Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-10-13
LOCAL NEWS.
THE CITY HALL INVESTIGATION.
TESTIMONY OF WIN. A. COOK.
The Law and the Precedents in the Case
wM. A. COOK, RECALLED.

WM. A. COOK, RECALLED.
BY Mr. Hall, (at the Instance OF Mr.. Stanton }
u. Had you any conversation with Mayor
Bowen about paying the hands employed ua-
der the Donovan contract; and if SO, state il in
full A. Yes, sir; ] had. In the month OF
June-towards the latter part OF it--a consid-
erable number OF colored men met me at the
City Hall one morning, ana said TO me that
they could not get their pay for their work. /
asked them where they were working. They
informed me out on q or n street, or q and X
sueets-along there. 1 asked them who the
contractor was. They said they were work
ing for man named Donovan. 1 think sent
one of them 10 Mr.. Boswell TO talk 10 him.
while 1 went In 10 see the Mayor about the
contract. inquired who were the contract.
ors and told the Mayor Of the complaints that
had been made by the colored men of their in
ability to get their pay. learned that the con-
tractor was John Donovan. The Mayor was
busy writing at the time ] spoke TO him l
said TO him, that il they could not get their
pay from their employer, would bs glad
ne would try 10 do something for
upuing to write, 1--WE Will see." 1 went
ont, and told the men to call back again on the
MONDAY following, II they did not get their
pay in the mean time. This was. think,
about The middle OF the week. One of them
told me, perhaps on the Monday following,
that tney mad got paid. Some weeks after.
warde, one or rwo OF the men came to my
pay, and went again to see about II, making
general statement that the colored men had
been so frequently cheated out e their pay
that wo0d be glad If something could be done
Tor them, to prevent them from being imposed
on,
q. After You became Corporation Attorney,
was the subject OF advances to contractors
brought to your attention; II 30, what did yol
discover IL relation to that matter! A. All
questions, more or less connected with con.
tracts, were brought to my attention, and the
old forms OF contracts hunted mp several times,
TO examine and see what improvements could
be suggested. learned by examination OF ths
books, and by inquilies, that although the con.
tracts read that s'upon the faithtul exc
Sation Iasaa OF DE- cSmpistion ON Of the work" con:
that was provision intended for the protec.
tion Of the city. preventing the enforcement
Of the payment until the work was completed:
of them, it had been customary to make ad.
vances, according 70 the necessity of the con.
tractors, as the work progressed, on estimates
generally I made d y the Surveyors: In other
Mayors to adhere closely to that provision,
but to deal lissraiiy WITH the contractors, il
beng deemed best lor he city to do SO.
in order to prevent the enforcement Of pay.
ment BY the contractor for work done in
part. or as work under o contract progressed
;T sa m % Ss s dsg
under Its control: which. If deemed Jadtcious,
could be waived by Il 1t was tnsaTted 70
prevent contractor from esforclng payment
Q. BY suit at law !! A. Yes, sir; By suit 1t
Law, or otherwise. lf
Q. How many Commissioners are there in a
ward A. There may be three; that Is. there
10 one Commissioner, and two assistants ap-
pointed FOR special work. They may be dis.
unguished as Q regular or annual Commits
sioper, and two assistant or temporary Com.
missioners. The law 90 disting nguishes them.
Or Is there any law authorizing the Commits.
stonsr alone 70 slsn or approve any estimate
A. None whatever. -#--
q. Is there any law which requires, as a
condition or preliminary 70 partial payments
for grading and gravsline streets, the approval
or signatures OF the Commissioner And the
Assistant Commissioners u A. There is no
such law. The law win regard to sraasny ana