The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-10-07

| A. 90 not Iememoef tneuy' "
g. Dc you remember what length Of time
A. Not q great length Of time. Not many
days, u more than one, "
q. Who WAS the contractor In reality
A. John Donovan was the contractor in re-
q. On what son,ldsrasion did you become
A. None, except ths, Of friendship. I have
q. State ali the oonversstion had with the
Mayer au ssSSs st,,ins p'sronassso parties in
A. Al. FAR :. I can remember said to the
Mayor that ~ the contract were given so that
| ins TO the Fourth ward, and that Isborers
| resident 10 the Fourth ward, without regard
to eolor, would be employed on the work, thatit
deavors to change large uumber OF the votes
| from the sooslled Democratic party to act In
| eonsonsnce with the Republican party aud
The idea was that II il were known that that
eontract-.ll thing. being just and equal,
part, and be impeiied to sustain the adminis.
ticaisr, to whom success IL The I Fourth ward
10 more attributable than to any one else l
Y. Do you remember using the patronage Of
| these four streets to control things ia the
Fourth ward so as to puta Democrat In the
| Aldermen's chsmbert
.
with the Democratic party since 81, as a
party, and would seorn to ntoop to any such
q. Do you remember using the patronage
| Of this work for the purpose OF getting Dalton
10 nomination for the AidermAuship OF the
A. No, sir. AZ far a. my agency wa. con.
| cerned, there never was the most remote con-
neetion or relationship. In fact l have moth
hired ali the men, and Instructed him 10 hire
an equal number Of negro men, and to employ
Republican,, or those who would vote the Re.
q. All that time was 1t the Mayors iutep.
tion to throw this patronage into the hands Of
any particular parties, whether they were the
A. could not answer that. That was a
question OF his conscience. / cannot Interpret
that. The question 10 absurd
q. What interest did you hsve Ia the con.
A. An honest mercantile one, such AZ any
enterprising young man might honestly take
q. You cannot mention tho degree, whether
third, half. or fourthi
.hs Il 'sSw
should be brought, will be happy to produce
q. what proportion of the profits have you
A. None.
q. How much have you contributed to TIT
A. Between $500 and $500, besides good des
Q: To whose credit was the t27.s.as place,
A. To the credit OF tho eopsrtnership, whici
was according to one Of the articles OF agree
O. what did the Mayor say Abou, the con
e A, The Mayor, to my knowledge, has sale
nothing but Whist Is honest and strsig hit
forward. His very Impulse, from the com
e meneement, appertaiuing to 1t, has been tina
o of an honest man.
q. Can you repeat any of those convers,
> tionsl
A. That question Is rather general. 1
" not remember anything further than that
insisted that the estimates should he mao
he out, and that the work should be done accor
Ing to contract, without any fsvoritism, at
IT. many times we thought he treated US vii
ed q. 10 your Judgment, In ali the convers
N, tion. you have had with him, he was Just Al
Ter a: Beyond all question. I will stake n
!. q. Did you get 1000 on or Hbou. the 21i
a A. I do not remember the date. There W
ne spayment about that time.
n q. who did you get tot, and what did yo
ELF 4. never paid anything for any money, e
On cept what came as consideration Tor tho 90
sos Il :, Iii sSs Il Pu III, hey
ke nels Of the city government, open and abo
-, board, and know to all, aptoper propoFtio
e'' Of the work being done for It, and lar
ng q. Do you no. know that those streets a
not done according TO cOntrhcH
on A. I do not, and do not believe such sta
a, ment can be sustained.
ms Q. Do you think the work has been done
IN, 1t should be donei
'se A. lam not an expert, and could not sa
N but l believe the honest intedtion has be
Of paramount 10 everything that has been do
to contract, and to do the work Tor the benent
all the city and the taxpayers.
ny. q. Do you intend to refund the money pi
MS on the 2ith Of April for grading @ and FL
btreetst
A. There never has bcen.any question
anu Rounding rAisedi but when 1t Is honestly
eesssry TO do so, we are ready TO do 1t.
q. l understand you have received I
money for grading on q and First streetsi
A. l do not remember how II was tech
as cally. Invent by the record That 10 to .
'Osf by the proposals as they were made, aud a
her va, in.,ractsd BY sha, thought .;aPsri
tod advice OF The officials, who had no intere
- q. How did you get thl. .2ToO Not throus
az the regular ehsnnels' as | understand II, b!
as through The MbIyor What e, soIyer'A''on d
~. A. The matter was done legitimately, as th
iot archives Of the city will show. had no col
IS yersstion OF any special character with III
IN IN Mayor about 1t.
Ut q. Do you know why the commissioner Al
a assistant commissioner did not begin ~
~ A. do not know, except that all along NJ
~, | Crane seemed to want to have the contrac
nc given to some Of his friends, From the sta
ne he seemed to be impelled by aspirito OF mali
or q. Has that anything to do with the que
" ton Of Legality and the act OF signing by IL
~ A. That do'uot know. am not sum silent
:. familiar with that matter, but l understai
IN from those who are best informed that tn
teehpieality will mainly turn upon the que
as Mr. Holmes; l will read, Colonel, fro
=, webb's Digest, page s79, sec. IL, for your
~ formation;
..It shall be the duty Of the surveyor OF the e
% q
the Mayor to stake out ana marx the line, a I,
~. q aa asi''aGS = sss
alley thereon, as may be de.lEpAted IL aGy sd
quest 70 make correct sd%e:suTsmsn, q
he work done, or required to he done IN the foIni
'se cfsns o. tbs svspaS.. streets or lays the j
or Pas or Pit': spa % The st q
ny missioner or commissioners Of improve tnents
staasd CT & or S ss ,iSsa ss s9EiSiHE
In. Iue nu@sst Of psTshss. yards; Or saassre feet
not iysly di.tipgpIShi9g The quHnlty ia each "
work hPGS 8. ss by sn1 b
the ysySr' whG shall a certify W Wrlnos whether
pfer ssnsf.Iy from time 70 time upon III Ike rsau
% perform all such other acts aud services whel
re- oss d SarSsySr, ob.s&Sf1g all .ass case. go
s s iensI bs ws'sh S.Tssndy Gsys been or
ngs and improvements 10 lid city. and to SUI
% city and SeHsia and a.isrn fssr tSat
one commissioner aud contractors i'ehGrGe d.
IN REGARD 70 respective WOFhH on Nhlch u
ave may be engaged. and report the same 10
Mayor.
In q, Please read the contract (handlng W
re- uess the paper referred TOY and say wheth
ms, you did not receive money not properly, n
Ter 10 taking pay for the embs meRt on q sire
Use A, Without reading the contract ! will s
IN. that did not receive the money improper
OF and consider II an insult to ask the questi
ere not on the part OF the recorder but I
get prompter.
we q. win you oblige me by looking at /
we contract, and the specifications annexed,
also the bill on which you obtained the N one
uer A, would say, so tar as this branch of I
case 10 concerned, that 1t isA question to
decided between the officials, That knO
ingly, so far as the teEms OF the contract We
concerned, or SO far as an Intention leading
an Improper receipt n money on the part
IRA myself, or any OF the other persons connect
with this afslT,is concerned, we were We
far from II, Whenever conceived Of anythi
OF the kind nor would we oountenanccIt 1t.
70 q Please look at that contract and speeI
,he cations and read the bill
nj, A. After reading the papers referred 10. }
nnhma have looked at the bill, and | know It 10 G.
the rect and honest.
q, Your answer remains the same At
,h., reading those papers that It WAS before
'hH A, Yes, sir.