Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-04-10
INHABITANTS OF BANGOR ARE
AST0UNDED AT REVELATIONS
PRODUCED BY THE CRAFT PROBE
oy Departments Investigated and Enough Material Comes
to Light to Suggest Continuing the Probe to
Other De apartments

bangor. Me-, April 9.-The report Of
A.. so.called graft investigating COM
.,,,tee which has been at work at City
,.u for the past six weeks. was made
-,h,c Saturday and has created q
,o.ided sensation. It reveals petty
.,,eving. carelessness and extrava-
,once to an astonishing degree. 1t COW
orc only Investigations in the street
and city departments. 1t is intimated
.hot many lines lead to other depart
s.en,s which will do doubt be inves-
tigated later.
The committee was appointed early
il March by the city council upon GER
tain disclosures, and has been at work
dgently behind closed doors ever
.ince The report deals principally
Nth three ex-pfficials of the street de-
nartment, Frank E. Presley, who was
commissioner; Henry A. Kelley. fore
man and Jere r. Carlow, head clerk.
All three are under bonds awaiting
Grand Jury action on criminal charges.
The committee has examined about
Inn witnesses 1t has worked without
nav. considering it a public duty, the
only expense to the city being that of
stenographer
Systematic Plunderine
In beginning its report, the commit
too saws: "City officials have system
atically plundered the city. Some of
them have apparently overlooked no
opportunity of thieving. We have in
yestigated only the street and pauper
departments, but we are convinced that
graft has extended to other depart
ments which we have not had time to
investigate.
The committee found that bills for
city supplies have been checked and
approved by the various officials upon
representations of under officials that
the bills were correct and there was
no definite knowledge that the goods
paid for were ever delivered. The So
called auditing was merely clerical
checking At the city stables there ap-
peared to be a lack Of responsibility.
City teams were taken out nights, har-
nesses, sleds and wagons borrowed
with out record The workmen were
supposed to keep their time on a time
clock, but there was no difficulty in
manipulating the clock, and one man
sometimes punched in" for a whole
crew.
Report 6Iames Presley
The committee fixes the responsibility
Of irregularities in the Street Depart
ment to Frank E. Pressey. who appar-
emily delegated unlimited authority to
Kelley and Carrow, the committee finds.
Pressey seems to have left the charge
Of affairs in their hands. Kelley bought
the supplies and either Kelley's or Car
rows statements were accepted by him.
The committee finds that Pressey built
garage at his house last year and
that the cement and lumber was the
property Of the city, and that the work
was done by men paid by the city; that
Pressey employed ten or more men to
help move a summer house and used
city lumber for news stills. The work
was done after hours and the men re-
ceived time and a half overtime. No ac-
count has ever been rendered to the city.
City teams hauled wood to Pressey's
house from the City farm, also paving
blocks and sand. The committee desig-
mates the administration Of the Street
Department as conducted upon an ex-
the city stables, with city teams, much
competency"
Kelley HOMESTEAD First
The committee finds that Henry A.
Kelley was highly efficient and honest
in his first year as foreman Of the street
department. but the report says. Be
ginning. however, with the year COM
mencing March, 1915. it Is nearly i'm
possible to imagine a man more dishon-
est untrustworthy and whose influence
more completely demoralized a depart
ment with which he was connected than
this man."
some or the charges enumerated by
the committee against Kelley include
hauling gravel by city teams to his
nome; hauling manure to his farm from
."e city stables. with city teams, much
IN the night with overtime pay for the
ariVers; hauling wood from a mill and
putting it into his house, costing the
ei'y % load for men and teams; u.s.
ine CITY men for painting. whitewashing,
carpentering and other work upon his
own houses, estimated cost to the city
W sl5o: using city men to dig a drain
oh MS farm at an expense to the city
VI sea; obtaining 100 gallons Of gaso-
''''e charged to the city; padding the
pasroli with three fictitious names, up
w which he obtained $17s232. and for
WHICH he is held for the Grand Jury.
Imaginary Horse" Deal
T. we're 1. Carrow was engaged as clerk
~ the department by Commissioner
'essey. who told the committee that
a1fow had a good recommendation
rom the American Express Co. Agen:
.'enner told the committee that he
,o'a Kelley that Carrow was a good
nosuer, as hostlers go. The committee
,ound that Carrow had a small house
"unt oy carpenters employed at the
ivy stables, from lumber charged to
w cue city and 1t was hauled at night to
", .s7ows house with city teams and
,eoorefs at time and a half. It was used
y, W Carrow to store gasoline. Orlando
D. Martin told the committee that Car.
wv made proposition to buy an au-
"noo'ls to be paid for in Imaginary
o'ses'' that number Of teams
%vulo be put on the city pay roll, as
ns'onslns to ]. Frank Green, by whom,
18TH. in was employed. and kept there
aatn the car was paid for. The offer