Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-11-19
THE CRANE MUDDLE.
Meeting of the Investigating Cosa init
tee-(haPGes and Coumter & barge.
Ahdavtt Of Ell Mayor Bowen-Liye.
~ Exchange Of Eptthefs


Amdavtt Of En- Mayor Bowen-Liye.
~ Exchange Of Eptthets.
The third session Of the committee appointed
by the Board Of Aldermen to investigate GER
tain charges as to alleged Official misconduct OF
Mr.. j. III. Crane, when Commissioner of the
Fourth Ward, was held last evening: present.
Aldermen Stewart and Slater, of the commit
tee, Mr. Himber, their clerk, Mr.. Crane, the
accused, MI. Peehin, the Mayors clerk, Coun-
Gilman ODonoghue, the reporters, and a few
other persons. Alderman Shepherd of the com
mittee, was not present.
MR.. DUFFY ON THE STAND.
Mr.. Stewart stated that he would call Mr.. Nj
Duffy first, and that gentleman being sworn,
tesfifed that In June or July, 1858, q man named
Moore, an assistant to Mr.. Crane. presented a
bill TO him for fixing An alley, for ga or 90. He
said that he had no authority to present any
such bill Moore said he was authorized to col.
iect IT, and witness replied that II all were taxed
then. He requested Moore to come again. In
the course Of week An Irishman came to him
with the bill, and he paid sl2. The man said
according to their frontage.
LIVELY CRoes-RxANINATIoN.
Mr.: Crane cross-examined witness, who testi-
paid IL rather than have . quarrel with him.
Mr.. Crane" You did not know that this was
for the abatement Of nnisance?"
MIR. Duffy" No, did not"
evidence to be introducsd PsfMnep o. the
much do you get for such testimony"
Mr. Dnfy-"I can't be bought by you,
Crane. You are a lying scoundrel il YOU saw
So"
Mr. Crane" You perjurer and liar,n
These proceedings were checked by the COM
mittee, and Duffy left, saying that he would be
even with Crane, and the latter retorted that
be was not done with him.
MR. r. DONoHOo oTFKRKD CRANE MONEY, BUT
DIDN'T HAVE AMY TO GIVE HIN.
Mr.. Thomas Donoho was the next witness
called, and testified that he was one Of the con-
tractors on the 4th street sewer, and had offered
Mr.. stewart.-"Didh he receive any, and how
much?"
witness There was no sum stipulated. and
l did not pay it over, for did not have it with
Mr.. Stewart" For what purpose"
Witness" For what could steal OF the
By Mr.. slater:-Crane did not receive money
from him, but he could see that he was willing
to take it; he showed il In his actions but wit.
ness was too public about oherlngit.
and Crane would stay away 80 long and stop such
short . time when he came that witness had
plenty Of opportunity to slight the work. He
not keep close eye upon him. Crane acted
Indignantly when witness spoke Of money.
Crcss,e.amined By Mr.. Crane: - witness
would have to be given q . present. He saw
Crane would take $500 by his counte nance: saw
BY hi. looks that he would take it; and he (D.)
= p
work, and to pay Bliss $500 out of IL. Costello
knew about the Bliss money. There we're about
three thousand salmon brick on the ground.
which Costello bought for merchantable brick,
but they we're not used in the sewer. About
two hundred feet Of the sewer was kept omen
for inspection while they were
PREPARING TO BUY BLISS.
1t was the business Of the Commissioner to be
on the ground from Q. m. to p. m every day.
Witness knew Crane would not take the money
direct into his hands, but he (Crane) intimated
- "a fvaA hof he hoA
A BHD-RooN WINDOW MIGHT BIZ LEFT OPEN
Witness did not say that be intended to paw
500 each to Crane, Bliss, and Donegan.
M Crane.-"fou never mentioned Mr.. Don
witness--''I did not. with heavy thump On
the table l mad no idea Of bribing him; but
knew Crane was hostile to him, and he would
not let him put in the iron-top trap because he
did not get the $500. When Crane despaired of
Mr.. Crane here told the witness that he want
ed him to 60 straight through the TRANSACTION.
and asked: Sand you assume to saw that Won
could con tel ~ my countenance that would take
Witness here arose and told an anecdote of a
man with pot and woman with q pig 10
which Crane said there was
wines" Maybe you can't see it, but others
mics" witness" Yes" Witness had sighted
the top Of the arch. After the fraud was dis
covered, he asked Mr.. Nsilor If he couldn't do
something for him to the Mayor, and Nailor
hie. He told Nailor that he would give 500 10
Bliss and Crane. The work was under Bliss
when the one course OF brick was laid, but Bliss
had not been confirmed.
MAsIACs, FOOLS, LIARS AND scoUyDRELs
tlr. Crane here put his questions rather ran
IDLY, when witness said, "You act like ma
mac" "
Crane" You act like fool"
wines have come here to tell the
Crane.-"I know you to be one of the biggest
liars"
Witness continued, saying that Doneean
signed the assessments for the first two squares,
Campbell said he could fix Bliss for 500. Wit
ness had stated to the Mayor that he intended to
pay Crane, but he Co did not know it. He
was not under oath then, but was now
Mr.. Crane here asked again how the money
was to be distributed, and il Donegan was not
to be fixed, when witness shouted: ait is he.
Don't ny 70 twist things, Crane; tell the truth,
Crsne.-''Sit down; keep quiet, you perjured
villain, you liar, yop scoundrel you; you may
not tell the truth here, but will soon have
you where You will be compelled to tell the
TRUTH -0
Donohue here called on all present to notice
NIB. JEREMIAH COSTELLO
testined that he was partner in the 18th street
sewer, that the contract was awarded to him,
had been made to the Mayor, as he believed by
Crane. He had heard many things about
money, and short time after the contract was
awarded to him, Crane said he knew man who
would have given slO0 to get 1t, and that (wit-
ness would not object to pay the same amount
He never offered Mr.. Crane any money. Crane
had told him that Donohue had offered him
bride, and he told Crane that he should have
informed him.
By Mr.. Slater.-Witness was not aware that
the work was being sighted, and when he asked
Donohue about 1t, he stated that the 10th street
sewer was built in the same manner. He
stopped the work rs soon as he could Crane
was not about the sewer as often as he ought to
be, and he did no part Of his duty in the premj
see except to sign the assessment. He did not
think that Donohue told him about Offering him
money. $500
Cross examined:-Witness named Charley
King as the man who would give 500 for the
contract. He had told the Mayor that he ne YER
knew about The fraud, but he was not under
oath then. AZ to the traps used, they were as
good % those used near the War Department.
and Donegan said he might use them
x1-MAYoR BowEN's AFFIDAVIT.
MI. Stewart here introduced the afidavit of
ex-May0r Bowen, which WAS read "A folIoy..