Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-03-18
Crane knows how it is himself. He was ain.

Crane knows how IL Is himself. He was sim
yestigated" while in Office, and now, like the
lOX that lost his tail, he wants to investigate
everybody else. An Affidavit by Thomas Dono-
hoo, contractor when Crane was ward COM
missioner. has just appeared repeating the
charges made against CT ane during tn at in yesti-
CATION, OF COLLISION with the contractors for sewer
work, by which deficiencies in the work were
over looked, and the work passed and approved
by Crane as commissioner.
Mayor Bowen in his affidavit at the time of
the investigation stated that fraud was at
tempted TO be perpetrated by the sewer con-
tractors, (Messrs. Costello x DorOhoo,) or one
OF them, " by making the culvert OF the thick
ness OF four and a half instead OF nine inches
ard by using inferior brick. and laying a por-
ton Oi them without cement, as required bv the
contract; that PRIOR 10 the discovery of SAID
fraud an assessment on the property w.s
brought 10 depOnent, certified in the usual form
~ sand Crane, that the work was properly ,Ione
according TO law and the requirements OF the
contract, that shcrt time subsepu ent to this,
ihl0i nation was given to depOnent th at fraud
had been committed, when depOnent ordered
Nr Bliss TO dig down to the cuivert in several
Places, which was done, and the whole m alter
exposed DeIonent then ordered the contrac-
IaTS 10 uncover the entire length of the culyert
then laid and il was found nearly the entire
way TO have been laid above stated. Soon
after the dePOnent met said John Ii. Crane
where the work was going on said
sewer, and a controversy between them took
Place in regard to the fraud and the false certi-
heate said crane had signed respecting il; du-
IIng which controversy the said Crane admitted
that lie had not seen the cuvert before il was
covered BY the contractors"
Alter recapitulating the further conversation
between Crane and himself, Dir. Bowen pro-
ceeds:
$50 base did consider his conduct that l
would have removed him on the spot, had
j not then been on the eve OF a departure from
the city for few days When / returned in
tended to appoint his successor, which 1 did
Some time alter this, Mr.. Donohoo, one of the
contractors, called on me at the mayors Office
and after conversation he informed me that he
would have saved about twelve hundred dollars
hy the fraud committed, and that he was to
give John III. Crane a portion of the money for
staying away from the work and for giving the
certificate above referred to. And he, the said
DOBOhOO, further said that the said Crane was
To stay away from the remainder of the work,
and that he expected to make a good round sum
by constructing the whole sewer as he had
two squares named. After Sismissing Mr.
Crane, heard from several parties that he had
returned on his pay-TOlls as horse and cart
employed on corporation work, horse and
buggy used by him for his personal benefit; and
on being charged with the same, he admitted
the fact TO me-"
DOnChOo testified at the investigation that he
offered Crane money - that he would not keen
a close eve on him. 4" Witness knew Crane
would not take the money direct into his hands,
but he (Crane) minated where he lived; that
he had family, and bedroom window
Il sht be left OPEN" Amongst the other wit
nesses was one James Murth, who had a curious
story to tell about contributions of milk and eggs
made TO Crane as ward commissioner. The in
vestgation committee of the Board of Alder
men, through Chairman Stewart, reported jan
uary Is, ISL, declaring that Crane stood con-
victed of fraud and malfeasance in Office while
he was commissioner of the Fourth Ward. and
In conclusion offered a resolution requesting the
mayor Emery ito withdraw the name of John
H. Crane from before the board for the Office
OF water registrar, he the said Crane, being dis
qualified TO fill the said Office"
Crane now turns up as a ferOciOuslv virtuous
reforner and investigator. When he testified
under oath before the District committee the
other day, that the Board of Public Works had
more nen employed prior to the late election
than the whole number of votes for the loan-or
the astounding number of about II 900 en-
ployes-what must have been his feelings?
How his white soul must have sickened in cal
eulating the vast possibilities for bonuses in
those 1.C00 men, What an income of corrup-
ton! Fourteen thousand gallons of milk per
d'y-encugh to enable Gov. Cooke TO set up a
cheese factory, and bid for the entire German
vote Fourteen thousand dozen of eggs per
day-enOugh, in the shape OF egg nogg, to fud-
Ole Congress into lenience, and .ssl,i,sidiZe,
every newspaper in the country, the Patrio,
ihcladedi Fourteen thousand contributions for
three hundred and sixty-ive nights OF the wear.
into open chamber windows, mountaineering
prospect! Fourteen thousand private buggies
charged as corporation carts at s. per day,
exasperating thought. Fourteen thousand op-
Portunites per day to turn the Official back
upon fraudulent sewer-work at $500 per revolu-
ton! sggravating to a degree And for these
reasons Crane wants TO be Governor. He has
been through the fire. He can stand these
temptations.