Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-02-28

The Committee on the District Of Colun-
bla Of the House of Representatives contln.
uod the investigation yesterday into the |
charges made against the Board Of Public |
Works
Mr.. Crane wished to call the attention Of
the committee 10 the list OF officers furnished
by the Board Of Public Works, and said that
to his knowledge 1t did not embrace all that
were employed.
Mr.. Eldrldge. MIR. Crane, II you wish to
make such a statement you win be sworn
and make II under oath.
Mr.. Chandler said that II any man had
been omitted It was accidental. With tho
list previously furnished anG this Que he
thought all the employees were embraced.
Mr.. Crane said he knew OF some employed
not on the list. William Norton, Joseph
Fletcher, Green and his corps Of engineers,
were In the employ OF the Board Of Public
Works, and their names did not appear on
the salary list.
were ATTY thousand tickets In tho wagon.
By Mr.. Eldrldge; II was hls opinion that
considerable number OF PERSONS were pre-
vented from voting against the loan by not
being able to obtain tickets. The Citizens
association was organized to defeat the
Did not think they could have defeated the
loan bill II thorc had been plenty Of ballots.
| lie presumed majority Of the citizens was
In favor OF the measure. Could not bring 10
his mind any person that did not vote because
they did not get an antl-loan ticket He
gave out no tickets during the day, and made
| up his mind 10 take no active part In the
| election. There was not an antl-loan candi-
/ date In every district. Mr.. Buckley was the
candidate In his district. Understood he was
opposed to the loan. He made poor run.
Men went away from the polls and refused to
vote because they could not get antl-loan
tickets; but he could not furnish any OF the
names Of those parties, unless one was Mr..
/ Clark, and he was not certain about him.
| There was no obstruction at the polls.
BY Mr.. Chlpnani The inspectors Of the
election, be believed, were appointed by the
Governor. There were three candidates In
his district, and Mr.. Kllbourn drew their
vote, and they tried to have fusion on him
| to defeat Henry Piper, but witness party
would not agree TO Il. The cOlored man beat
both Of the other candidates.
By Mr.. Roosevelt People OF property kept
away from the polls because they thought IL
useless to vote. The Board Of Public Works
and their employees had everything their own
way. Did not know whether there. was any
fraudulent voting or not. Men came from the
country and down the river and voted. Did
not know who they were; had never seen
By Mr.. Hammer There were about twenty
thousand voters In the District. Did not
know how many voted for or against the
loan.
By Mr.. Chapman; The registration shows
the residence Of the voter. Could not say
that he saw any man vote twice. Had no
reason to say that the votes In his district
were not honestly counted.
BY Mr.. Crane Had noticed the work on
| New York avenue. On the south side, be-
tween Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets, the
curb was first raised up in some places as
high rs two feet. The street and sidewalk
was hlled up. The curb was Afterwards taken
up and replaced at Its old depth. Tho con-
crete has been placed about q foot below the
railroad track on account of an Improper
grade, and another pavement would have to
be laid on top Of II, or this one taken up.
Mr.. Crane, sworn: lie wished TO say that
on election day he had one Of the meanest
tricks played on him that was ever played
| against an American citizen. lie went TO the
| polls to vote and could not got an anti loan
Ticket. There was wagon come round there
with whole load, aud he asked for some
| and got every kind but those against the loan
aud none OF these could be found. He went
to the office Of the Board Of Public Works,
| but could not get any tickets there.
By Mr.. Eldridge They could not have de-
feated the loan bill, because the citizens did
not register. A majority Of those who went
to the polls voted for the loan. The papers had
all been bought up, and they had everything
their own way; but II those that remained
at home had gone and voted, the loan would
| have been defeated by an overwhelming ma
jorlty. Mr.. klopier had told he should not
register, because 1t was useless, and the Board
Of Public Works had gained an Immense
power, and they could not be defeated. All
the papers In the city advocated the loan ex-
cept little paper called the CitiEeH, which
scratched along for about six weeks. The
Patriot opposed II ut first, but finally fell Into
line. VIM. Is. Tweed, OF New York, then
owned the largest amount Of stock In the
paper. lie believed that all OF the papers in
thu city were bought up by advertising TO
support the loan.
By Mr.. Roosevelt; Could not soc the neces-
sity OF advertising In fifteen papers, occupy
ing two or three columns In each. IL was
advertised In little theatre paper, aud The
Grand Army Journal which had not much
circulation here. The Sunday papers spread
II out and made II look large.
By Mr.. Eldridge' Thought there was en-
plOyed under tue District at the time OF the
election at least IL, 900 persons; they were en-
plOyed In all Notwithstanding streets, gut |
tiers, aud doing contract work.
By Mr.. HarIner; Thought there were about |
the one for the loan.
By Mr.. Rldridge; Had no personal knowl- |
edge OF money that had been expended to buy
voters for the loan, or would have exposed
Il long ago; from all he could learn he be.
lleyed the members of the Board Of Public
Works fuEnished money TO carry the election;
from tue work done In the Legislature, the
manner In which the bill was got through
Congress TO create the new government, he
was convinced that such men would not scru-
Pile TO take public money.
Mr.. Eldridge. What do you mean, Mr..
Crane, by getting 1t through Congress
\ G.,at A..
that has been done this winter, giving enter
talnments and inv lting CoDgrefsmen and the
committee to them, and which they have at
tended.
Mr.. Chapman. Do you object, Mr.. Crane,
to the citizens being hospitable
Mr.. Crane. do not think, II | was on q
Jury, that ] would like the person being tried
10 invite me to his house TO IN entertain
ment.
Mr.. Chapman. Do you mean to imply that
the committee were corruptedl
Mr.. Crane. No, sir. ] meant 10 say moth
Ing against the committee. merely gave II |
as heard IL.
Mr.. Eldrldge. Who gave Il to youp
Mr.. Crane. IL was furnished b. reliable |
gentleman under the city government
Mr.. Eldndge. Who was her
Mr.. Crane, do not care to state.
Mr.. EldTidge. Well, we have had the story, |
now let the name come out
Mr., Crane. Il was Capt W. W. Moore.
Mr.. Eldrldge. Who's hrE
Mr.. Crane. lie Is member OF the Legsla- |
ture.
Mr., Chapman. What are his politics.
Mr.. Crane. lie was an Old Line Why.
Mr.. Chapman. What Ia he nOw2
Mr.. Crane. Opposed to the city govern
ment.
Mr.. Chandler. Mr.. Crane, you have held
office In the District
Mr.. Crane. Yes, sir. ! was commissioner
Of the Fourth ward under Mayor Bowen.
Mr.. Chandler. You and Bowen quRrrcled, |
believe?
Mr.. Crane. ! left him on account Of the |
stupendOus frauds that were being made, and |
would not be party.
Mr.. Chandler. After you left you Joined |
hands with Mr.. Shepherd and fought to elect
Mr., Crane. did work to secure his cleo.
tlOn.
Mr.. Chandler. You had something to do
with newspaper-the ChiEeng
Mr. Crane. was managing editor OF that
paper.
Mr. Chandler. You also wrote some of
the articles that appeared 10 II.
Mr.. Crane. Yes, sir.
Mr.. Chandler. Do you not think that some
Ill