The New York herald., 1872-11-13
HARLEM COURT HOUSE INVESTIGATION.
Testimony Of John seallon, Contractor and Super
intendent Of the Works-How tho Money
Was Got and How Expended -Mysteri-
ous Contradictions Regarding tho
Modus Operandi- Alleged De-
aciency Of $50, 900. Paid
by the Corporation.

The Senate Committee, appointed to investigate
the alleged frauds In connection with the building
OF the Harlem Court House, resumed their session
yesterday at two O'Clock In the afternoon Messrs.
Tiemann and Welsmann were the only members OF
the committee present. Mr. Parsons appeared as
counsel for the prosecution and ex-Judge Nelson
Waterbury Tor Henry w. Genet John Scallon, con-
tractor OF all the work accomplished in connection
with the Harlem Court House, being duly sworn.
gave the following testimony in answer to the
queries OF Mr.. Parsons:-
| TESTIMONY OF JOHN sCALION
Ireside In 159th street near Tenth avenue was
superintendent or, II you choose, contractor, for
the building OF the Ninth District Court House I
obtained control OF the job through the Commits
sioners and though Mr.. Henry W. Genet; talked
with Judge McQuaid on the matter previous to my
getting 1t and while the work was in progress
Judge McQuaid made no bargain with me regard
ing compensation, but he and Mr. Genet authorized
me to take the contract and said that would re-
ceive ten percentage on the whole work; the bar
gain was merely legal right to collect the per-
centage; profted ABOUT $2,o 900 by the job; re-
ceived great deal more, but paid 1t out to work.
men and for material;
| DID NOT KEEP ACCOUNTS
OF receipts or disbursements; kept accounts
irregularly which destroyed time and again;
| presume have some still; could not state the
| date OF commencing work, but it was, believe.
| about the latter part OF August 1870; know the
and 126th street; built that house. and work
| ing tnere when undertook and while engaged In
81 ~
picture OF Genets house presented palatial look
Ing edincel | think that is Q picture Of Genet's
tended Court House IN its present
state presented); witness could not recognize
it, know the progress Of the Court House bull d.
ing at present. 1t consists only OF the cellar and
! basement story; kept roll accounts sometimes;
was written during the last three weeks since
was subpGnaed; could not produce the payrolls
mencement to its suspension; aid moi remember
to say In the presence OF one OF the Quiggs that
Genets house would cost him nothing; . warrant
for $40 000 dated October 90 1870 payable to John
Scallon and endorsed by him, witness testified to
having cashed kept bank accounts but did not
therein; could not tell what way the SO, 900 was
expended, nor what workmen were paid, nor what
Ms were or tSesy tS r enry a "
Genet wrote it.; did not know where single re-
ceipt for materials could be had did not know any
one ordering warrants fradulenty; witness paid
CriWmins, his foreman, and Dooly for furnishing
stone; did not remember the amount pald got re-
recognized warrant for $500, dated November q
5 ns syJGs Ge 5 E9 fosaway Ssshsa y sanN mkt
! that the warrant bore the stamp of che FORK.
asy s sssnss ss gave sanh hs o @ sne wno T' must
have cashed it; could not account
S the s szpspatus "a 3 h e. sss tSa
expenditure OF a warrant for 81, 900 subsequently
s 5 a .SGS gssm s w Se @ss
warrants being handed to witness he testified to
NoVsmber sass lss 1U is for s5o7o December
i 1870. 81 400; December 8, 1870, $9745; January
aps Msfsn sss asl hs2 1sS ssprsaTy g.
June y. as 70 s7sol 50; July s. sss4s 50; August g.
WITH Witness could give no explanation OF the manner
in which all this money was used, nor of other war
rants produced amounting to SGT 100, making In all
number Of the bills, but recognized his signature
4 did not recollcct how much money was drawn in
this way; 1t may have been 200; could not say
for 900 was deposited IN the Yorkville Savings
Bank to the credit OF Henry w. Genet. Judge
the method of examining his client, and himself
and Mr.. Parsons indulged In KIND OF verbal spar.
ring for some s mfoments mo Witness could not tell
| ing received lumber from Miller Co. to the value
PAID by tns the city, transferred It from
Mr.. Genet's mansion; 1t was
BLACK WALNUT;
| 1t was taken into Genet's house and most OF 1t
| used In his stable; Mr.. Barker his foreman or
dered 1t for Genet; witness told him to make out
to e the Court OF
|
was used on the stable; witness paid Quigg and
william Genet tAlr. Genet's brother) for building
materials didn't know what kind nor how much
| he paid; witness paid number OF men sent by pol
iticians; ne paid them to save himself; he thought
| ALL POLITICAL JOB,
and he felt as il it was right to pay them Genet
said 1t was necessary to put them on; most of the
money went this way on sinecures; Genet seemed
| satisfied; Genet sent some men; did not know
p reoa Wness na
John Halofan, printer, for furnishing stone the
pay roll August ., 1871, amounted to sll,4s1 5O
sl45,oo2 o.; witness could not account for the
discrepancy; he knew John 4. Wilson, who fur
could not say how many; he endorsed bill for
him to the amount OF $4 SO2 could not say that it
| was correct; he remembered warrants signed for
correctnesss; In fine, witness could not account in
any more definite manner for warrants drawn in
Of nearly one hundred and eighty thousand dollars;
| he sometimes signed warrants indiscriminatey,
very particular attention to their correctness.
TO his counsel ex-Judge Waterbury, did not
destroy bs for the purpose Of preventing their
not ordered ior Mr. Genet, but for the Court House
good deal OF the walnut remains at his house
| house; Barker Quigg were partners: paid the
men every two weeks Mr.. Genet paid me all the
vanced to me in all about $50, ,ooo had about aa5
men In oil working; from forty to fifty Of these
| were s1neCureS,
TO Mr.. Parsons-1 cannot explain how it is that
although about $o6S, 900 have been expended on the
! work SO far there are not more than $4,000 ac.
| men OF ali kinds.
In answer to the final queries OF Mr.. Parsons wit
| ness testified that he did not appear before now
| appear; he was told to stay away by Mr..
| Genet; he would stay away anyhow; he saw
| with him to Delmonico's; met Judge Waterbury
| there who said he was ready to have hin appear
| for examination. This terminated the proceed
ings OF The committee yesterday and the investi-
gators finally adjourned until tuesday, the 26th
/ instant, the members OF the Senate Committee
| Albany in the meantime. The examination OF
| John Scallon occupied from two to halfpast five
O'Clock p. NJ.
ALLEGED JUDICIAL FRAUD IN JERSEY.
i Gam firan Nnurn nrx IrnAI