PostOffice Contract at Portsmouth Awarded
Article taken from The Lima News, December 20, 1934
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 --(AP) ---The treasury announced today the contract for construction of a new post office at Portsmouth, O., had been awarded P.W. Johnson Construction Co. of New Martinsville, W. Va, for $190,000.
A contract for installation of an electric freight eleyator and electric dumb walter in the in the building was awarded to the Capital Lift Manufacturing Co., of Columbus, O., at $3,945
Fraud Charged On Postoffice Building Bid
Article taken form the Lima News, February 22, 1935
Portsmouth, O., Feb. 22---(AP) The government hunted a fourth man today to round out its charge that a construction company obtained a contract to build the postoffice here by fraudulent means.
P.W. Johnson, of New Martinsville, William Dow Johnson, of Circleville, and Orville Setters, of Portsmouth, pleaded not guilty before U.S. Commissioner John F. Johnley yesterday and were released on bond. All were charged with conspiracy to defraud the government.
The government charged that the Johnson Construction Co., headed by P.W. Johnson, mailed its bid of $188,900 for construction of the building on Dec. 1, but had it predated "Nov. 29. 1 p.m." at the Garrison, Ky., postoffice.
In this way, the government alleged, the company delayed submitting its bid until bids of other firms had been opened. Canney, at Cincinnati, said that P. Cany, at Cincinnati, said the P. W. Johnson was present when the rival bids were opened in washington and told federal officials he could not understand why his bid had not been received.
U.S. Marshal Robert Hughes said a fourth warrant has been issued for Melvin Johnson, brother of WIlliam Dow Johnson.
The Johnson firm is now completing postoffice projects at Sebring and Urichsville, O., and recently completed a $40,000 addition to the postoffice at Chilliothe, O.
2 Held To Federal Jury On Charges Of Fraud
Article taken from Lima News, March 13, 1935
Portsmouth, Mar. 13 --- (AP) Charged with conspiracy to defraud the government, P. W. Johnson and Dow Johnson were held to the federal grand jury by U.S. Commissioner John F. Johnley. The government charges the Johnson Construction Co., fraudulently obtained a contract to build a $188,000 postoffice here.
3 Surrender To Stand Trial On Fraud Charges
Article taken from Lima News, April 7, 1935
Covington, Ky., April 6---(AP) Three men surrendered here today to face secret indictments charging they attempted to defraud the government.
They are accused of awaiting the opening of bids for construction of a new postoffice at Portsmouth, O., and of then sending in a low, pre-dated bid that won them the contract.
The men are P. W. Johnson, head of a New Martinsville, W. Va., construction company; his brother, William D. Johnson of Circlevill, O.; and Orville E. Setters of Garrison, Ky.
Surrendering to S. W. Stacey, clerk of the U.S. district court here, they provided the bonds of $5,000 each demanded of them. They are to appear to plead to the indictments before District Judge H. Church Ford on Monday.
No action was taken, the opening of the sealed indictments disclosed, against Beatrice D. Staton, employe of the Garrison postoffice, who told United States commissioner in a hearing at Portsmouth that it was she who pre-dated the envelope containing the Johnson company bid.