The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-01-30
PROBE BONDS FILED
BY ARCHITECTS FOR
CAPITOL STRUCTURE
Investigators Find Money Was
Paid Them Before For.
maIities Were Complete
DELvE INTO JAHR RECORD
Supreme Court Clerk SAYS
Grand Forks Man Became
u. S. Citizen in 1892


Testimony that payment Of youch-
|erS for architects fees was made by
the North Dakota capitol commission
before the architects had filed the
bond required by law was brought out
Monday by the legislative Investigate
Ing committee in further questioning
|of Frank L. Anders, commission Sec.
rotary.
j. H. Newton, clerk of the state su-
preme court, appearing on subpoena
|of the legislative committee, testified
that Aaron T. Jahr, Grand Forks, pre-
viously identified as legal advisor"
and also as clerk" Of the capitol
commission, said Jahr was not duly
licensed to practice law In the state
until Nov. %, 1882, after he had been
admitted to citizenship of the United
States.
Jahr's connection with the capitol
board has been under examination by
the legislative committee for several
days.
Original plans to have Berta E..
Baker, state auditor, or q representa-
tive Of her department on the stand
to identify vouchers were delayed
when members of the investigating
committee accepted the voucher book
Of the capitol committee as sufficient
evidence.
Newton quoted from the supreme
court office records that Jahr had
passed the bar examination in 1924.
after graduation from the University
OF North Dakota law school. and sale
admission to the bar was held up be-
cause Of his citizenship.
| Asks About Bond
Near the close of the fourth day OF
the hearing Senator Chas. G. Ban
CERT, member of the investigating
committee, sought information from
Anders regarding the posting Of the
$4,000 bond by the architects.
Anders said it was not posted unit.
March, 1882, after the state auditor
had refused to honor further vouct-
|ers for the architects, Holabird e.
Root, Chicago. until they filed it.
Bangert pointed out the law requir.
ing posting of bond before any vouch-
ers were paid and asked Anders to
identify several vouchers of more than
81 900 that were paid In the fall o!
1881. Anders identified them.
E. r. Sinkler, investigating commit
tee counsel. and Sen. Bangert exam
ined Anders regarding expense &C.
counts for trips taken by members o!
the capitol commission.
AV,Ao~c that ~ ~oOn;@<,
for various expenses were presented to
show expenditures. He said the men,
bers of the commission listed the ex.
penSeS.
Sinkler quoted from the North Da-
kota laws that receipts were required
and asked why none was shown In
the records. Anders said Geo. L
Bangs. Grand Forks, chairman of the
commission, had told him he thought
the receipts were not necessary.
Various items of expense listed in
the report of the commission were
shown to Anders with the question
whether receipts had been filed to
show the expense. Anders said re-
ceipts had not been filed.
Travel Expenses $5,4O0
do you know the amount Of money
the board paid out without receipts?"
Sinkler asked. AnderS said 1t was
about IS. 400 for travel expense. Sink
Ter wanted to know whether the same
system was being followed now and
Anders said yes.
A $40-a-month allowance to Anders
for use Of his car In connection with
the capitol commission was studied by
the legislative board. Anders told
them the payment was started In Sep
TENDER. 1913 and he paid all the ex-
penses Of upkeep OF the car.
Sen. w. e. Matthaei, chairman Of
the investigating committee, ques-
toned Anders further on publication
Of the report to the governor and why
the commission did not publish the
report in 1882. In previous testimony
Anders said 1t was tor economy pur-
poses.
Further questioning Of Anders con-
cerned Holabird & Root. the question:
naire regarding architects and their
qualifications, and high pressure"
statesmen.
Bangert asked II the audit board
had refused to honor any claims. An
ders said claims in August. 1881, from
w. F. Kurke, Fargo, and J. Bell De-
Remer. North Dakota architects for
the capitol building, had not been ap-
proved by the commission because .
contract had not been signed with
them at that time.
Anders told Bangert, on question
ing. that the QUESTIONABLE Of nine
questions on architect qualifications
had been prepared by . Minneapolis
company at q cost Of 500.
Regarding high pressure" sales
men for architectural companies An
ders said Holabird & Root might have
had q man on the Job after June.
1891, but he was not sure.