Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-02-05
SE1LER.KNAUF. BUCK T,RIUM-
V1RATE WOULD SHIFT THE
RESPONSIBILITY TO THE
STATE OF PROVING THEIR
CHARGES.
No MALICE WAS INTENDED
Declare They Have No Personal
Feelings Against Board Of
Control.

Although offering in their charges
against the board of control to sub
ordinate each and every specification,
Knauf Buck and Seller appeared be-
fore the special joint committee yes
terday with a bad case of cold feet.
They said that they desired onl y to
star in the role of infOrmers and not
prosecuting attorneys. They declared
that their law practice would prevent
them as attorneys from taking the
time to formulate the evidence and
that they were interested only at citl-
zens and tax payers.
mo Malice" Says knauf.
The charges direct the attorney
general TO take criminal action
against the members of the board, but
Mr.. Knauf declared that they had no
malice in their hearts against any
member of the board OF control or Of
ficial connected with the insane asy-
lum.
eve want" said Mr.. Knauf, TO
have the matter threshed out legally.
The attention of the people have been
dJTdClCu " CudL Olu lAOopAloA AS oSsAAA>o
town. Personally | have no feeling
in the matter The action of the
board has been called in question
and we believe for the good of the in
stitution it should be settled. l have
no personal kick on anyone"
Mr.. Buck also explained his posi-
tiOn ..o.-.' s.s
Attention Of Legislature.
81 believe that the attention CT the
legislature should be called to the di.
rect conflict between the Legislature
and boards created by law. 1t should
be determined whether through the
Emergency Commission it is possible
for the will of the legislature to be
over-ridden. We don't pose as prose
cutors"
Take Evidence Saturday.
After few preliminaries it was de-
cided to take the evidence of the En-
ergency Commission which is compos-
cd of Governor Hanna, State Auditor
Jorgenson and Thomas Hall, secre-
tary of state, tomorrow morning. This
is to establish the authority by which
the board of control diverted certain
funds for the construction of build.
ings at the jamestown Asylum.
Next Wednesday the board will 60
to jamestown and inspect the various
buildings and on Thursday hold a
public hearing at the asylum. Sever
al witnesses will be subpoenaed.
Among them are: DR.. lHotchkiss,
NJ. Sinclair, the steward, J. D. Gunder-
son; Mr.. Kerwin of Valley and others.
Miller Appears for Board.
Former Attorney General Miller ap-
peareG as attorney for the board and
presented a formal answer to the
charges contained in the Knauf; Seller
Buck Indictment He admitted the d.
version of funds but declared that
they had been diverted upon author
ity of the Emergency commission and
for the best interest of the institu-
tion. r
That state architect had been
paid $500 in fees was not denied but
admitted on the ground that the law
gave the board this authority. 1t was
admitted that state architect had
been contracted for on basis of a
three-and.one.half commission on the
contract price of the building.
1t was also admitted that certain
patients not fully cured were given
nominal wages for services perform
ed while aid for their care was being
drawn from the various counties. This
was defended on the ground that the
work was at no time arduous and was
done under the Supervision and with
consent of the physicians in charge.
That Hen House.
The charge that patients had been
housed in hen house was admitted.
But it turns out that the hen house is
new brick building, cement floor,
painted walls, heated and in all ways
sanitary. This was done to relieve
congested conditions in other build
ings. Physicians in charge through
the answer maintained that the pa.
tients got as good care here as else
where in the institution.
Yesterday afternoon Knaf, Seller
and Buck went to the board of control
office to look over the floor plans of
the various buildings and contracts
and vouchers.
GIFT TO Won HlNDENeERG.
Ror1in Fen 3-Thl mIlniciDai