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About The Alliance-independent. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1892-1894 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 6, 1892)
THE ALLIANCE -INDEPENDENT. 7 TEAT INVESTIGATION. Mr. Bewick Appeared Before the Board of Public Lands and Buildings and Proved His Charges- Affidavits Produced Names of Men Having Information Given A Cass of Forgery Hastings a Bull-Dozer. Shortly after ten o'clock on Wednes day morning:, October 5, the investiga tion into the management of the Lin coln insane asylum began in the secre tary of state's office. All members of the board of public lands and buildings were present, and took their places as members of the court of investigation. Pan Lauer and Dr. Knapp were present and had C. O. Whedon, the well known pettifogging bull-dozer to act as their attorney. Mr. E. C. Bewick was thtsre to tell what he knew and had Lawyer Whitmore to assist him. Mr. Rewick was put on the stand He proceeded to lay before tho board the facts in regard to the purchase of beef cattle for the asylum by Lauer and Hubbard. He also stated that he had affidavits from a number of tho farmers who had sold the cattle stating how much they had received. The board wanted him to place these affidavits on file as evi dence. This Mr. Rewick refused to do. He offered to show them to the board on condition that they be returned to him, or permit copies to be msde. The following affidavits were submitted: State of Nebraska, Lancaster county, ss. : G. A. Southwell being first duly sworn, deposes and says: That on or about the 13th day of July, 1891, he sold to the asy'um three bead of cattle, that the weight Of said cattle was 2,910 pounds, .aud the price 2b cents per pound: that the fcuai re ceived by me was $72.75. G. A. Soutii WELL Subscribed and sworn to this 5 h day of September, 1891, in my presence. Seal. William Q. Bell, Notary Public. State of Nebraska, Lancaster county, ss. : J. E. Reynolds, being duly sworn, deposes and says: That on or abut Juy 17. 1891, he delivered to the insane asylum four beeves, that the weight of said beeves was 4,080 pounds, that t ha price paid was 2$ ceQts per pound and the amount pa'd $102. J. E Reynolds. Subscribed and sworn to before me this 11th day of September, A. D., 191. Seal A. D. Borgelt, Notary Public. State of Nebraska. Lancaster county, ss.: Frank Abbott, being by me first dulj sworn, upon his oath, deposes and says: That on or about July 6, 1891, he sold and delivered to tho insane asylum one b'ief cow, that the check given him for said cow was $28, the sum being drawn on the Capital National bank of Lin coln. Neb, that the above described cow wis the one left in his pasture by ( n E. C. Rjwick on July 5, 1891. Frank Abbott. Subscribed and sworn to before me thi 29th day of September, 1891. S?al. M. Howe, Clerk. By William M. Gn.Lis, His Deputy. These men had received their pay from the cattle buyer for the aylum, which in most cases was Frank Hub bard, and had signed vouchers in blank. These vouchers, which are on file in the state house, make the follow ing show'n?: First. That of G. A. Southwell dated July 13, 1891, is made out for three beeves, weight 3,000 pounds, price 3j cents, and calls for $105 instead of $72.75 wti3h Southwell swears he re ceived. n Second. Thitof J E. Reynolds dated "July 17, 1891, is made out for four baeves, weight 4,200 pounds, price 3 Ciots, and calls for $147 instead of $102, which Reynolds swears he received. Third. That of Frank Abbott dated July 6 1891, is made out for one beef, and calls for $43.75 instead of $23, which is the sum mentioEed in Mr. Abbott's affidavit. Mr. Rewick then went on to state a number of other cases of a similar nature giving tho Information which he had secured from men who had sold the cattle to the asylum, but had not furnished him with affidavits. Attorney General Hastings and Whedon then took turns in cross-questioning Mr. Rewick and trying to bull doze and browbeat him. When Mr. Rewick was pressed to give the names of other men who had furnished him information he refused to give them, and offered as a reason the same that he gave for refusing to turn over the or'ginal affidavits, viz: That this was not the proper court to try this. Whenever a case was brought against the men charged, in the proper court, which would bo the district court, he would submit all his eviden ce?, and he would bring tho witnesses to prove all ho charged. He said the b?aid had no power to summon wit nesses or compel them to testify, nor any right to pay them witness fees. Hence it would be impossible for him to compel witnesses to testify to the facts he hai stitidunb.s they