, not commenced unti tne
Democratic control board took charge.
This year So patients were sent to
Larned and the work OF starting Gull
tivation and attending to the prelim-
mary of founding the hospital nave
been under the direction of Superin-
tendent B. F. Hawke.
The funds of the first appropriation
have been spent in buying land. estab-
fishing dairy farm, an irrigation
plant, putting 200 acres into cultivation
and erecting buildings for the accom-.
mediation Of a farmer and the limited
number OF inmates and employees now
on the ground. The work has been
largely that Of pioneering ana the IN,
st1tutiona1 discipline has been informal
but not, according to DIR. Hawkes. dec
laration, lax.
Prediction charges were made that
the board Of control had illegally pur-
chased supplies in excess Of its appro-
priation. Last night Harry Bowman
was confronted with the record in
which he had himelf voted to approve
the vouchers for. 1926 which Is still
outstanding as unpaid for want OF
funds. Bowman declared he couldn't
remember anything about it but he re-
fused to charge any Justification of the
boards record showing himself as a
participant in whatever irregularity
there may have been about that mat
ter.
Getting Work Done.
We've all worked" DIR. Hawke had
declared earlier in the evening. I'VE
haven't stood on our rights and dignity
when there were things to be done and
there have been endless tasks to be
attended to. Our institution has been
harmonious ever since I reported for
duty in February and 1 have never had
my authority questioned. I have oc-
cupied a room in the ward building by
preference because I have no family
except my little girl of II, and have
been willing to let the hospital farmer.
Mr. Lyons, and his family occupy the
house originally built for the superin-
tendent."
That Kansas produced on the Larned
farm crop Of corn. pumpkins and 9TH
er crops which made one of the fin
fairs this year was shown by photo
graphs exhibited to the commission last
night. This quality of production is
being turned out by a farmer whose
recompense is a salary Of $75 month
and board for his family Of wife and six
children.
The family of eight persons who
are relatives Of w. E. Brooks, chair
man Of the board Of control, were made
the subject of much campaign COM
plant against the board by Harry Bow
man and other Republicans.
Don't you know. as a matter OF fact.
that there is no law against the en-
ployment of the relatives of members
Of the state board Of control in such
posftions?'' inquired Attorney General
Dawson.
Bowman admitted knowledge
while you were chairman Of the
board of control didn't you appoint a
man named White to be superintendent
Of the Olathe school for the deaf. who
was a relative of Governor W. r.
Stubbs?'' asked Schenck.
Bowman hedged considerably over
this admission. but he finally made 1t.
Where FavOFitism Was Shown.
Yesterday the prosecution I'M
der the adroit management OF Fred
S. Jackson, former attorney general,
drew out evidence Of favoritism in the
awarding of at least one contract Civ
en- by the board to the Leavenworth
firm Of Bittman-Todd. At that time
son bid $10.25 per half-barrel for
mackerel and got an order for one
ha1f-barrel On identical samples, &C.
cOrding to the testimony of ]. E.
Moore, president OF the Symns COM
pany, the Bittman-Todd company was
awarded a contract for 8 half-barrels
at the price of $12.25. BY that order.
according to the testimony, the state
of Kansas lost exactly SIS.
Mr.. Moore also testified that the
state awarded part Of q contract for
cheese to the Bittman-TOdd company
at Is cents a pound when he himself
got part of the contract at 16 cents
on samples that, while not identical.
appeared to him to be Of the same
quality. He showed correspondence
with the Kansas City Wholesale Fish
comnanv which furnished hofh ~am-
pies of mackerel. to prove they were
identical, Tut could not back up his
belief about the cheese with similar
corroborating evidence.
'Taking Care of the Folks
ri x,in A..