New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-03-27
TEE NEW CouRT.EOUsE INQUIRY.

O'Clock Yesterday afternoon Present; Supervisors OK
M1 cram. counsel for tie defense then summed Up
lie case az follows;
SUMMING UP OF HENRY A. CRAM, 80.
amer stating the charge, viz: the contracts loI w
iron marble brick and labor were oa1'%, @le,
counsel stated that the evidence bau pcen c"Hnrc
almost exclusively TO the iron contracts tndt ~
ln reference 70 the iron had originated ron lue lee
20 TivaI IN node who he'd induced two other persons
"a write letters with himself containing eS'n"oS a..
reference to the ironworS WIDEN my nau 0r,J
The only evidence given was the testimony oi
these three parties in support OF theso e S.
mates These assailing witnesses proved tnat
tIose esfimates were made without taking INTO
consideration the condition Of Tie currency al the
time (Scpfembor 1859 the probable rise OF aDoI ana
materials and that the material would rave 70 De sup
rod during several years the building progressed
and without having seen the plans ana WOIhDE-uiaW
feen Per cent OF the Of labor and materials III me
month of September, 1863 when the estimates Were
sent in: which estimated profit was more t6an SWEPT
away by the advance Of thirty per cent IN aoor aA1
materials in the two m0nths OetWeeH tAe -, - vn'
IN bv he contractors and The contract made WIN them
Each Of these assallng witnesses adMlt!eu nat vas
inposSihe 10 make estimate without seeing the pans;
tIat he would not have taken contract without seeing
lie plans before estimating and that upon thei csl
mates a heavy loss would nave ensuSu ulon aA .nS
work II appeared that two of these three parties had
done work the same time under CONTRACT one Tor
me BrOoklyn Court House and claimed an advance 81
20 pr cent over his contract TO cover ms actual losses
.n6 tbe DINER claimed and proved that be was en-
titled 10 al 100 per cent above the contract price
All of the assaing witnesses, II was proved, ha9
charged and received higher prices Tor the same hhu
az w0rk man the county paid 10 the Cornens so that
The impeachug evidence showed that the cAafse was
croundess IL was proved I'D Oeichsc lAal 'He afcsl
tect was directed TO invite estimates from four o. the
LARGEST Dealers that he selected the four without dee-
mon or control from any Tie four selected mace
estimates IN good faith without colusion coutLica-
,ion win each other or without knowing each others
hid Neither the Board Of Supervisors or any MENU
OF any committee Olthe same had any t6 20 DO VIA NC
seeeion of the parties who should estimate 1hal tAe
contract was then given 10 the Cornes whose bid was
tho lowest; that Supervisor LILY reported ~ ldNor OF
giving the contract to the MeSsrs Cornell although ne
Soxd eraipst il aferward. and testified that when he
voted against il he did not know that there was any
,hinC wrong about the contract ana supervisor E'y
when called upon the stand, TESTIFIED thar nc dld Lot
NOV Of anv fraud in this any other contract or
matter connected with the new Courthouse. III Vas
proved that the C2TaeAs hau 1oue LoIv
ir buildings than all the rest OF the trade put together
maj riue the last few years while 1.-THE Cornels were
furnishing ron for the Court House they iufnshed the
iron for the New-YOrk Stock E1chaQee costing so
go. the Mutual Life Insurance Company, s&3OW;
A. IT, stewards dwelhnghOuse, $27OOO1i for tmidinS
for W. b. Aston $50 600 for the iron Tor Cans store
<lCQ 600. Bal & Blacks store, S6lvD; one store Tor
uovev So eco; the extension Of the BOWeTy Bank,
81 600. and numerous other parties, amour ing
in the aggregate 70 several millions ions t o. SofG.
fhev supplied private customers during the whole uWe
they supplied the county prices much mgheI thHh NC
county has paid 70 them. IL was proved tnal Nllhih
six months after the contract made with the Cor
nos that thoy were obliged 10 Guy IRON at Hoe tGaN
double the contract price pad Dy the county. Inc
contract by denouncng the charge against the
CoTnes as an Infamous aeT, tot only pn ho
by the testimony for the prosecution ana defense.
Counsel then reviewed the testimony as TO the marble
contract and said the prosecution have called but one
witless AleXandef Maxwell, large and wen known
dealer 20 impeach H. ard that witness, who was bid
der for The work gave he values OF the various kinds OF
marble furnished b. the actual contractors and ap
reared distinctly that The work was done below his
values. The defense called Mr.. Edwards Of the firm
Of Wilson & Edwards, WHO showed that The prices
paid for the marble for the Courthouse were low
and below Mr.. Maxwells values, and IN 1861
he bid for the marble FOR the basement g per foot,
and stated that in September 1868 it was from 50 TO
50 per foot which vas considerably higher than tie
price the County If paying under iheir contract.
Counsel then considered the compensation paid TO the
architects. He said that it appeared that IN several
a. Ibe contracts for building given in evidence in.
volvug each many hundred thousand dollars the same
architect had received per cont as his compensa.
:, zion. that the Board of Brokers and the Mutual
. Life Insurance Company had paid MIN the same rate.
That the Commissioners Wilson q. Hunt John b. Cor
lies and James salmon Hh3 had charge OF tne court
House building until the Eoard OF SuperVlsors TOOK
charge of il in 1903 employed Mr.. Kellum and MI
Thomas Little as architects, and paid them per cent
Of The Of all the Judges il was proved that the
ordinary compensation from 10 per cent. When
tle Board Of Supervisors took charge they employed
Mr.. Kellum at the same rate that MI
Wilson g. Hunt and his associates had done
1t proved that Mr. Keam stood at the head OF his
profession and that from private parties his compensa
lion large and larger than paid by the County Coun
ell; then considered the only other circumstance 70
which evidence had been given, viz tie compensation
paid TO the builder and constructor Tor MS skil and
personal services. ii proved thar he origin
sly appointed by the Commissioners at salary;
mat az the suggestion Of the architect and
in accordance with the anigersai custom,
that bis COMPENSATION shOad be charged 70 eGnm,
ZION on the cost maj me ay h %cn %ou 49,
crue rom this charge WOULD DC INC more Iaid conpe
zion OF the building causing merely an "egs, saving
10 me IouIty, AM tg ea1eI ny u -, o"9 ~
WIZ pIo, .S '' nat ~ ~ e9'.ics ers yerr o.
flme 10 me WORK; uat ms 1uleS @ere 'ely on'I
Gus; tna' ne e,"lo5eu as 'nT a men an
.h ias: -esoc;ycd 60 ,bst fbe CopntT
.honld oriy nav for what was actnally receiJed.