choj3 to, During the cross-examination Mr. Rewick stated as a further reason that he did not think this board a compe tent tribunal to pass judgment on this case inasmuch as they were charged with guilt in being grossly negligeat in the performance of their duties. Hastings and Whedon seemed anx ious to break tho force of Rewick's testimony by making it appear that he spoke entirely from hears iy. Mr. Rewick s.ated on this point that he had received a 1 his informa'ion as well as the affidavits from other parties, that he had no personal knowledge of the matters except in the ca-e of the cow he had left w i h Abbott to sell. Abbott had sold the cow for $28, and tHo voucher hnd called for $43.75 He had had an interview with Hubbard and Lau, r Hubbard had tried to explain the mat ter and had offered him a check for $15 75 to make up the difference, but he had refused it. The foliowing are extracts from the ross examination: Mr. Whedon hnve you been pid anything for making these speech s? Mr. Rewick I have not. I made my first speech at the Leasing opera house an1 I paid for the holism mvself. Mr. Whedon have you had any talk with anyone in regard to making these speeches made any arrangement with aay person or committee? Mr. Rewick I am posi ive that I have conversed with no one in r?gard to the matter, with possibly one exception. I was told by a prominent republican that I could have employment in the cam paign. Mr. Whedon Now, Mr. Rewick, do you mean to testify that you have cf your own certain knowledge anything concerning the mismanagement of the asylum? Mr. Rewick I refuse to sny. I con sulted with County Attorney Snell last week about the matter and informed him that I was ready at any tioao t. make information. Mr. Whedon Will you swear to an information against the parties against whom you have made these charges? Mr. Rewick I will not swear to the information myself. I will agree to furnish parties who will swear tothf-m. Mr, Whedon Have you any personal knowledge that any voucher has been "raised" or fraudulently treated? Mr. Rewick I will name one voucher which, if you will have produced with in two minuits, I wi.l prove to have been frauduently signed The board did not produce the vouch er, but Mr. Rewick went on to state that it was a voucher to which the name of John R. Roscowas signed. Mr. Rosco is a farmer and an Alliance man living near Danton. Mr. Rewick said Mr. Rosco had never signed the vouch er nor authorized anyone to sign it for him, and that the signature was not his hand writing. Mr. Whedon then tried to pry into Mr. Rewick's private affairs but he didn't make any point. Under further cross examination Mr. Rewick affirmed that at the proper time he could bring witnesses to prove his charges about that oats ani cattle deal'in which llathwayof tho Journal is implicated, also tho "fine colt" deal. He had learned by telephone where one of the missing mares from the asylum farm is at tho present time, but did not wish to say more until he had seen bis informant in person. After the examication was over Mr. Rewick demanded that the voucher be produced so that he could compare them with the affidavits. This was re fused and the board took a recess till after dinner. When the afternoon session began, Lawyer Whltmore repeated the demand that the vouchers bo produced, and they were brought in. They proved just as Mr. Rewick had stated, i Mr. Rewick then said that having considered tho matter further, ho had decided to give the board a list of names of persons from whom he had secured information. He gave tho following and asked that they bo brought before the board: The witnesses are the Burlington & Missouii Railroad Co., or tho officer or employe having charge of tho switch ing records or books showing the num ber or quantity of cars switched to the asylum last year; Gorham F. Betts, formerly a member of the firm of Betta & Weaver, that last year had tho coal contract; W. H. Weaver the other member; John Dorgan, representative of tho Whitebreast Coal Co; Haas, the teamster who unloaded the coa1; Wil liam Randall, former delivery man for Betts & Weaver, who now lives atOrd; Dr. Bowman, euperintennent at asylum; Fred Race, book keeper; Campbell G)ok and Henry Mohlers; engineers at that institution; Oscar A. Mullen, cl erk d i s trie t con r t of Lancaster cou n ty ; F. C. Hass and B. G. Safford of Yankee Hill Governor Boyd's privato secretary then came before the bord and stated tluit Mr. Boyd wished to bi present at the invt stisation as ho had matters to lay before the board. In as much as he was absent from the city the investiga tion was adjourned till Monday. Meetings. The independents of Lincoln have held a series