Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Alliance-independent. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1892-1894 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 1892)
jest f -iS " VOL. IV. LINCOLN, NEB., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1892. NO. 14 C01UP1N IPI1I EXPOSED How Corrupt Republican Officials Robbed tho Taxpayers at Norfolk InsanQ Hospital. OFFI0ER3 REFUSE TO INVESTIGATE. An Employee Tells What He Knows About It G. WWilitmson Acw. tiii... cused of Crooked Financial Dealings. A Startling Exposure. Combinations of corrupt men banded tsgether to rob the taxpayers of a great state may succeed for a time in carrying out their nefarious schemes, and coverinsr their tracks. But the day of exposure and retribution is bound to come sooner or later. The day and the hour has now come when the republican boodlers of Nebraska are to bo shown up in their true light Tho exposures made in the following letter may well startle the patriotic people of Nebraska, and make the guily parties quake with fear; but the rottenness hero exposed is trifling, is a mere drop in the bucket, in comparison to the corruption that exists, and per vades the state house and the state in stitutions of Nebraska. This is no idle remark, but a statement based on re-' liable information, which is likely to b3 put in the hands of the people be foro many days pass by. The following letter is in tho main self-exp!anatory. It may bo well to state however, that the appointment of otticia's for tho various insane hospitals is in tho hands of the governor; but the management and authority to invest! gate is in tho hands of the board of public lands and buildings. This man Wilkinson, who by the way was a de faulting treasurer of Dakota county to the tune of several thousand dol ars, was appointed superintendent of the Norfolk hospital by Governor Thayer, and held that place with the approva of the board till removed by Boyd. Tho following letter which is written bv a reliable man who knows wherco ho speaks, shou'd bo read by every ii nnpsf citizen of Nebraska. The acts set forth in my letter at any timJ, and can furnish sworn proof to the most of it:" Yankton, S. D., Sept. 10, '02. S. Edwin Thornton, Editor Alltanck- Indepen dent. I wish to say first that I was em ployed at the Norfolk hospital from Dwcember 10, 1887, until June, 1892, as a i i ' t a 1 . 1 supervisor, l wisn to staio inrougn the columns of your paper to tho tax payers of Nebraska something of tho crookedness in the financial depart ment of the Norfolk hospital for" insane during tho superintendency of G. W. Wilkinson, and that it was known by Commissioner Humphrey and Secre tary Allen and Attorney General Hast ings. About the 1st of June '91 the under signed went to the commissioner of public lands and buildings' office in Lincoln and to tho above named mem bers of the board I told that I had charges to prefer against the manage ment of the Norfolk hospital for insane. They asked me what the charges were, and refused to make the charges there, but told the above named mem bers of the board that I wished them to visit Norfolk hospital, that I wished to make the charges in tho presence of the ones charged. They (Humphrey, Allen and Hastings) agreed that this was tho proper place, and they there and then agreed to 'visit the Norfo'k hospital as soon as Capt. Hill returned from California which would b3 soon. In two or threo weeks after my return from Lincoln I received a letter from Mr. Humphrey saying that the board would visit Norfolk hospital to investi gate the crookedness of said place. It should be remarked that during this time Dr. Hasson, assistant physi cian of said hospital, made two trips to Lincoln with regard to the charges. A little later I received tho se cond letter from Mr. Humphrey saying that the board would bo at Norfolk on tho following Thursday and that they the board wished mo to have my charges against tho management in writing and that they would look after any mis spent money. They failed to come on the day set, but about two weeks la'er the threo named members of the board came to Norfolk staying at tho hospital from about 4 o'clock p. m. un'.il next morn ng at 8 o'clock. They refused to hear my charges a&d said they found tho board,) and it is generally believed that there was a tra le batween tho board and Wilkinson, as tho board wanted re-election. After they had refused to invostigato tho case, I told them many of the charges against Wilkinson, and also placed in their hands the charges in writing. The next day after they had been at Norfolk, tho Omaha Bee said that the stale board had visited Norfolk hospital and found everything all rioht and did not like the course of J. T. Lee. , , ... ,. v The written charges were subs'anti ally as follows: First That he (Wilkinson) had bought or caused to be bought, not less than $50 00 worth of shot gun ammuni tion from C. F. Eiesley and A. Degner of Norfolk and had same charged to the state as so many nails and a stato war rant drawn to satisfy same. Second That Wilkinson and Dr. Hasson went hunting on tha Piatte, and also to the lakes in Cherry coun'y, using this ammunition paid for by tho state, and when thev would return, Wilkinson would buy tho gamo they killed for a sufficient amount to pay the expenses (railroad fare, etc.) of tho trip. No matter how little they got it wou'd have to pay expenses. Tho stew are told me there was ono lot that cost the taxpayers more than 30 cents per pound. Third That .Wilkinson had drawn from tho return patient fund $107.00 and had spent (for sush purpose) but $53.00. Fourth That he had carried persons on the pay roll after they had left tho institution. Fifth That Wilkinson, just before Dr. Summer took hi? placo tho first time, bought a lot of old furnituro from Dr. Hasson for the state, and among this stuff was an old organ uch as would bo bought on tho street any day for from $3 to $8, but it cJst tho tax payers of Nebraska $40.00. Sixth That thero was a wagon and team of horses bought at a cost of $150, for tho express purpose of sending tho children to school, and that there was a man paid $20 per month and board to drive tho children to and from school. Seventh That Wilkinson permitted employes of the institution to gamble for money, Eiglith That Wilkinson kept three horses of his own at the hospital and fed then from the state crib. that such a stato of affairs existrd and would not take stops to renovate things, a duty that they had' held up their hands before God and sworn to do, and now these same gentlemen aro asking for re-election. I will say urther with regard to G. W. Wilkin son that if any ono wisbos to know tho aptness that ho has in. handling other people's money. I will refer them to tho county commissioners of Dakota county, Nebraska. w , Very Respectfully Yours, . Jchn T. Lee. A Great Joint Discussion. It occurred at Milford, Seward county, September . 13. The opera house was crowded. Gsneral Vifquain and "Calamity Bill" Dech, democratic . and independent candidates for con gress, were tho principals. J. Sterling Morton was there under pretense of ex pecting to meet Gen. Van Wyck whom he know would not be there. , Morton was given tlho fhor first. Ho abused and sneered at General Vaa Wyck, gave a stereotyped democratic harangue, and then launched out into abuse of, tho calamity howlers. Ho said they were the unprincipled out casts of other parlies, dishonorable in their designs, and if elected would be a disgrace to the state. Then Vifquain, the polished French- ma?, waded through a so-called argu ment for three quarters of an hour. As a Frccch gentleman, ho is a decided success, but a complete failure as a political rcasoncr. Then came Dech, and tho deafening applause that greeted him showed, not only the renentment felt by tho crowd at Morton's abuse, but the general popularity t f tho people's candidate. He was mast .r of the situation. Treat ing his opponents with too greatest courtesy, he proceeded to tear their sophistry in'a shreds and politically hkin them alive. He discussed the money question maiily, and in a way that carried conviction. Morton squirmed in his scat as point after point of his argument was exposed in its true light. He realized for onco that "calamity" had overtaken him. The arrangement wa3 that Vifquain should close the debate When he tried to ruu in Morton, the crowd would stand no moro. They rose, sshouting and hissing and Morton had to give way amidst the wildest confusion.- When the meeting broke up the cheers for Dech and Van Wyck re sounded on all frides and continued . till th ncoplo had dispersed. ' 4 , 4 f
