National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-10

@. Was there any contract awarded to yol
which you finally did not get, or somebody els
didi A. Yes, SIR; there was number of con
tracts which declined,
Q. Were they contracts for which you hal
made applicationi A. No, sir.
Q. How did they happen to be awarded q
youi a. I do not know. was awarded con
tracts at various times by the board. They no
tilted me by letter that I had been AWARDED
contracts. Some Of them accepted and SOM
declined; but how they came to be awarded
70 me l cannot tell had made application
70 the board on one occasion, / think, for
contract. made application in writing to thu
board, at one time, for q contract.
2. Did you get that contract A. wa,
awarded contract shortly after that, bu
whether 1t was in accordance with my letter
Y. You say there were other contracts
awarded to you for which you made no sppli
cationl A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you know by whose direction thos,
contracts were awarded to youi A. do not
do not think In some of those contracts-fo
instance, the contract for raising houses in tn,
vicinity Of Twenty first and L streets-I thinl
there was no influence used in those, Mr.
Shepherd awarded me the contract on his owl
personal knowledge Of me.
Q. You say there were some contracts Vol
accepted and some you declinedi A. Yes
sir. a.
Q. Why did you deelinei A. Some declined
for want of means to execute the contracts, AM
others declined because did not like the kim
of work that was awarded me. was AWARDED
a contract at one time for making sewer con
nection, which declined because / objected I,
the plan. Then was awarded contracts 70
laying wood pavements, which l declined II
consequence of not being able to carry out tn
contracts-not having the means to carry then
| out. .
Q. Were you required in any case to divid
your profits with anybody A. There were on
| or two parties who claimed an interest in tn
contract. There was one gentleman wit
claimed to have an interest in the award, and
called Mr.. Shepherds attention TO 1t.
Q. Who was that partyi A. Judge Jeffries
I called Mr.. Shepherds attention to 1t, anc
asked him whether Jeffries had anything to d.
with it, and he spurned the idea, and told mi
in the most emphatic terms that Jefries hat
nothing whatever to do with 1t.
Q. What contract was that A. That wa
the contract for paving L street with wood pave
| ment.
Q. How did Jeffries happen to come to 20,
on that subject A. do not know.
Q. What did Jeffries claim of you; what In
terest did he claim to have in 1T A. He did
not make any particular claim, or fix any par
ticular amount, but said he had some inf1uenc,
| in procuring the contract.
Q. Was that contract awarded to you with
out your knowlcdgel A. I think made ap
plication for that in writing.
Q. Did you execute that contract A. diC
Q. Why did you not. A. had not the mean
to do it.
@. Was there any other contract awarded h
you which you declinedi A. There were othe
contracts awarded, but never executed them
did not decline them in writing.
Q. Is there any other instance In which an
persons claimed an interest In the contracts
A. In this same contract, in this same L stree
contract, 1t was arranged between myself an
A. P. Brown that i'll got the contract he shout
furnish the lumber. He had no interest in tn
contract outside of furnishing the lumber for Il
OF course, having the contract from me to fur
nish the lumber, he became interested in tn
contract. He was a lumber merchant, and If
went on with the work he was to furnish tn
lumber.
Q. At what ratel A. Thirty-six dollars
thousand.
| Q. Was that the usual market ratesi 4.
think that was the rate.
| Q. Was that the usual market ratesl A.
do not know what the usual market rate
we.
Q. Is there any other case in which cor
| tract was awarded to you where somebod
else was claiming an interest in It'll A. Ye:
| sir.
@. What is IT. A. I was awarded q contrac
for paving N street, and also Thirteenth street
o portion of Thirteenth street in which Nj
Murtagh claimed that he had some interest.
Q. What interest did he claim in that
No particular interest; he did not specify an
particular interest.
Q. What Mr.. Murtagh was thatl A. VII
liam J. Murtagh.
Q. What is bis businessi A. Editor of tn
| NATIONAL REPUBLICAN.
Q. How did he happen to come to you abou
! that contract, or did you go to himl A. H
and were connected in other matters. NJ
partner and myself were building his printin
office, end we were all pressed sprely for money
Mr.. Murtagh was in our debt considerably, AM
he claimed that he had some influence In secur
ing this contract for me, but as never intende
to 60 on with the contract, never was ablc u
go on with the contract, gave myself no ur
easiness about it, and did not inquire what in
terest he claimed, or anything about it.
@. Did you ask him whether he was to pu
any money into this contract or mott A. Yes
sir.
Q. What did he sayi A. All the money tina
wanted him to put into it was to pay up hi
| indebtedness to our firm.
| Q. Did you ask him whether he was to pu
in money in this contract A. No, sir; di
not intend to recognize his interest.
| Q. Did he ever make any statement to 20,
| as to what interest he claimed in 1t? A. I d
not think he did in any particular.
| Q. Any per cent. or interest that he claime
in 1t of the proitsl A. He may have done sc
but cannot remember his fixing any particula
| amounts.
Q. What is your best recollection about that
| The Witness. As to the particular amour
claimed by himl
Q. Yes, sir. A. think he said on one OK
casion he wanted q half interest, or somethin
of that kind.
Q. Was he to have half interest, he ful
nishing one-half of the money, or going to one
half the expense; or was he simply to get hal
of the proftsi A. That matter never was dis
cussed. It never was considered by me.
| Q. Did anybody refer you to Mr.. Murtagt
A. My partner was the person who attendet
| to the business with Mr.. Murtagh.
Q. Who was your partner3 A. Zephania
Jones.
Q. Was the contract awarded to you, indivit
ually, or to you and Jonesa A. think it wa
to me individually.
Q. How did Jones happen to refer you
| Murtagh, II he had no interest In It'll A. b
had half interest with me; he was an equi
partner in all our transactions.
| Q. How did he happen to refer you to Nj
| Murtaghi A. really do not know how
was brought about. Mr.. Jones handed me ii
award of the board; put the letter in my hand
saying: "Here Is q contract awarded you b
the board" which Mr.. Murtagh handed m
this morning.
Q. Then, did he refer you to Mr.. Murtagi
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you go to see Mr.. Murtagh on IL
subject A. met Mr.. Murtagh nearly ever
day.
Q. Did you speak to him on the subject, {
did he first mention 1t TO youl A. / think
spoke to him in reference to II first.
Q. Did Mr. Jones tell you that Mr.. Murtsg
claimed an interest In that contract A.
think he did.
Q. And then you spoke to Mr.. Murtag
about It'll A. Yes, sir.
@. Now, can't you tell the committee viii
Mr.. Murtagh claimed In regard TO iii A.
think It was half the profits, TO the best of m
recollection, although am not certain thi
any particular-
Q. Did you see Mr.. Murtagh as to wheth'
he proposed to furnish any Of the means
carry on this contract A. did.
Q. What did he say to you'll A. He said b
did not.
Q. But that he expected you to pay bill
half the proftsl A. Yes, sir.
@. Did he tell you how be happened to q
that contract awarded to youi a. No, sir;
never talked with him on the subject.
Q. How large contract was that A.
should think about q, 600 yards Of pavement
Il Q. What kind of pavement A. There wei
two or three different kinds of pavement mel
toned in the award. think the Miller, or th
Phillips pavement, and the Stowe pavemen
and it was optional with the board which paw