EVIDENCE BY WM. H. DRAPIER.
Question. How long have you been compiling these reports?
Answer. Twenty-seven (27) years.
Q. How many reports, on an average, have been furnished each General Assembly?
A. Seventeen hundred and fifty (1,750) copies uniformily, making a fraction over eleven (11) copies to each member of the General Assembly.
Q. Has the General Assembly, by resolution from time to time, since the commencement of the compilation of these Re- page: 644[View Page 644] ports by you, authorized the publishing of and the payment for such reports by the State?
A. Yes, as shown by tabulated statement herewith submitted and marked Exhibit "A," made a part of this answer.
Was there a resolution offered and adopted by the General Assembly of 1881 and 1883, authorizing the publishing and payment of these reports?
A. Yes, as shown by Exhibit "A."
Q. Does the exhibit made and filed by you as a part of answer three (3) show the pages of the Journal of the Legislature from time to time, where such resolutions ocurr.
A. Yes.
Q. Was there at any time since the commencement of the compilation of these reports any contract, written or oral, between you and the State by which you were to compile and furnish such reports to the State, and for which the State agreed to take the same at any stipulated price?
A. Yes, there were a number of contracts as the statement marked "A" will show.
Q. Has there at any time, been any objection on the part of the General Assembly to your appearing on the floor of the House or Senate, and reporting and compiling the reports of the proceedings and debates of the different sessions of the Legislature, in the forms in which the Brevier Reports have been made?
A. Never in all these twenty-seven (27) years.
Q. What has been the uniform price for these reports, and by whom has it been paid?
A. The uniform price paid is two-thirds (⅔) of a cent per page, per copy, and has always been paid by the State.
Q. Do you sell copies of these reports to any person or persons, other than the State?
A. Never, excepting perhaps in a half dozen instances, and then only as a custodian.
Q. Do you mean by the last answer the whole number of volumes published in any one year?
A. No, I mean that I have sold only single copies and I can not now recall but three instances of this kind,--not to exceed perhaps, half a dozen, as stated in my answer to the last question.
Q. Is there any instance in which no price has been fixed for these reports?
A. In every order the price is uniformly stated, as the tabulated statement will show.
Q. What is the reasonable value of these reports?
A. Compared with the compensation received by me for similar services, during my professional life of 35 years, the Brevier Reports are worth more than double the price the State has ever paid me for them.
Q. How much is due you, from the State, for these reports for the year 1879, for the regular and special sessions of the Fifty-first General Assembly?
A. My claim for the regular and special sessions of 1879--volumes 17 and 18--is five thosand six hundred and forty-seven dollars and forty-two cents ($5,647.42).
Q. How much is due you, from the State, for these reports for the year 1881, for the regular and special sessions of the Fifty second General Assembly?
A. My claim for the reguar and special sessions of 1881--volumes 19 and 20--is six thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight dollars and fifty-five cents ($6,888.55).
Q. How much is due you, from the State, for these reports for the year 1883, for the regular session of the Fifty-third General Assembly?
A. My claim for the regular session of 1883--volume 21--is four thousand and eighty-two dollars and thirty-eight cents ($4,082.38).
Q. What did the Court find to be due you for these Reports at the time of adjudication, in the Marion Circuit Court?
A. Thirteen thousand one hundred and ninety-eight dollars and forty-four cents ($13,198.44.)
See Court judgement page 649 this book.
The report of the Committee was concurred in and so 1750 copies of Brevier Reports of this Assembly were ordered.
The claim referred to, [$18,778.81,--see Senate Journal page 398,] as printed by order of the Senate, together with the bill for its payment, (S. 336,) and the favoriable report of the Committee to which they were referred, are as follows:
| The State of Indiana, Debtor, to W. H. Drapier, Stenographic Assembly Reporter: | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For seventeen hundred and twenty-eight copies of the Brevier Legislative Reports of the debates and proceedings of the regular sesion of the Fifty-first General Assembly of the State, volume seventeen, at the price uniformly paid heretofore by the State, two-thirds of a cent per page per copy--252 pages--in compliance with a Senate resoution passed April 16, 1881 and House resolution passed March 5, 1883 | $2,903 04 | ||||||||||||||||||
| For special session, volume eighteen, 106 pages | 1,221 12 | ||||||||||||||||||
| $4,124 16 | |||||||||||||||||||
| For interest on above, 6 years at 6 per cent | 1,484 71 | ||||||||||||||||||
| $5,608 87 | |||||||||||||||||||
| For binding 189 copies for members and officers | $28 35 | ||||||||||||||||||
| interest,--months, at 6 per cent | 10 20 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 38 55 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $5,647 42 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Brought forward | $5,647 42 | |
| For seventeen hundred and twenty-seven copies of the Brevier Legislative Reports, regular session of fifty-second General Assembly, volume nineteen, 290 pages, in compliance with the three resolutions above referred to | $3,338 86⅔ | |
| For special session, volume twenty 182 pages | 2,095 42⅓ | |
| 5,434 29 | ||
| For interest on above, 4 years at 6 per cent | 1,304 22 | |
| $6,738 51 | ||
| Re-binding 200 copies of volumes 17, 18, 19 & 20--covers destroyed by a flood | $20 00 | |
| Interest 4 yrs at 6 ℘ ct | 4 80 | |
| 24 80 | ||
| Paid U. S., American, & Adams Ex. Co.s for expressing bks to members | $51 00 | |
| Interest, 4 yrs @6 ℘ ct. | 12 24 | |
| $63 24 | ||
| For packing and shipping to members & officers, vols. 17, 18, 19 & 20--6,910 volumes--lable-printing, & wrapping, twine, etc | $50 00 | |
| Interest @6ct. | 12 00 | |
| $62 00 | ||
| $6,888 55 | ||
| Total | $12,535 97 | |
| The State of Indiana, debtor, to W. H. Drapier, Stenographic Assembly Reporter. | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For seventeen hundred and fifty copies of the Brevier Legislative Reports, of the debates and proceedings of the Regular Session of the fifty-third General Assembly of the State, Vol. 21, at the price uniformly paid heretofore by the State, two-thirds of a cent per page per copy, 312 pages, in compliance wth Senate and House resolutions, both passed March 5, 1883 | $3,640 00 | ||||||||||||||||||
| For interest on above, two years, at 6 per cent | 442 38 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $4,082 38 | ||||||||||||||||||
| For balance as allowed by the Senate Committee on Claims Forty-ninth General Assembly for Brevier Legislative Reports, as appears on Senate Journal, pp. 700 and 701 | $1,993 60 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Less amount paid that session | 500 00 | ||||||||||||||||||
| $1,493 60 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Interest 6 years at 6 per cent | 537 66 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $2031 26 | ||||||||||||||||||
| For work on Senate Journal, Special Session, 1879 | $95 00 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Interest 6 years at 6 per cent | 34 20 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $129 20 | ||||||||||||||||||
[Total indebtedness $18,778 81.]
