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Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 12

Publication:
Tampa Bay Timesi
Location:
St. Petersburg, Florida
Issue Date:
Page:
12
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

St. Patmbyrq Tlmti, Tutvdoy, May I. 1U4 putimi had been turned over to Tarn Ilere'i a day by-day, week- by-week account of how The Tinu U'M (ha 1VJ PlllitKaP ri A Team Effort i Stefan A The Turnpike series which won the rulitzrr Prize In- volved in some measure almost the entire ClO-man Timet ataff pressmen, atereotypera, prlntera and many othera tuuur. sonata in aaauwn to writers, pnoiogTapnen ana eanon. owiw who were deply Involved over a period of many werka 1 deserve apeclal recognition.

These include reporters Martin It U'alrimn I If Vna rVm Mpllclflfihn and John Gardner: Warren Pierce, chief editorial writer; Parole Oram, pic- ture editor; Johnnie Evans, Bob Hannah. Dick Barrett, Fred Victorin and Cliff Meyers, photographers; and Frank Peters, artist Opsra1 tSTjudae Uoses mmi. in i 2iJro r.tfnw- FOf iinii Hammer Agrees mj diifbiy 'imwifirimz JCtosesBooksioj-; 11 Turnpike Investors' Names i art-- r- mm Cf urrw in Tab: $m00O. fke Board ln ii mi mit. on an aw f.

aitf 4. MK1 none Now pa attorney. March II, 1963 Judge rwi. llpa objetia to the nine-day statement and reveals the Vt books "were stolen out of my airplane." March 22, 196J Turnplka authority books are closed to Times reportera for the aecond time. A committee of the Legislative Council recommends passage of a law requiring atate audita of the Authority March 23, 1963 The Timej sends a telegram to Gov.

Bryant, remmainx mm oi uammrri pledge to keep the records open and asking Bryant to re-open the records. March 21, 1963 Turnpike construction Is behind achedule, The Times reports. Turnpike files remain closed, Hammer hasn't furnished his promised Information, the logbook still is missing. Gardner explores the reason bond money cost Florida and Its cities so much. March 23, 1963 Waldron reports Authority strategy is to avoid legislative investigation by saying a state audit Is under way.

Auditors said they would need "a couple more months," until after the Legislature adjourned. March 26, 1963 In a meet ing kept secret from The Times, the Authority agrees to buy "Two Gun Charlie" from Judge Phillips under a credit-for-rent-al deal. It also okays Hammer's mileage arrangement March 27, 1963 Gov. Bryant opens Turnpike Authority records to The Times. March 28, 1963 Gov.

Bryant announces Hammer's resigna-tion as Turnpike Authority chairman, calling It "voluntary." Rep. Karl said Hammer's resignation shouldn't halt a probe of the authority. March 29, 1963 State Sen. Scott Kelly of Lakeland suggests the Authority be abolished and its work turned over to the State Road Department. March SO, 1963 Gov.

Bryant names State Road Board Chairman John R. Phillips (no relation to the judge) to serve as Turnpike Authority chairman. Judge Phillips promised to let The Times see his plane's log book as soon as he gets it. March 31, 1963 The Times includes an analysis of the Turnpike Authority in its biennial booklet of issues facing the Legislature. The Authority meets for the first time without Hammer and agrees to limit travel expenses.

April 1, 1963 The Times renews its request for information from the Authority, asking new chairman Phillips to provide details promised by Ham mer. April 2, 1963-Chairman Phil lips agrees to write banks, asking them to furnish The Times names of persons who redeemed original Turnpike bonds. Phillips said the Authority had no legal right to seek disclosure of the names. Judge Phillips makes "Two Gun Charlie's" logbooks available for inspec tion. April 3, 1963 The Times documents that the authority paid rental for flights made on days the plane never left the ground.

The State Cabinet okays purchase of the plane. April 4, 1963 The Times reports a special compilation made for it shows Florida cit-. JZFs Legacy- 'k unnj ,1 1,1,1 VIUII Hlllf I Prize (or mrrltorlus public acrv- Ire. DECEMBER. 1962 Martin Waldron, Tallahassee bureau chief for The Times, receive a Inns distance telephone call from a man who wouldn't five his name.

The caller says he might have information for Wal- dron. February, 1963 The aa me man phones again, identifies himself as an employe of the Florida State Turnpike Authority. Waldron meets the man in a Tampa hotel on a Sunday night. He hears a story of unchecked spending by Turnpike Authority members. FEBRUARY 28.

