Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-01-22
HElLSTR0M
ExAm|
YESTERDAY
FORMER WARDEN'S CHAR
GES ALL MET AND AN
SWERED BY THE BOARD,
ATTACKS The PENIrENllARY
But Warden Talcott Corrects All
of His Mis- statements.

remotely connected with the resOlll-
ton which bears his name yesterday
morning when the state affairs COM
mittee of the house took up the mat
ter of investigating the charges set
forth against the state board of con-
troll in the kott resolution. Rott did
not even appear at the afternoon ses-
sion Of the state affairs committee, at
which meeting the resolution was still
being discussed-although remotely.
F. O. Hellstrom, former warden of
the penitentiary and recently Demo-
cratic nominee for the Office of gov
ernor of the state of North Dakota,
was the star witness all day yester-
day. Whenever one topic was ex-
hausted Hellstrom was ready to fur
nish another. The would-be governor
started his attack on the present ad-
ministration of the state penitentiary
in the second or third sentence he ut.
tered and he confined his charges to
THAT administration almost entirely
throughout the day. .i....
The members of the board of con-
troll were present at both morning
and afternoon sessions and Warden
Talcott of the penitentiary was also
on hand. Each of the items and
charges recited by Mr.. Hellstrom were
taken up by members of the board OF
Mr.. Talcott and presented to the com
mittee from the boards standpoint
HeIIstrom Testifies.
The RoM resolution was read in its
entirety at the opening of the morn
ing session of the committee.
The first charge contained in the
resolution is that "the state board of
control has expended many hundreds
of thousands of dollars, the expen-
diture of which has been inadequate
ly checked by the state auditing
board
This charge was read to Mr.. Hells-
strom and he was asked if he could
substantiate that charge Mr.. Hells-
from replied that he knew from the
records that the board of control had
spent lot of money but whether it
had been properly checked or not he
did not know. AT this early point he
stated that he was more familiar with
the penitentiary than with any of
the other institutions under the
boards supervision and that he
would like to read some of the records
on file with the state auditor.
In further answer to the question
as to what he knew about this first
charge against the board Mr. Hells-
from said: 'lf had been a member
of that state auditing board I'd never
have allowed those bills to pass"
Here he referred to some of the peni-
tentiary statements.
As to Other Charges.
When asked if he knew anything
about the second charge against the
board that certain members of the
board of control have been interested
in contracts for furnishing supplies
for state institutions, Mr.. Hellstrom
replied: "No, but there is matter
that needs explanation,' and he pro-
ceeded to tell the committee of the
purchase of clothing for the inmates
of the penitentiary, claiming that
three times as much money as was
necessary was expended for this item.
Mr.. Hel.strom became more specific
in answering the next question. This
was as to whether he knew anything
about the third charge contained in
the Rott resolution, which is that the
board expended large sum of money
for an architect, contrary to the pro-
visions Of law. The ex.warden said
that the board had paid 2 1-2 per cent
to an architect, contrary to the pro-
visions Of chapter 62, section %, OF
the session laws OF 1911. Several
thousands of dollars, he said. we're ex-
pended unlawfully by the board for
architects services.
Mr.. Hellstrom stated that he knew
nothing about the next charge, it be.
ing that certain officials employed
by the board of control have been
paid salaries in excess of those pro-
vided by statute.
He also said that he knew nothing
of the last charge, that certain men,
bers of the board have at no time
resided at the capital and have not
devoted their entire time to the duties
Of their office
What John Rott Knew.
Representative John Rott, Jr., the
author of the concurrent resolution
which is destined to make him famous
was called as the next witness.
The Hon. Mr.. Rott stated that he
lrew up the resolution with no basis
other than newspaper allegations
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