Mexico Missouri message., 1917-09-27
SOME STATE OFFICIALS
MAY BE FIRED BY GARDNER
Purchase Of Coal From state involves
Many Minor Officials In Trouble
With Authoritles--cement Scandal
Also Under investigation.
Jefferson City, Mo

Jefferson City of John w. Scott, de-
posed commissioner OF the permanent
seat Of government and the commit
ment OF a reporter to Jail by order of
9udge John Greenleaf Slate for al
9eged contempt of court we're devel-
Wpments in the special Cole county
grand jury investigation of the state
coal scandal
That the investigation will not stop
with the return of the nine true bills
4s known to be a certainty.
After making the partial report to
Judge Slate, the jurors announced
they would continue in session. 1t is
believed they are determined to go to
the bottom of the scandal and will
have no regard for the persons who
are drawn into it
OF the nine indictments seven are
against John w. Scott, former head
Of the board Of permanent govern
ment, and two against John Riner, a
Jefferson City coal dealer.
ElGo@hTC
During the investigation conducted
by the board of permanent seat of
government two weeks ago it was
disclosed that Riner had sold the
state, through Scott, personal friend,
Aundreds of tons of coal at SIS per
ton. This was $2.1O more per ton
than what the state was paying on
contract to the West Virginia Coal
Co. of st. Louis.
Officers of the West Virginia COM
pany declared there was no time
when they were not able to furnish
the state all the coal needed.
There also was evidence that Ri
ner's wagons had hauled coal from
state cars at the capitol heating plant.
The state has paid for total of
4,S00 tons of coal, while it is estimat-
ed the heating plant, running at max.
imum capacity from October, 1916,
until April, 1917, could not have used
more than $500 tons.
Attorney-General McAllister said
strong pressure had been brought to
bear to keep the grand jury from in
Vestigating the conduct Of the peni.
Tertiary under the management of
former Warden D. C. McClung.
There never has been a time in
American politics when as much pres
sure has been brought to bear in any
situation as there was during the last
few days." declared McAllister.
He declared the investigation would
continue without fear or favor of out
side influence.
Former appointees OF the Major ad-
ministration and appointees of Gov.
Gardner may be indicted by the Cole
county grand jury as a result of the
Scott coal expose. The investigators
have in their possession all of the
facts Of how state appointees pur-
chased property Of the state, and are
accredited as being parties to the
fraud committed by Scott when acting
as commissioner OF the permanent
seat OF government
May Gust Implicated Officials.
1t was learned that state appointees
who are said to be equally as guilty
as Scott if they purchased the state
coal with full knowledge it was the
property of the state we're instrumen.
1al in keeping Scott out of Cole coun-
~ until after he had been indicted. 1t
was intimated IL Scott had been here
he would have turned states evidence,
which would have resulted in one Of
the most gigantic scandals ever un-
Rarthed in Jefferson City.
il was rumored Scott, who thinks
he has been made the scapegoat for
thc coterie of officeholders who saved
many dollars by buying the states
coal al price much lower than paid
by the state treasurer, will throw him
self upon the mercy of the court and
ask for clemency
Scott has as his attorney A, T
Dunn, who is the representative oi
this county in the Missouri legisla
ture. DUNN is thoroughly familiar
with the management Of state institu
tions and with the rumors of what has
transpired here during the past foul
years. He may advise his client tc
plead guilty on one of the sever
counts returned by the grand jury
Friends OF Scott think he should moi
be made the fall guy" of the Goa
scandal and should tell the entire in
trigue by which the state was defraud
ed Of thousands of dollars by IRE
sponsible officials.
Gov. Gardner is closely watching
the details Of the Scott scandal, and
# is predicted that several state ap
pointees will be asked to resign or b'
discharged by the governor for con
nection with the coal deals.
When seen Scott refused to discuss
any angle Of the coal scandal. While
DC ~..s commissioner o. the perma