THE ALLIANCE-INDEPENDENT.
THAT INVESTIGATION.
Eewick'i Chargei Pally Confirmed
Other Damaging Pacts Brought
. Oirt-Boyd Writes a Letter-
TWO MEH FLEE FROM THE STATE
The Board Recommends That a Grand
Jury Be Called Some Counts
- Against the State Officers.
The fcpccch made by Hon E. C. R'.w
ir-k nn St t. 27th came to the remibl:-
- x
can party like a "clap of thunder from
a clear sky' They wore just congratu
lating themselves en the prospect of
getting through the campaign without
having any of their corruption shown
up, but that bright prospect was sud
. denly dispelled. Mr. Bewick's speech
was the sensation of the campaign. It
caused the hearts of the republican
office-holders to grow sick, while their
knees smote together with fear. So
soon as they partially recovered their
wits they looked about them for means
to stay the on-coming disaster.
"Ah, then and there was hurrying to
-and fro.
And whispering . with white lips,
'the foej they come," they come." '
. ( But for once their magic gall desert
"ed them. They could think of nothing
on-the spur of the moment, but to grasp
their old weapons, slander and vitu
peration, and attack the author of their
troubles. Hence they hurled at Rew-
ick's devoted head Eucti missiles, as
"disreputable character,"udisappointed
office seeker," "black-mailer," etc But
all In-vain, f The news'flew. The peo
ple talked and shook their heads. They
did not care so much about Mr. .Rewick
'as the truth of his' nharyea. Then
0 ,
came Governor Boyd's letter demand
ing an investigation. Something had
to be done.
At last the members of the board
shook off their consternation sufficient
ly to call au investigation. Mr. Rew
ick came before '.the board and in a
straight forward candid way laid be
fore them an array of evidence which
as he said, was enough to send more
than one man to the penitentiary.
Then Attorney-general Hasting under
took to bulldoze Mr. Rewick and sig
nally failed. . There was nothing left
for the board to do but to call the wit
nesses Mr. Rewick named and proceed
with the investigation.
Fortunately for the guilty parties,
the investigation had to be adjourned
for a week 4 on account - of Governor
Boyd's absence. During that week
what scheming was done will perhaps
never be known by any save those who
did it. At any fate when the investi
gation was resumed Oct. 13, it was dis
covered that two of the
GUILTY MEN HAD FLED
to parts unknown. Frank Hubbard,
the man directly charged with the
crooked work in the cattle purchases
was nowhere to be found: and the same
was true of Gorham Betts the man who
had the coal contract. That these men
fled solely on their own account is ab
'surd. They were undoubtedly conceal-
- ' 1 . 1 . it. . A A i IV
jed or raiiroaaea out. oi we smiwj in me
interest of the men who had used them
. as-pliant tools in robbing the stato.
Then it appeared that a change had
" cme over the board itself. The mem-
"hera seemed more . resigned to their
ate and made very little effort to hin
der the witnesses from telling what
they knew.
It is not necessary to repeat the evi
dence submitted. One - after another
the charges of Mr. Rewick were taken
up. The witnesses appeared, and ful
ly confirmed the charges. Only in one
or two minor points were his charges
disproven, while a large number of
equally damaging facts, not exposed by
Mr. Rewick, vvtro brought to light
And all this in spite of the fact that
several of the most important witnesses
ubaolutely refused to testify, and some
others testified in tuch a way as to
shield i he guilty parties.
Dr. Knapp and Dan Lau!r with their
attorney made great efforts to throw
the blame on Hubbard who had fled;
that they failed is amply shown by the
report of the board.
The investigation continued through
the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th.
Right hero let it b3 said that great
credit is due
. GOVERNOR BOYD.
Indeed there is a strong popular sus
picion that the whole investigation
would have proved a farce and a white
wash if it had not been for Mr. Boyd
He took a place among the questioners
at the investigation and made a most
vigorous and determined effort to get
the wholo truth from every witness. It
is an open secret among those who at
tended the 'investigation, thai; the
governor was several times on the
point of dismisslng the whole affair
and calling a grand jury. Undoubtedly
the knowledge of this fact caused the
members of the board to give reluctant
aid in bringing out the facts.
The recommendations of the board
were mo doubt shaped if not forced by
the following
LETTER FROM GOVERNOR BOYD.
