Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-01-26
Probe of
Asylum Is
Demanded
JAMESTOWN CITIZENS DE-
CLARE RTAIN FUNDS
WERE UNLAWFULLY d.
VERIFIED. s....
Want OFFICIALS OUsTEO
Ask Removal of Board and Sup
erintendent of Institution.
RECOMMEND ADOPTION.

RECOMMEND ADOPTION.
The state affairs committee Of
the house last evening voted to
recommend to the house that the
resolution be adopted which pro-
vides for an investigation COM
mittee Of three from the house
and three from the senate to in
vestigate the board Of control.
The committee will file with the
chief clerk Of the house all aff-
davits and evidence in the hands
Of its secretary, including a copy
Of the KnaufISeier.Buck charges
received yesterday. ~
Il is generally conceded that
the state affairs committee would
never have voted to report the
!, above resolution for adoption had
it not received the charges from
jamestown.
O. J. Seller, John knauf and C. S.
Buck of Jamestown lodged charges
against the board of control and the
officers of the insane asylum yester-
day with Governor Hanna and the
state Legislature. They urge an i'm
mediate investigation of the ins'itu
tion and pray in their petition that If
the charges are substantiated that the
members of the board Of control to-
gether with the entire staff at the
asylum be removed and that the at
torney general prosecute civilly and
criminally any of the parties guilty of
violations of the law.
Diverted Funds.
The charges allege that the board
Of control diverted certain funds ap-
propriated for specific purposes and
used the money to erect buildings not
autorized by law. Several instances
of this alleged diversion are set forth.
These chrages, however, were met
at once by the members of the board
of control in such an effective man
ner that it is doubtful whether the
legislature will take much notice OF
the various allegations. On Septem-
ber "a, 1913, the board of control Sc
cured from the Emergency Commits.
sion consisting of the governor, sec
retary of state and state auditor per-
mission to apply the funds for the
best interests of the institution.
Minutes Of the Emergency Com
mission.
The following explains the reasons
for the diversions of funds from pur-
poses originally appropriated:
"A meeting Of the Emergency Com
mission VISA he'd this oath day Of
September, 1918, in the office Of the
Governor.
members of the Commission pres
ent: l.. B. Hanna, Governor, Thomas
Hall, Secretary of State, Carl O. Jor-
genson, State Auditor.
''The Commission had before it for
consideration the following:
'1Mr. Jackson offered the following
resolution and moved its adoption,
and requested that the Board present
the same to the Emergency Board for
their consideration:
"Whereas, The Thirteenth Legis-
lative Assembly did make with other
appropriations, an appropriation of
$10O, 100000 for a Receiving Ward;
$100, for Tuberculer Hospital
and $4,000 for an outside Farm Ward
Building to be erected on the grounds
of the Insane Hospital at jamestown.
The last named appropriation of
pOU,UUU.UV "do PClOCu Uy VIC SSVSAo
nor for the reason that the revenues
'of the State were not sufficient to
take care of all the appropriations
made by the Legislative Assembly,
and, +-G.,
"Whereas, in the. judgment of the
Board of Control s1OO,OO000 will not
build and equip receiving ward such
as will meet the present or future
needs of that institution, and,
Whereas, the amount appropriated
for the Tubercular Hospital, If useu
for that purpose will erect a. building
such as in the judgment Of the Board
of Control is not needed at the pres
ent time and will not be necessary FOR
years to come, and,
"Whereas, the present administra-
tion building is not adequate for the
needs of this institution and occupies
the most desirable location for Tu-
bercular Hospital and can be economl-
cally and satisfactorily remodeled in
to very desirable Tubercular Hos
pital and will fully meet the require
ments of the institution at the pres
ent time and for few years to come.
In view of the above condition the
Board instructed its architect to pre-
pare plans and specifications for the
of the Administration
into Tubercuar Hospital,
and advertised for bids for such re-
as is necessary, and did let
The contract to w. J. Curran for this
work for the amount of S22,127.0O
which leaves a balance in the appro-
oriation for the purpose of construct
ng Tubercular Hospital of $751;
)00.00
"Now, Therefore, the Board of Con-
rol having in their judgment carried
n Ionfinnod 0n RaQo Y,X0l