National Republican., 1873-03-26
THE COAL CONTRACTS.
THE CHARGES AGAINST Mr.. GuISAND.

THE CHARGES AGAINST MR. GUlNAND.
Report Of the InvrstIantIng Committee
Tho Contract with Him AanuIied-Ten
FER Cent. Deducted from Ills Bliis-He
ASKS Another Trial, aud says lie will
CRrry the Question TO the Courts -Rou-
tine Buslnes..
An adjourned meeting Of the Board Of Public
School Trustees was held last evening at the
Franklin school building; present, Messrs. Har-
rls, Hart, steuart, Rhecs, Woodward, Champlln,
French, Moore, Dulln, Scott, DIETRICH, AtLee,
Randolph, Wilson, MurtaRh, Richards and Allen.
There were also present Mcssrs. L. q. Hlne, WIN.
Gulnand, X. Z. GatChel, VIM. COwan, treasurer
Of the board, and Superintendent J. y. Wilson.
Mr.. z. French, who had been chosen president
pro TEN. at previous meeting, occupied the
chair, and Dr.. A. +. Pardon was secretary,
Mr.. Randolph moved that the meeting proceed
10 the Immediate business for which II was al.
lOurned Carried.
Mr.. q. X. Harris, from the special committee
to investigate the charges against MI. William
uuinand, for shortncss Of weight In coal fur.
nished to the schools submitted the following
report
RKPORT o. THE COMMITTEE
The committee appointed under the following
resolution Of the board beg leave tO submit the
following repOrti
board that William Guinand, the contractor ior
furnishing coal aud wood TO the public schools,
has defTauded said schools by not giving the
proper weight Of coal; and whereas II is also
| charged that, In number Of cases, the ceTtin.
Gates Of the public welgher have been forged
Therefore,
Resolred, That committee Of four members
| be appointed to inquire Into said charges, that
said committee he directed TO make the inquiry
| as soon as possible, and to report the result Of
their Investigations TO this board at a special
meeting to be held Oh Tuesday, 25th instant, al
| 1870 p. m.
Your committee held It's FIRST session on Mon,
day, March II, and proceeded with the investiga'
| tiOn.
Mr.. GulnAnd was present, with witnesses aud
counsel, and he was accorded the fullest oppOr
tunlties for explanation aud for the CrOss-eNam.
lnatlon Of the witnesses that had been sum
mOned by the committee.
The committee met again on "Wednesday,
March ~, and although II was understood at the
previous meeting that the evidence had been
closed, Mr.. Uuinand was Afforded another Op-
portunity TO make further statements. one OF
his witnesses then made an explanation Of tcs-
tlmony previously glSen, which he said had been
counsel were both heard for the defence.
The committee, II will be observed, was
directed to Investigate two distinct charges, and
to ascertain the truth or falslty OF two distinct
propositions, viz: First, whether the public
schools had been defTauded by not receiving the
proper weight Of coal from the contractor and,
second, whether the certificates Of the public
wclgheT had been forged.
With regard TO the tirst proposition, the fact
was established by positive and direct evidence
that at least seven tons Of coal, which had been
ordered for the Flrst school district fell short an
average Of over three hundred pounds to the
ton. This coal was rewelghed Immediately after
delivery. Mr.. Thompson, clerk In the employ
| OF Mr. Guinand, who was called AS witness fol
the latter, testified that the scales at the yarJl
| OF which he hal charge, and whence the Goa
was brought, were out OF order; that he hal mo-
weighed the coal, but that he guessed at th'
weight. Yet this witness sent with the coal Ger
tlncates purportlng TO have been signed by Z. Z
Gatchel, (who was supposed 10 be q publ
weigher or inspectorD which certificates wer
| intended TO create the Impression that the Goa
had been weighed by the said public weigher
pounds.
The committee did not deem II necessary, ate
| establishing the above facts, to inquire furthe
In relation TO particular loads OF coal; but Othe
general evidence left no room for doubt that tn
schools had been defrau1cd In like manner a
other times.
with regard to the second proposition IN
testimony Of Mt. Gatchel himself and Of Nj
Altemus, the principal clerk IN Mr.. Gunand
employ, established the fact that large majOrit
Of the certificates purporting TO have bCcl signe
by Gatchel were signed by said Altemus wit
Guinands knowledge, and that, too, wlthOu
Gatchels authority. II further appeared tina
Mr. Gatchel was not public weigher under tn
government Of the District Of Columbia. Tn
coal contract was awarded to Mr. Guinanl o
July II, 1874, and Of that time the Board Of SchOi
Trustees adopted the following resolution;
Rcso'red, That for all coal delivered by the COT
tractors for the use Of the public schools Of th
city certificates Of the public weighcrs bc r,
quired.
Mr.. Guinand was not ignorant OF that rcsolu
, tlon, for he hal discussed II with members
, this board, and thought II was lmpracticablc I
Nor do the committee believe that he coul
, have been ignorant Of section ~ Of tho act
the Legislative Assembly, approved August 2
ISL, which regulates the weighing aud selling
( coal, and which among others contains the 10
, LOVING clause:
"If any person Or persons, licensed as afor
, sald," 10 sell coall "shall sell and deliver al
coal which shall not have been frst weighed 1
one OF the coal inspectors Of the District, unci
.. the buyer shall have previously agreed to d.
pense with such weighing, he shall be liable to
tine OF not lcss than three nor more than Ave do
lars for every such violation"
! In tue opinion OF the committee MI. GunRn
must have known that Mr.. Gatchel was not
regularly appointed weigher or Inspector.
! II was also In evidence that Mr.. Gatchel ha
presented two bills for weighing coal at the rat
OF twenty cents per ton, although according
WORK. The law above referred to fxes the su con N
pensatiOn Of the welgher at ten cents per TO
payable by the seller OF such coal"
Your committee believe that both the prOpbs
tlOns above stated have been proven, and the
therefore recommend the adoption OF the follow
! ing resolutions, viz:
rHE RESOLUTIONS RECOMMENDED.
Resoircd, That In the settlement OF the o.
counts with William Gunand for coal furnIshe
! the public schools the committee on accounts Il
directed to make deduction Of per cent.
Resoircd, That the contract with said WlIllaI
Gulnand for furnishing fuel for the publ
schools be, and the same ls hereby, Tescindet
and that the respective Rub-boanls he liTcCte
TO purchase fuel IN open market until Otherwis
, ordered by the board.
Resolrcd, That no further payment he male l.
L. Z. Gatchel for alleged services IN wcighln
coal for the public schools.
Respectfully submitted,
81 uAERIS,