Lincoln, Neb., Oct. 14, 1892. Gen
tlemen of the board. Though I have
no voice in your deliberations, I have
been attending all the sessions of this
investigation in my capacity as execu
tive of the state, and officially interest
ed in its proceedings. It is evident to
me that the sittings could be prolonged
indefinitely; but, inasmuch as this
board has no power to compel the at
tendance of witnesses, nor to compel
witnesses to produce books or papers
and as some of the most important
witnesses have left the state, and inas
much as the board has no power to pun
ish guilty parties or compel them to
refund to the state moneys unlawfully
in their possession, I deem it proper
that I state at thte ' stage of the pro
ceeding that sufficient testimony has
already been produced to convince me
that the whole affair should be made
the subject of an investigation by a
grand jury; and I further declare it my
purpose as governor of the state to
bring the same to the attention of the
prosecuting attorney of Lancaster coun
ty. Very respectfully,
James E. Boyd, Governor.
To A. H. Humphrey, Chairman.
In accordance with this suggestion
of the governor, the investigation was
cut short, and the following report
submitted:
the board's report.
Lincoln, Neb., Oct. 15, 1892. rHon.
James E. Boyd, Governor of the State
of Nebraska.' Dear Sir: We have the
honor to submit for your consideration
a report of our findings, as well as the
testimonv taken in the matter of inves
tigating alleged irregularities in the
management of the hospital for the in
sane at Lincoln, Neb. The , investiga
tion was besrun on the eta day of Octo
ber, 1892, and was concluded on the 15th
dav of October. 1892. As you will ob
serve, the fullest latitude was given all
witnesses and counsel. Much of the
testimony is hearsay and irrevelant,
but as we are seeking light upon the
several sumects . under consideration,
we deemed, best that no check or re
straint be placed upon the testimony
offered.
First. We find that from the 7th day
of December 1886, to the 23rd day of
reoruary, iw Ur. William M. Knapp
was the superintendent of said iDsane
hospital, and that during all of said
timeJ D. Laoer was the s'evrard.
That among other things it is the du
ty of the superintendent to employ all
attendants, servants and such other
persons as he deems necessary for the
efficient management of the hospl'al,
to have entire control or the medical,
moral and die tic trea'ment of the pa
tients, and to see that the several offi
cers of the institution faithfully dis
charge the duties respectively assigned
to them.
Second. We find that it is the duty
of the steward, under the direction of
the superintendent, but not otherwise,
to make all purchases of supplies for
the hospital, to keep the accounts.
make engagements with, pay and dis
charge employes, and personally super
intend the farm, garden, grounds,
stock, etc., etc.
Ihird. 1 hat the supplies of all kinds
are purchased, as far as practical, un
der the contract system, that is to the
lowest bidder, under the direction of
the steward, and that when money is
drawn in payment of supplies, furnish
ed vouchers are first signed by the
party furnishing the supplies in tripli
cate, one of which goes to the auditor,
one to the board of public lands and
buildings and one to the superintend
ent of the hosptal. On the voucher
that comes to the board of public lands
and buildings the superintendent
makes a certificate in the following
form: "I certify that the within ac
count is just and correct and that it is
a necessary and proper expense and has
not been paid."
lhls is signed by the superintendent
and this is the bill upon which the
board is required to act on the payment
of hi Is
Fourth. We find that when Dr.
Knapp entered upon the discharge of
his duties as such superintendent he
employed one Frank Cir. Hubbard and
that that said Hubbard continued in
hs employ as farm boss and butcher so
long as Knapp continued in charge of
said hospital, and for sometime there
after under the instruction of Dr. .bow
man and it was the habit and custom
of said Hubbard, with the knowledge
of the superintendent and steward, to
purchase cattle for the nse' of the
hospital and to slaughter the same.
That it was his practices in some in
stances to induce the persons of whom
he bought animals to sign vouchers in
blank and afterward fill them up at a
sum far in excess of the sum actually
paid for the same and the difference
appropriated to his own use. These
raised vouchers were each duly certified
by the superintendent to this board as
just and correct. Of these raised
vouchers discovered by this board were
the following: ;
J. P. Higgms, voucher $4od.l5 ac
tually received, $370 15.
G. A. Southwell, voucher $105, ac
tually received, $75 75.
11. A. Smith, voucher ssis.io, actually
received. $25.
G. P. Loose, voucher $89, actually
received $20.
Frank Abbott, voucher $43.75, actu
ally received, $28.