1965 Waldron begins checking the fiscal affairs of the Turnpike Authority in its Fort Lauderdale headquarters. Reporter Jack Nease begins a series of Interviews In Clearwater with Circuit Court Judge Charles M. Phillips based on information aupplied by Waldron. MAROI 1. 1963 Waldron Is refused access to Turnpike Authority records after the third day of his probe.

He files suit to force open the records. A Circuit Court judge orders the authority to open its records or explain why it won't. MARCH 1963 In a front page Sunday report, The Times outlines the position held by the Turnpike Authority and the absence of controls established for other state agencies. Turn pike Authority Chairman John M. Hammer, who had ordered the books closed to Waldron, agrees to open them again.

MARCH 4, 1961 Hammer agrees to a Times request he make available a list of all per sons who owned bonds re deemed in refinancing the $157 million Turnpike bond Issue, names of holders of new bonds sold to build a Turnpike ex tension, names of consultants and engineers retained by the Authority and the names of per sons from whom the authority had purchased property. March 5, 1963 The Times prints Hammer's pledge and cites a story which -appeared in December. 1961, noting the jump in Turnpike bonds from $87 per $100 to $103.50, plus $3.25 interest, after news of the refinancing came out. March 6, 1963 Waldron writes from Fort Lauderdale that more than 10 per cent of the original bonds were redeemed for the $103.50 plus $3.25 interest at a Tallahassee bank. Other staffers begin checking activities of an airplane known as "Two Gun Charlie." March 7, 1963 Pinellas County Commission Chairman John Bonsey reveals Hammer met with Pinellas officials and land owners Feb.

28 to talk about refinancing the toll Sun- Sen. Mathews Wires His Congratulations MIAMI (UPI) Sen. John E. Mathews Jr. of Jacksonville wired congratulations yesterday to the St.

Petersburg Times, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for its article on the refinancing of the Sunshine State Parkway. Mathews, who has the backing of the newspaper in his campaign for governor, said "1 am more proud than ever that I have received the endorsement of this fine newspaper. It is because of its expose that 1 was able to pass a bill in the last session of the Legislature guarding against recurrence of any auch financing. "The Legislature recognized the fine investigation that went into that scries of articles. I am glad the Pulitzer Prize committee did the same." i If I MB J' accounts and added: "The bills we have photographed add up to more than $100,000." March 13, 1963 The Times, after comparing reporters' notes prints the "Two Gun Charlie" story, even though key docu ments still were missing.

The Times says the Authority had paid more than $36,000 for rent of the plane during a period when the plane only flew 614 hours. At the $50 hourly rental charge, this left almost $6,000 unaccounted for. Later investigation reveals overpayment is even larger. March It, 1963 State Rep Fred Karl of Daytona Beach called for legislative investiga tion of the $157 million bond refinancing In letters to 28 East Coast lecislators. State Sen.

John E. Mathews of Jack sonville calls for a joint Senate- House committee to probe the bond financing. March 13, 1963 Gov. Farris Bryant is reported by United Press International to be "greatly disturbed" over allegations of high spending by the Authority and orders the first complete audit of the agency In years. The governor says he will seek legislative action to make Authority members subject to the same expense limit permitted other state employes and make the agency subject to reg ular state audits.

Bryant says he had full confidence in Ham mer, but had told Hammer: "Check back on this thing, and any place you are wrong, if you are, get right." March 16, 1963 The Times begins a series of helpful hints to state auditors on what they would find if they checked turnpike Authority records closely. March Hf, 1963 A summary of the probe is carried by The Times and included in a booklet prepared for all members of the Florida Legislature. A story by John Gardner reports former Gov. LeRoy Collins had refused to refinance the Turnpike because it would cost an extra $33 million in interest and other costs. The Bryant administration had refinanced the Turnpike, anyway, replacing bonds bearing a 3.25 per cent interest rate with bonds costing 4.75 per cent.

March 20, 1963 The Times reminds Hammer and its readers that 16 days had passed since Hammer had promised to release names of bond owners, consultants and other information and that it had been nine days since the "Two Gun Charlie" log book Tell The Story Of shine Skyway to build roads In other counties. March 8, 1963 The Times reports Authority comptroller Lawrence H. Hess Jr. asked two banks to list persons who redeemed $63 million worth of refinanced turnpike bonds. March 9, 1963 Times Pho tographer Johnnie Evans photographs hundreds of vouchers expense accounts and other documents from Authority files.

