New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-02-02


TRACTS -..- ,,,,n,,xv,
.,.,, Fob The Investigations into the PRINT
a., obpses are now fully under way. Inc Assembly
Committee on Printing and the Senate specia Ooin-
,o,od 70 investigate the charges against
~, T.-;,l;cer have both been engaged In taxing
.oa,i,onv TODAY Mr. Parsons made some lhteiee'
g. and entirely new disclosures before the Assem-"
NJ Committee He testified that he gave Que
I'd Phelps. well-known lobbyist SlOVOO 10 a'Venu
a, his husipess before the Ways ana Means Oolnilit
Zoo last year The Supply bill OF last year apPropir
a,ed about $4,000 to Weed Parsons ~ oo'' u
which a considerable proportion was lor WIZ
wholly or partially DESTROYED by nIe' WIN ~ ~
establishment before 1t had Oeen uel'
p,r,,rs also said il was the custom OF the hrih 10
I-.o~,o,,os IN tbe clerks of the two Houses
- The legislature He had paid 20 per cent 10 MI
Trderhill Clerk of the Assembly in 1869, amounting
60 between $1,000 and $1,000 for the session. lie
o,eo admitted that ne should have paid IerWllllger
MS rercentace all the Same, whether ne had done
"rroof reading or not Mr. Parsons is OF opinion
4bat thelepitmate profits Of job printing III Albany
sborld no large. say in the neighbOrhood OF IUper
cent. The Committee adjourned until lusSuay next
The Senate Special Committee examined MI
Gracie. The witness was somewhat embarrassed
81 fa;ed IN substaptiate fully his affidavit in re-
oard 70 the alteration Of bills by TeIwllhger The
Committee will hold another meeting tomorrow
evening, when the books of Weed, Parsons
g. Co. will he examined. Judge Lyman
Iremain appeared as counsel for Weed
Parsons a. Co., and Hamilton Harms
for Terwilhger. 1t may be remarked that the real
basis of the investigation is the scandalous ahdaVlt
signed by Parsons and Terwiliger The charge oil
fraudnlently altering bills to the disadvantage of
L., haou
Tiger bat public opinion has turned on the manifest
impropriety of a clerk of the Senate receiving
commission of one-ffth on all the work he could
carry TO the printing firm which paid him the bride.
Oracle further testified that his affidavit was made
about month before its publication, but that it was
not intended to be printed in the newspapers. Col.
Hastings Of New-YOrk had drawn the affidavit. The
rest Of his testimony affords nothing new, being
merely in substantiation Of the facts embodied in
the affidavit Mr.. Parsons was present and prom
ised to produce his books tomorrow.
The following are the most important portions of
the testimony taken by the Assembly Investigating
Committee:
TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM CASSIDY.
Ireside in Albany printer, publisher and editor,
and Of the members of The Argus Company have
contract for the legislative printing, at fixed sum- ii
includes all the printing ordered by the Legislature for
use but not what ordered by the Legislature
distribution various institutions; the extra print
lag, including binding, hhOgraphinG, &c, ordered by
the Legislature for 1869 and 1870 amounted TO
about $4,000 for each year, the order for the Red
Book is outside Of that the extra printing
- generally ordered by resolution; the Clerk transmits
Il 70 us; believe he does order it himself; the
tract for printing is let by advertisements the state on
GERS calling for bids from all parts Of the State and from
efer states; it advertised six or eight weeks very
,,,ily and Is gfveRts~eife lowest bddersi when the
frrffp I'M i
never heard OF any dissatisfaction Of other parties with
fine manner in which We obtained the contract; our
contract was made years ago. and was con
tnued BY an act Of the Legislature at the same
figures: il was PASSED unanimously; understand this
vas the first time that such contract was
renewed; think $4,000 the amount of our contract;
we are willing 10 do it for that it renewed under
the Annual Supply bill l understood the vote was
taken on the separate items the supply bill contains
things ordered by the Clerk himself the rates for extra
printing are according TO the ordinary prices for such
work; consider our contract profitable one to us
the profit Is 10 TO 20 per the total work done; the
total work last wear amounted TO about Sl500O reports
made TO the Legislature in pursuance Of law egs
Iatiyc printing and included in the contract fOr SSo0
we give an the copies ordered, as well as what
ever extra printing the legislature orders for
IT, own use; do not understand that our con
tract includes printing ordered Tor the benefit Of the
Eestuts Of the University the Canal Department;
they are be paid for aside from the contract about
onehaf Of the printing done for the Legislature
perhaps less than half the rest being extra printing for
benefit OF outside parties never had any CONVEX
with members in regard to introducing resOlu
tons for extra printing Of my partners en-
lloy Is have had, TO my knowledge; paid any
thing IL through, far know the members Of
NY firm are myself, Mr. Manning and Nj. Smith, my two
associates and our foreman, Mr.. johnson; never
paid anything my knowledge TO have the extra print
rue put the snpply bill We had the printing contract
FIRST think; lost $4,000 or $4,000 that;
have this contract two years this Is third year
can't tell what the extra printing for this year viii
amount to; think We will keep 1t down TO the same
cum the extra printing amounted the difference be-
tween So OOO aud Sl5OO; didn't print the Red Book
last year; there is separate contract for that II We
printing extra work for private corporation or
person, would make reduction from the rates
suppose don't in this because that is contract
the State publishes the proceedings OF the Eclectic
Society the Agricultural Society the American Institute
of the City Of New-York, aud others; these works
finely illustrated, and are printed for
the benefit Of the members Of the societies
this work charge for extra; bound to furnish
any quantity the Legislature calls for for it, own use
under contract should not be afraid b. take such
contract from private ndiv idua,; publish news.
paper and think could afford to take the risk Of their
trying TO break us down by orders We always saw
how this contract might he worked to our disadvantage
IN nigh state Of party politics, but thought we could
take the rsk; no extra copies called for the con
tract would nmunerate III; il We have document in
type and extra copies required save by that not
having TO reset it, contract has saved the State soo
90 year it cost $4,000 year to do the State printing
before we got II, informed we have never IN n,,
knowledge, allowed the clerks other officers any
smouments whatever There Is separate contract for
printing blanks, bill heads, ETC. it let to US I
think weed, Parsons Co. do the insurance printing
bank department and We have done some work
down by the Governor and Adutant General; we
did that work AT the price the other don't