of good meetings in vari oui parts of the city, and have done much effective work. Prcf. Rork, of Oregon, I N. Leonard, Mart Howe, W. F. Wright, Hon. Jerome Shamp, W. L. Cundiff and others have been out making speeches both in city and country, and doing much to arouse nnd educate the people. Other meetings should b3 arranged for at ones and every effort made to stir up tho voters to the importance of acting in their own interests. There's over a month yet in which to win votes. Tax-payers, how do you like the way republican office-holders handle your money? Egoxeston can't carry his own pre cinct. Leonard will beat him out of sight right in his own home. The farmers of this county want no Moore in tho state senate. They have had enough money loaners. The Van Wyck club meets at inde pendent headquarters at tho Lindell every Thursday evening. Turn out enjoy the meetings. One of the first things the legislature should do next winter is to get back that school land that Joe Burns helped steal from the state not long ago. R T. Chambers is one of the most worthy and reliable farmers in tie county. He is making a good fight for election, and we believe he will prove a winner. J. M. Meduins statds well with the laboring men of Lincoln and they are rallying to his support. The farmers will stand by him t;o, and he U going to get there. A CONTEMPTIBLE DODGE. Mr. Whitehead, m In his ridiculous attack on the independent members of the last legislature, says they stuck to tho Newberry bill, when they might have passed tho Stevens bill, and it would have become a law. The Kear ney Hub takes up the same idea and speaks as follows: 'The i adoption of the Stevens bill would have settled the railroad rate question to the satisfaction of all classes, but that was not what tho independent politicians wanted, because the settle ment of that and a few other questions would have left themall without a job." This charge is not only ridiculous, it Is trifling and contemptible. What reason can any one have for assuming that the Steven3 bill would not have suffered tto same fate a? the Newberry bill? It was substantially tho samo thing. Except In the matter of rates i was more radical than tho Newberry b 11. Did Boyd ever say any thing to indicate that he would have signed tho Stevens bill? Did any of tho republi can or demccratic senators who opposed the ono ever offer to support the other? They moved several substitutes for the Newberry bill, but did they ever move the Stevens bill as a substitute? Two years ago the republican plat form contained tho following plank on railroads: Wo demand the reduction of freight and passenger ratfr s oa railroads to correspond with rates now prcf ailing in adjacent states to the Mississippi. ThU was supposed to mean Iowa rates, which the republicans had repeatedly prorai-icd. Tho Newberry bill profil ed for Iowa rates. Yet the republicans fought it to the end, and by the most desperate and disgraceful means. Yet these trilling, contemptible hypocrites now try to saddle the blame on the nd- pendents! Now we would like to ask the Hub, and Mr. Whitehead, and others of their ilk some questions: , ' Why didn't some republican member introduce a bill in accordance with the platform of his party? Why didn't tho republican party which had an over-w helming majority in every previous legislature pass good railroad bill? Why were Agee bill, and Meiklejohn's bill and half dozen other good railroad bills killed in the legislature of 1887? Why was Hall's bill killed in the legislature of '89? None of these billsjvas so radical as the Stevens bill. Still Mr. White head says: 'Now say- that if any party that ha3 ever existed had ever went before the people at such a time as this and made such promises, giving such pledges, and so utterly failing to fulfil them as they did, that they would be buried so deep 'ncath the waves of public indig nation that they would never again rise to the surface to deceive the peo ple." We agree with the sentiment. But it must be applied to the republican pirty. No other party in Nebraska fills the bill. Aud it is the party that o i the 8th of next November ''will be burled so deep 'ncath the waves of public indignation that they will never again rise to the surface to deceive the people." ". It does but little good for .indepen dent editors to put out campaign mat ter so long as it reaches only the inde pendent voters. " Independents who have the cause at heart t hould put re form papers ard books into the hands of men who need to be aroused and educated. The Eee in Breaking of Nel riska as a wheat state a few days ago spoke of the wheat crop being 18 million bushels. This accords exactly with our efctimat;,
