Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-03-16
MAYFIELD ON
GRILL BEFORE
STATE PROBERS
Declares He Did Not Investi-
gate ReCeipted Bill for
Fear He Was Be-
ing Jobbed.
From a staff Correspondent.

Lincoln, March l5.-Fear that he
was being jobbed or double crossed
in his personal dealings with the
National Supply company or E. E.
Howell, state purchasing agent for
oal kept Commissioner Mayhcld
rom volunteering any testimony in
egard to the receipt of bill for
.oal, amounting to So, marked paid,
md which he had not settled for, &C
.ording to his testimony Saturday.
He was placed on the stand by
he joint legislative committee in
gestigating the Board of Control
his afternoon, and until his tes-
imony was interrupted by the in
reduction of another witness who
mad to go away on an early train,
he questions and answers fired at
Aayheld held the interest of the
auditors,
In substance Mayfeld testified
hat he had purchased coal from the
National Supply company for his
personal use on two separate oecas-
ions and had found the coal to be
cry poor for, furnace use. On both
occasions some of the original coal
laced in his cellar had to be re-
laced with other coal He claimed
nat the first coal contained more
han rs per cent slack and there was
considerable dirt and jncOmbustible
INSTANCES in it.
Feared Double Cross.
Asked why he had not gone per-
onally to the office of the National
upply company in Lincoln and in
estigated the matter he replied:
Il did not want TO get mixed up
18th a bunch that might double
cross me-"
In response to question as to
Thy he should have these suspic-
)ns Mayfie1d answered:
After the close of the Geneva
ase Johnnie Byrne of Columbus
anted to get the name of neigh
or who would watch my coal pile.
Ie made a threat that he would
ct me. / can produce a man who
i'll swear to this on the witness
and"
Attempted efforts to get him to
II why he had not seen Howell per-
1nally to clear up the matter of
receipted bill, Mayheld answer
, /:
Reputation at Stake.
What is a little matter like $72
impaired with my reputation, which
at stake. | wanted to keep away
ON Howell, the same as | would
le National Supply company or
ON anyone who would later be
owed guilty of sending ane re-
,ipted bill. I wonld prosecute
DWELL or anyone else for sending
4 re a receipted bill if | was satisfied
was for the purpose of involving
SO as to have a hold on me at
srward. ..-.
He testified that on the day the
vestigating committee had been
pointed he telephoned to Howell
come down and bring his books
or we are going to the bottom OF
lis coal business if anything is
= .rong."
Technical Matters Up.
Most Of the time of the morn
sg session Of the legislative joint
1mmittee. investigating the Board
ai Control, was spent in discus
on Of "B. T. US" and other tech
ical items bearing on the relative
aerits of what constituted good and
id steam coal. and the relations of
:. f. Howell, coal purchasing agent
Or the Board of Control, and the
National Supply company.
Reaches at Soldiers Home.
Mrs. Lydia L. Bradbury, former
latron OF the Grand Island Soldiers
nd Sailors home, testified that con-
itions in the kitchen of that in
titution were in deplorable shape.
here were no sanitary provisions
lade for the keeping of leftover
God from one meal to another, she
aid. Mice. rats and reaches in
ested the kitchen. She said that the
brary chairs used in the reading
oora of the institution were insult
bic because they were upholstered
md that plain wood chairs would be
better for the old soldiers. She also
complained about the condition of
he cuspidors in the rooms and said
there was not sufficient janitor SER
vice. Mrs. Bradbury found fault
with the floors and rooming arrange
mcnts Of the buildings Of the insti-
tuition and the impression she left
was that the physical features of
the home were very unsuitable for
the inmates.