The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-02-01
COMMITTEE PROBES
EXPENSE ACCOUNTS
OF EX-MIL|TIA man
Capitol Commission Secretary
Identifies Vouchers Filed
After Trips
LYNGsTAO ALSO TESTIFlEs
Gives Evidence on Bill For .Riv-
srs and Harbors Trip to
Washington
by The Associated Press)

by The Associated Pressl
Three expense vouchers Of q. Angus
Fraser, member Of the North Dakota
capitol commission, were questioned
Wednesday by the legislative investi-
eating committee.
Frank L. Anders, secretary Of the
commission. was called to the stand
first and identified a voucher for
$198.73 which he said Fraser had pre-
sented for q trip from Bismarck to
Baton Rouge, La. to inspect the new
capitol there. He said the trip was
made by car.
Acting Adjutant General Herman
A. Brocopp, subpoenaed to appear,
was called on by e. r. sinkler, In
yestigating committee counsel. to
identify voucher for $225.25 which |
he said Fraser, then adjutant gen.
eral. had presented for trip to New
Orleans for the national guard con-
vention.
]. o. Lyngstad, former deputy state
auditor, then was called to present
and identify voucher drawn on The
Missouri river commission fund for y
trip he said Fraser had taken to
Washington to attend the rivers and
harbors conventions.
Both Brocopp and Lyngstad were
asked by Sinkler whether the period
covered by the vouchers they identi-
fled were the same or partly the
same period as the dates covered in
the voucher for the trip to Baton
Rouge and both answered yes.
Tell Dates Of Vouchers
The voucher on the capitol COM
mission trip covered dates from about
Nov. 10. 1891. to Dec. l. 1881, Anders
said. Brocopp said the voucher he
had showed the trip to the national
guard convention was dated Nov. %,
1881, and Lyngstad answered the
Missouri river commission fund
voucher showed dates from Dec. 5 to
II, 1881.
The vouchers were admitted in evil
dence.
Sinkler then read from letter re-
ceived by the investigating commit
tee from Former Attorney General
James Morris, regarding Aaron T.
Jahr, Grand Forks, and his connec-
ton with the capitol commission in |
q legal capacity.
Morris wrote the committee that
he had declined to name Jahr spe-
cial assistant attorney general at the |!
request Of Geo. L. Bangs. Grand |
Forks, member of the capitol commits |
sion, saying it was not necessary. He |
told the capitol commission his office |
would furnish any legal advice neces.
Sary for the commission.
Morris wrote he did not advise or |
suggest Jahr as legal advisor nor |
have advised hts appointment since |
then"
Anders was asked whether the COM
missions report Of Dec. I, 1882, had |
mentioned the building Of the capt. !
tol as "relief measure" Anders |
answered "yes." He was asked |
whether there were many contracts |
let to North Dakota men and said |
mot many"
Brick VI. Stone
Sinkler inquired whether there was |
any discussion on the use Of brick |
and stone for the capitol. The In
vestigating committee counsel read |
from the minutes Of the commission |
q letter from Joseph Bell DeRemer,
enc Of the state architects. in which |
DeRemer was emphatic in his sup !
port Of the use Of brick instead Of |
stone.
DeRemer, in the letter. opposed use
OF stone because he felt stone dis
colored too much and he did not |
want the building to look as If 1t had
stood 200 years when completed"
He wrote that use Of North Dakota |
brick would give North Dakota men
work while stone would not.
The plumbing contract for the
capitol was studied as Sinkler asked !!
Anders II the Iowa company holding |
It had ever filed the required bond. |
Anders said there was no bond but
that the company had supplied the
commission with certified check for
$500 from . Cedar Rapids bank. |
Stnkler asked II the bank was still |
operating. Anders said he thought 90. !
Anders said one bond had BEEN
submitted by the contractor but It |
had been rejected. sinkler inquired
II 1t was rejected because Mr.. Muir |
ply Of Bismarck" had not written Il. |
Anders said he did not know. einkler |
asked II Murphy wrote all the other i
bonds. Anders replied "yes."
w. +. Kurke. Fargo architect, was |
recalled to the stand and examined
concerning letters he had written to |
North Dakota contractors regarding
bids submitted to Lundofs. Bickuell,
general contractors Of Chicigo. He |
said he had tried to aid the state
men In getting contracts.
Accused Of sChiseling'
Sinkler asked II the North Dakota
contractors thought Lundoff -Bicknell |
were 'chiselers' in trying to get low
prices for work. Kurke answered he |
had heard the state men thought 80. |
He said his letter regarding decorat-
ing bids was not meant to ''chisel."
He said he might have written one
letter to . Moorhead, Mimi, man
because I'VE feel that Moorhead Is . |
part Of Fargo"
Continued GA peSs severn
|