March 10, 1963 The Times reports in a headline story on Page 1 that more than $100,000 had been paid out of Turnpike Authority funds in the past two years for Hammer's travel and other expenses. The Times also details how refinancing Turn pike bonds was costing an ex tra $50 to $60 million In Interest and financing charges. The same day, The Times editorially announces its goal In the Turn pike Authority probe: "Our ob jective is the sober one of con structivcly contributing toward Florida's reputation of fiscal integrity, efficient government and responsible business management of the state's affairs." March 11, 1963 The Times reveals the Turnpike Authority had paid Judge Phillips about $33,000 to rent a twin-engined plane during a 22-month period. Phillips says he purchased the plane dubbed "Two Gun Charlie" at Hammer's suggestion. Times reporters and photographer Bob Hannah begin a city-to-city chase after the plane's log book.

It had been scanned earlier by a Times reporter, but disappeared when The Times sought to photograph it. March 12, 1963 Turnpike employes and corporations begin repaying the Authority for expenses charged to Authority accounts. Hammer tells a Tampa newspaper he would sue The Times. Phillips says "The Two Gun Charlie's" log book is in the possession of a Tampa attorney. Reporter Don Meikle- john and Evans are told records regarding the plane had been moved from the Turnpike office three days earlier by em ployes who said they were tak ing them to Hammer.

March 13, 1963 The Times gets a letter from Hammer demanding an apology and retraction. Times Editor and Presi dent Nelson Poynter, out of town at that time, replies to Hammer's letter two days later, writing that Hammer didn't have to go to court "Just give us the facts and we will print them." He offers to publish any statement Hammer wants to make on his expense mi etmlO p. To Release Making passes the Senate May 23 A House committee approves Mathews' bond safeguards bill a Senate committee approves a bill calling for a between sessions investigation of all state bond financing. May 24 The Bond Review Board Bill passes the House. May 25 The Senate passes a $125 million college bond construction bill which includes many of the safeguards campaigned for by The Times.

Additional restrictions are put on the bill when it cleared the House. May 31 Mathews' bond safeguard bill is killed in the House 54-45. Karl and Mathews charge Bryant killed the bill. (This bill was passed again by the Senate later, but killed by a House committee.) June 1 A bill creating an interim investigating committee to probe state bond financing, including the Turnpike Authority, cleared the Legislature. June 22 Hillsborough State Atty.

Paul Johnson reported the Authority paid for 231 hours of "fictitious" flights in Two Gun Charlie, an overpayment of $11,500. The money was recov ered when the Authority purchased the plane. WARREN PIERCE honored for fifth time ing reforms in judicial administration, particularly for the removal of the judiciary from partisan political elections. It is the fifth time Pierce has won a Florida Bar award of merit or honorable mention. Television Station WCKT-TV, Miami won the media award and the Pompano Beach Sun Sentinel an honorable mention.

Other newsmen winning honorable mention were Art Beau-champ of the Tampa Times and Bob McGinty of the Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville. A Pultlzer Prlie In The April SO, 1963 A banker who handled the Turnpike bond issue reported the sales group "had a devil of a time" selling the bonds. The Times, in an article by Gardner, showed bond price jumped sharply as soon as the bonds were sold. May 3, 1963 A bill tightening fiscal controls on the Turnpike Authority passes the House 110-0. May 8 Gov.

Bryant mails newspapers a lengthy interview with himself providing both his own questions and answers. Under his self-quizzing, the governor conceded it was "certainly possible" for insiders to profit from the refinancing, but said no state officials did. The Times printed the entire interview. May 15 Sen. Mathews' bond safeguards bill is passed by Senate.

It contains most of the financing regulations recommended by The Times. May 17 Karl's bill to place the Turnpike Authority under greater state control clears the Legislature. May 18 A bill to abolish the Turnpike Authority is killed in the Senate. May 21 A bill creating the State Bond Review Board to scrutinize all state bond issues ''iSSDdntlkrJ Tf. i 5wfe ies, counties and districts and state agencies have a bond debt totaling $2 billion $408 for every resident.

Chairman Phil lips gives The Times some information, but not the names of bondholders. April 5, 1963 Karl Introduces a resolution calling for an investigation of state borrow ing practices, including the Turnpike refinancing. April 6, 1963 A letter from the man who managed the Turnpike refinancing revealed there was "considerable volume trading" in Turnpike bonds between March and December, 1961. Bryant took office in Jan uary, 1961. The bonds were re-financed in December, 1961.

April 9, 1963 The Author! tv's Tampa staff readies move from the Tampa office. Meiklejohn and Nease drop, by to check the files and find a letter to Hammer from Gov. Bryant. April 10, 1963 The Times prints Bryant's letter admonishing Turnpike Authority members to remember the governor's campaign supporters in Herald (Omaha, 1944 -New York Times; 1945 Detroit Free Press; 1946 Scranton (Pa.) Times; 1947 The Baltimore Sun; 1948 St. Louis Post-Dispatch; 1949 Nebraska State Journal; 1950 Chicago Daily News and St.