U. W. Kaufman, voucher $oo, actually
received $22.
Benjamin Safford, voucher $66.25,
actually received, $42.
These sums evidenced by these cer
tified vouchers were paid by the state,
as is proven by the warrants intro
duced in evidence. The vouchers nor
anything else presented to this board
at the time they were allowed, indi
cated any raising or other juggling
with the accounts. They were pre
sented to this board fair on their face,
and regular in every particular, duly
certified by the officer whose duty
it was to examine these accounts and
certify to the board the amount justly
due.
Fifth. We find that the amount of
coal purchased at the hospital during
the year 1891 and up to the month of
May, 1892, has been in excess of the
actual amount used, and that there has
been mismanagement of the part of the
officers of the hospital regarding the
coal supply. We were unable to probe
the matter to the bottom for several
reasons, all of which must be apparent
to yourself, as you were present during
the examination, among which, how
ever, is that the board has no fund at
its command f r persons or papers.'
Sixth. Other irregularities in the
purchase of supplies, the making and
certifying of vouchers to the board, and
in permitting subordinates to make
contracts and handle voucher have
appeared in the evidence.
We therefore recommend that a
searching investigation be held before
a court of c mpetent jurisdiction of the
several matters hereinbefore referred
to at as early date as practicable, to tau
end that all money unlawfully obtained
from the sta'e may be recovered and
all panies who have defrauded the
state be brought to justice.
A. R. Humphrey,
John C. Allen, : ' . .
J. E. Hill,
George H. Hastings,
Board of Bublic Lmds and Buildings.
Homes and Irrigated Farms, Gardens
and Orchards in the Celebrated Bear
River Valle f on the Main Lines oi the
Union Pacific and Central Pacific R. R.
near Corinne and Sgden, Utah.
Splendid location for business and in
dustries of all kinds in the well known
city of Corinne, situated in the middle
of the valley en the Central Pacific R.S.
The lands of the Bear River valley are
now thrown open to settlement by the
construction of the mammoth' system of
irrigation from the Bear lake ad river,
just completed by the Bear River Carnal
Co., at a cost of $8,008,000. Tk com
pany controls 100,000 acres of these fine
anas and owns many lots aad busineu
locations in the city of Corinne, and la
now prepared to sell oa easy terms to
settlers and colonies. The climate, soil,
and irrigating facilities are pronounced
unsurpassed by competent judges whe
declare the valley to be the Paradise of
the Farmer, Fruit Grower and Stock
Raiser. N ice social surroundings, rood
schools and churches at Coriinc City,
and Home Markets exist for every kind
of farm and garden produce ii the
neighboring cities of Ogde and Salt
Lake, and in the grsat mining camps.
Lands will be shown from the local of
fice &t the Company at Corinse. 15tf
AUCTIONEERS.
Z S. BRANSON,
WAVERLY, NEB.
LIVE STOCK AUCTIONEER.
Makes gales in Nebraska and other states Best
of references. Fourteen years experience.
Prices reasonable, correspondence solicited and
satisfaction auaranteed,
BISCHEL BROS.
FOR SALE.
Long deep bodied
U.S. P.O.
PICS.
Good color, short legs,
broad back, good feet
ind head. Alliance
prices, satisfaction
guaranteed 13tf
Kearney, Neb.
"t Furnas Co. Herd,
I, t ri rnTTrni
- biii Burma.
m&WrmJ BEAVER CITY, NEB.
Thoroughbreds exclusively. All ages, either
sex. Sows bred. Stock guaranteed as repre
sented. Prices right. Mention this paper.
H. S. WILLIAMSON, Prop'r.
J. M. ROBINSON
KEJiESAW, ADAMS CO., KEB.
Breeder and 6hip
per of recorded Po- fT
land umna nogs.
Choice breedi
stock for sale.
Write for wants
Mention Alliance
L. H. SUTER s
tfelierh. Neb. 3 -
Breeder of fancy Po-k
land China swine f
and V. "R. fnwls Ma.l
ioritv of Dies sired winw
by Free Trades Best, remainder by Paddys Chip
and Lytles Dandy. Free Trades Best is sired by
Free Trade, the great show hog that was Bold
for $800, being the highest priced hog In ex
istence. Had a full sister to Free Trade In my ,
herd lor 3 years and have many fine sows from
Iter, v L.H SUTER.
