Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1915-02-18
COURT HEARING
ONLY ONE PHASE
Of the Investigation Of the
Board Of Control.

Bismarck, Feb. 1.-THE legisla-
tive committee investigating the
board of control held an executive
meeting Monday night, and also
on Tuesday afternoon, presumably
on account Of the new turn taken In
the investigation by the restraining
order issued from the district court
of the Fifth judicial district, which
will prevent the payment of any
further sums to the contractor until
the legality of the payments has been
fully determined. The committee
also held another session this after
noon at which time the petitioners
were summoned to appear before
them for further testimony.
In the testimony taken Monday
afternoon, Archie Dunstan of James
town, who was an employee at the
asylum at the time the 1913 legisla-
tive committee visited the institution,
testified that beds in certain ward
buildings were ordered crowded to-
gether ahead of the coming of the
committee to make showing of the
overcrowded condition and to thus
influence the passage OF a large ap-
pripriation bill.
The report Of the state examiner
| in regard to the findings of the spe-
cial deputy examiners who spent two
days at the hospital checking up the
books and accounts, has been filed
with the chairman of the committee,
although it is not now in evidence.
The contents of this report will be
Forthcoming soon.
Architect Crabbe admitted on the
stand that he could have constructed
the building such as the legislature
authorized, for 100000. He stated,
however, that he built the kind of
building which the board Of control
wanted, as they were his clients.
Contractor Curran also stated prac-
tically the same thing.
| Among the affidavlts filed with the
board is sworn statement by VIM.
Hall of jamestown regarding the OBJ
tanning of his signature to the petit
ton to the legislature, deploring on
the part of jamestown citizens the
Investigation of the board of control.
Mr.. Hall states in his affidavit that
he was in a pool hall at the time this
petition was circulated and his un-
derstanding of the same from the
party who circulated it was that the
petition asked for full and complete
Investigation Of the board Of control.
He claims that he does not know the
board nor what their transactions
have been and that he knew nothing
of the management of the institution;
that he never intended to sign an en-
dorsement of the same, and that he
has talked with other citizens who
signed the petition On similar mis-
apprehension Of it's real purport.
The suit brought to restrain the
payment of any further amounts TO-
the contractor is' only one phase of
the investigation, and will not neces-
sarily affect the findings or action OF
the legislative committee, which has
before it a number of matters which
the committee alone can present in
the proper shape to the legislature
for it's consideration. The hearing
of the court case was fixed for Mon
day, March /, while the legislature
does not adjourn until five days later
In the testimony offered by Archi-
tect Crabbe it was admitted that So
400 worth of cut stone in the new re-
ceiving ward building was used and
$4,000 worth Of marble, making an
Investment of $4,000 in cut stone
and marble for this one building.
The stone steps were very high and
expensive, reaching the. front en-
trance on the second story instead Of
through the first story.
A petition or protest was circulat-
ed here today concerning the street
car line, which is the property OF the
state. The report in circulation is
that an attempt will be made to take
this property from the state and place
lit in the management of the board OF
control. 1t is claimed that private
parties have a scheme to get hold
of the property and run the same for
their personal interests at the ex-
pense of the state.