New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-16
THE DISTRICT INQUIRY.

INTERESTING TESTIMONY REGARDING TIE PAVING
CoNTRACrs-MoRE ABOUT THE INTEREST OF
GEN. GARFIELD AND MR.. PARsoNs-THE EyI-
DEHCE OF A NEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENT.
lBI TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSB
WAsHINGToN April 15.-The Committee to inves-
tgate the affairs of the District, though it secured
some very interesting testimony. made very little
progress in its search after the $4,000 paid by DE
Golyer g. Mcclellan, in 1872. fer influence iuS..l-
ting a contract to lay wood pavement in this city.
After the death of Mr. De Goyer one OF the partners
of the firm, Judge C. E. Jenkins of Chicago bought
half interest in the contract and assumed his share
of the responsibilities Into this genlemans hands
fell all the letters and dispatches sent by Chitten-
den, the agent of the firm, to his principals, while
he was in Washington seeking to secure the con-
tract and he had these papers In Washington about
the time the present investigation began. When
asked to produce these papers to-day he in
formed the Committee that he had destroyed
them, with copies that no had caused
to be made, to prevent them from
being printed in the newspapers, as he knew they
would be, if they wero in existence when the Com
mittee reached this branch of the inquiry He said
that those letters and dispatches contained mputa-
tons against public men that he had learned Chit
tenden would not to il he was brought before
the Committee Mr. Jenkins denied that there was
anything in the letters that in any way reflected
upon the conduct of the Board of Public Works OF
any member of Congress. The only reference that
was made in them to any member OF the Board OF
Public Works was to Gov. Cooke. Chittenden
seemed to rely principally upon the influence OF
William S. Huntington for his hope OF success IN
securing the contract. After Mr.. Huntington died
he was for q time quite respondent, but at length
wrote letter in which he intimated that Gov.
Cooke had taken Huntingdon place AS his friend.
Judge jenkins preferred not TO testify further In
relation to the contents of the letters and as
patches, as Chittenden, the author OF theIn .had
been summoned His idea was that Cbittendcn,
when he wrote the letters, was "stufing' DE
Golyer and Mcclellan. During the afternoon ses-
sion of the Committee Judge Jenkins testified that
in one of the letters referred to, written about May
80 Chittenden remarked that Col. Parsons had re-
turned and continued in very jublant strain that
he had secured very great influence in their favor
very great indeed-Gen. Garfield, Chairman OF the
Committee on Appropriations, who, he added, heid
the purse of the Government. and through whose
hand appropriations for District improvements must
come. From this testimony II appears that WINE
according to Col Parsons, Gen. Garfield was actually
employed to prepare an argument in favor OF the lie
GOlyer wood pavement patent, and received Tor his
services S. 900 Mr.. Chittenden was representing 10
his principals that Gen. Garfieds influence was oil
value to them in entirely different FORM
Judge Jenkins further testified during the after
noon session THAT after he went from Washington 10
Chicago in January last, he concluded to ascertain
from Chlttenden what was done with the Ss'OOV
that DE Golyer aud Mcclellan paid for the contract.
After considerable difficulty he learned from emit
tenden that he had paid $4,000 to Col Parsons ana
$4,000 to the Rev. Mr.. Brown. He afterward al
mitted that he had gwen his own note to MT brown
for IS 900 of the money. Chittenden would not tel
ANYTHING about the $4,000 notes, except that ne
gave them to Col Kirkland. who had sold them 10
Ira Holmes of Chicago Judge Jenkins SAID that nc
believed that both Mr.. De Golyer aud Mr.. McClei-
Ian had been magnetized by Chittenden, and that
Col Kirkland, who was professional lobbyist had
fooled" Chttenden.
Mr. Harrington, counsel for the District Govern.
ment. again examined Mr.. Gibson, correspondent OF
The Nep- York Sun, to-day. Producing copy OF me
Sum- three or four months old, he undertook TO ASK
him about the authorship of il. Mr. Gibson was III
formed that he need not answer the question ana
Mr.. Harrington that he must confine his questions
to matters of fact The latter said that the witness
had made long series of attacks on the Board, anu
had either told the truth lied. IL he had told the
truth the Board wanted the world to know 1t II ne
had lied the Board desired that the world shopiu
know that also He then asked the witness II nc
knew that any members Of Congress were Interested
in contracts Mr.. Gibson replied that he knew OF
49, 1inh Pass.