Louis Post-Dispatch 1951 Miami Herald and the Brooklyn Eagle; 1952 St. Louis Post-Dispatch 1953 News Reporter (Whiteville, N.C.) and Tabor City (N.C.) Tribune; 1954 Newsday (Garden City, N.Y.) 1955 Columbus (Ga.) ledger and the Sunday Ledger-Enquirer; 1956 Wat-sonville (Calif.) Register-Pa jar-onian; 1957 Chicago Daily News; 1958 Arkansas Gazette (Little Rock, 1959 L'ti- ca UDserver-uispaicn and Utica Daily Tress: 1960 -Los Angeles Times; 1961 -Am-arillo (Texas) Globe-Timo: 1962 Panama City (Fla.) News-Herald; 1963 Chicago Daily News, 1964 St. Petersburg Times. Headlines a on choosing banks to handle the $1 million in Turnpike funds. In light of the letter, The Times asks Bryant to reveal all of his correspondence concerning the Authority.

April II, 1963 Gov. Bryant charges The Times with "ir responsibility" bordering on "dishonesty" in publishing the letter. "I'm so mad I could pop," he says. Arty. Gen.

Rich' ard Ervin calls for a law banning recommending politl cal supporters to boards ap pointed by the governor. Sec retary of State Tom Adams said Bryant's letter cast a "poor re flection" on state government. April 12, 1963 Turnpike Authority says it wouldn't help the newspaper get the name of Turnpike bondholders. Bryant turns over a slender correspondence file to The Times. April 13, 1963 The Times reviews all developments and asks: "Investigate or whitewash?" when a legislative probe seems to be stalled.

April 16, 1963 The Times points inconsistancies in state borrowing, comparing the State Board of Education and the Turnpike Authority. April 17, 1963 A copy of another letter from Bryant to Hammer is printed by The Times. On its editorial page, The Times asks why the letter wasn't in the correspondence surrendered by Bryant. In the letter to Hammer, Bryant complained the Turnpike project was "far behind schedule." The Times compares the letter with public Bryant statement that Turnpike construction "is going ahead at an excellent pace. April 18, 1963 An insur ance agency owned by a Turn pike Authority member wrote a 30-day binder on all turnpike insurance shortly after he be came a member, The Times re vealed.

The member, now dead, said he knew nothing about it. April 19, 1963 The Senate passes a watered-down bond in vestigation plan already ap proved by the House. April 21, 1963 Gardner, ex ploring free vs. toll roads, re ports Florida free superhigh ways funnel motorists into the state's toll turnpike system. April 24.

1963 The Senate Banking Committee clears the Mathews bond safeguard bill, requiring competitive bidding all bond issues. Former Winners Of Pulitzer Prize Florida Bar Honors Times Editorial Writer TALLAHASSEE Warren H. Pierce, chief editorial writer of i The St. Petersburg Times, was one of three Florida newspapermen given honorable mention awards by the Florida Bar in I fc Hi a a' I Bi ar jm Here are winners of the Pulit zer prize for public service: 1918 New York Times: 1919 Milwaukee Journal; 1920 No award. 1921 Boston Post; 1922 New York World; 1923 -Memphis Commercial Appeal; 1924 New York World; 1925 -No award 1926 Enquirer Sun (Columbus, 1927 Canton (Ohio) Daily News; 1928 Indianapolis Times; 1929 New York Evening World; 1930 No award.

1931 Atlanta Constitution; 1932 Indianapolis News; 1933 New York World Telegram; 1934 Medford (Ore.) Mail Tribune; 1935 Sacramento (Calif.) Bee; 1036 Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Gazette; 1937 St. Louis Post-Dispatch: 1937 St. Louis Post-Dispatch; 1938 Bismark (N.D.) Tribune: 1939 Miami Daily News; 1940 U'aterbury (Conn.) Republican and American; 1941 St. Louis (Mo.) Post-Dispatch; 1942 Los Angeles Times; 1943 World-j its Ninth Annual Media Award, it was announced yesterday. Pierce was honored for his editorials throughout 1963 urg- Text Of Telegram Which Informed Times The St.

Petersburg Times was informed it had won the Pulitzer Prize for public service in the following telegram to Nelson Poynter, editor and president: "I have the honor to advise that Columbia University trustees have awarded Pulitzer Prize for public service to the St. Petersburg Times. Congratulations. Grayson Kirk, president Columbia University Waldron, Evans, Meiklejohn And Nease At Work On Turnpike Story i i i.

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