The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-02-21
nd Of free and limited government. Or

''' "ass( af ~
Iat,c 209lh OIL igns,. 1899, John Clarke,
b.l4att'aen ulerinueniant of the penitentia-
r. and arm 1ry si,li,ngs, for which he re-
osiyed faGr hundred pounds per annum,
rtlie aGootract with the Executive to per-
f,ct the machinery tsen contempt ated as ne
oes.ary Is, For making fire arms. swords,
ara bayouets I'd, for putting in motion two
TIP hammers /; Sd. tine machinery necessa-
r. few tine naking of cannon. For the per-
formarce of this work. the Executive con-
tracted to pay NJ Clarke the sum Of 10 057
dollars, III certain i~nstalinants, the last of
which tccame due when the whole was com.
pleted. Very sr1rtlv after the commence
meat of the work, various improvements and
alterations were suggested to the Executive
BY Mr. Clarke, and he was permitted to de-
pa.t materially trom the said contract, and
Indeed, to use his own discretion in every
respect, TOR the purpose of making as was
alledged, the work more perfect and COM
prete. So h'sh>was the opinion of the mem
hers of the Executive, Of the talents and in
tegritv Of Mr. Itarke, and their confidence
sohahTited, that no written or verbal stipu-
latons were ensered into as to the work to
be performed. or the compensation to be
maze, nor was any advice entered on their
Journals respecting 1t,
It further appears to your committee, that
the su,n OF 9 95Z dollars were drawn from
r Wy u GIN oClOIS dtu uu-
ring the year 1902. except an inConsidcrable
sum which was drawn These
sums. except the last, were drawn ON the
certificates OF Mr.. tiai Ike, stating that the
machinery mad arrived at that stage, when
b. the contract he BECAME entitled To the sum
draw for, which generally correspondent
with some instalment stated in the contract.
Ihe machinery necessary to make swords,
il appears to vour committee, was not COM
nletet nnIil 1SOS anl fhaf for Tho fDu,,io,.y
of cannon is not yet completed.
From the month OF F. ,ri,arv, 1901, until
kiarcl 1907, the sum of 10, 1875 dollars was
drawn tron the treasury, in the name of Jo-
ser't Young, in var;ou: sums, from 6 81 IS Cd
to 6 297 9s 6a, and generally drawn month
ly. The evidence on winch these sums were
ob.aircd. are the certificates of Mr.. Clarke
stating that the said Y"urg was entitled 70
receive the amount for extra woodwork done
on the machinery, fixtures and apparatus.
The money SO drawn, was received by Mr..
Young, who was in the employment of Mr..
Clarke as his foreman, at As dollars per
month, and ai,er paying himself and other
hands employed at sums from 6 ) to 6 10 los
p~errlmrth, paid the balance reguIarl, to Mr..
Clarke.
1t also appears to your committee, thai
come OF the members of council knew that
the sums SO drawn were for the beuefi, of Mr..
CLARKE, whilst others appear to have been
is rNr3nt~of that fact.
1t also appears to your committee, that in
the month of December last, Mr.. Clarke
preferred a calm to a committee Of the Elk.
sci;ive, WHO were appointed ill the month 81
June preceding, to examine the subject res
ptcting the machinery, in consequence of a
certain publica;to ION against the superinten.
q -ht. I ms claim enbraCedt two items (: one
Tor machinery actually executed in pursu
ace OF the SAID Cnut rart amounting to SCGz
dollars IL cents, and the other for 1926 day.
work, ailedged to be performed by the hands
In the employment of Major Clarke, at
dollar rs cents each days work, the aggre.
gaze SUM amounts to $40 dollars 68 cent:
more than the wnO:c sum drawn from the
treasnr} III the names Of John Clarke and 10
sept Young, which balance MIR. Clarke claim
ed; but Payment has been suspended BY the
Executive hitherto, owing as was stated, tc
a difference due to y ,ur comimittee the
ClalHi, so tar As it respects the 1926 days
syork, was supported by the affidavit of The
said Young.
Your cotnmittee are by no means satisfied
that the number of days work as claimed by
Mr.. Clarke, have been performed, on the con
trdry, X IS not only extremely doubtful, bu'
on a comparison of all the evidence, it ap.
pears almost certain that the statement j:
inaccurate.
Your committee examined the said Young
on the subject, but his testimony instead o
dispeiling all doubts, had a tendency to in
crease them. He stated that he kept the &C.
? count OF the number of days duying which
the min wsigh,s were employed on what MIR
Clarke told him was extra work. on little
slips OF paper, or small memorandum books
8 and at particular periods furnished Mr.
Clarke with an account OF the number o.
days, who stated the general results oh sheet,
at paper. Your committee enquired for tbe
books in which the accounts of days were
Kept, but to their surprise, none could be
produced. excepta small paper book, whici
served only TO shew how loose, improper and
unsatisfactory the accounts were kept. Mr.
Young further stated, that when his afida-
Wit was written IN the month of December
3ast, which was done by Mr. Clarke, and af.
forwards COPIED by the clerk of the armory,
sheets Of paper, which he CO.. Ceived to be
the same on which he ssw the accounts writ
ten y ere produced by Mr.. C!arke-that MIR
r Clarke, in his presence, added the number
OF days, and made the result 1886. Your
committee enquired for those shec s, but
they were mt produced Young appeared &c
be an ignorant, i~llitcraie man, and totally in
capable 10 act az All accountant.
Your committee resorted to otIier te.timo.
ny TO ascertain The truth. but TINT did ROT en-
able them to determine The precise number
Of days. They were enabled, however, to