National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-05-22
MAY 10. 1871.
TESTIMONY OF ADOLF CLUss.
A LIZ HNI...s

Examination of Adolf Cluss resumed.
By Mr.. Wilson: Q. want to. ask you some
questions in relation to this tabular statement
which you have made up. With reference to
Seventeenth and Fifteenth streets you have
already explained. A. Yes, sir; and have
here the book which you asked me for.
Q. Have you the voucherf A. I have. The
committee has requested me to furnish this
voucher of John o. Evans, for Seventeenth
street, where 49, S4 cubic yards Of filling is
charged at the regular price of 40 cents, and
then again q haul of 5000 feet, above 200,
which makes again GO cents per cubic yard l
wish to say here, that Is in different handwrit-
ing from which the whole voucher is made
about it, but wish to prove that wheuI signed
these vouchers that S1.O2h yard was paid
for that fill, including the half; nor did know
the amount. In this one case 1 may be con-
sidered culpable, In having allowed such a
thing to pass without an explanation. This is
in the handwriting of Mr.. Oertly.
By the Chairman: Q. You say that that is
in different handwriting A. Yes, sir.
Q. How do you know thatl A. II clearly
shows upon its face the writing, and know
the figures of Mr.. Oertly's very particularly.
Q. You think that clearly shows upon its
face different handwriting? A. The voucher
contains a good deal of writing in the hand
writing of the clerk who makes up these things,
and afterward a number Of the cubic yards OF
filling, as well as the haul, Is in different
handwriting from the rest.
By Mr.. Wilson: Q. Whose handwriting Is
that? A. Mr.. Oertly, the assistant engineer.
By the Chairman: Q. The word filling and
1904 and 1000 and 200 are IN different hand
writing. A. Yes, sir.
Q. John o. Evans is also in the same hand
writing as the word filling, is 1t not. A. No,
sir; do not think so; this is in the same hand
writing as that indicated. The clerk who
makes out the bills has that all right.
Q. You think that "John o. Evans" and
''filIing" is written by two different peoplel A.
Yes, sir; but I claim that this and this are not
written by the same hand, [indicating,1 and
that this was written after signed the
voucher. .....
Q. This voucher was originally signed by
Charles E. Barney, was it notl A. Yes, sir.
Q. Is that Barney . different handwriting?
A. That is his writing.
Q. Is the handwriting Of John o. Evans in
Barney's handwriting A. No, sir; the clerk
makes out this bill.
Q. I do not ask you how 1t is done; ask
you if John o. Evans and Charles E. Barney
are two different handwritingsl A. Yes, sir.
Q. Then those amounts were blank when
you approved the voucherl A. To the best Of
my knowledge.
Q. Do you know anything about it, A. It is
now six months after this thing turned up, and
only on Saturday when l was asked to furnish
information, looked up this original voucher,
as was my duty, and then found this thing
here, and never having known that there was
such price paid for filing, when according to
my examination this earth came from other
streets. do not know how Mr.. Evans can
get 10, 900 yards of filling except from the other
streets. cannot think, was fooled into sign
ing bill If this was in actually at the time
signed it. -
Q. You think that these two items, then,
were blank when you approved this voucher
A. That is my impression my confident be-
lief. r. : 800 -.
By Mr.. Stewart: O. Whose duty was It to
fill up those blanksl A. As general thing II
It would be Mr.. Bsrney's business; but Mr.
Oertly, under special orders, attended to work
of Mr.. Evans, and here he has filled that In,
and Mr.. Barney is not responsible for this part
of the voucher. ...-.-...-.l -.- s
Q. The word "Hlling," you say, and "John
o. Evans" are in different handwritingsl A,
Yes, sir.
different handwritings. A. Yes, sir.
Q. And the word "fllliLc'' and the word
Concrete" are in different handwritingsl A.
Yes, sir. ...... -.l. :. II.
Q. The concrete is in Barney's handwriting
A. No, sir; that's similar handwriting to bis,
but It Is not the same.
Q. What do you say about that handwriting
A. This is the same Of that, Gindicatingl but
Il shows clearer. Mr.. 0ertly measured this
work on special orders. This voucher was
made out, and then afterward In this voucher
by which Mr.. 0ertly's statement was made
out, that filing was afterward added, 90 that
I do not know anything about the fguring,
whether II Is right or wrong. GO exon e
Q. On the slip of paper pasted In, II 10 In
Oertly's handwriting A. Yes, sir. 5-gE,i r.
Q. As is the word HHllfng" down herei A.
Yes, sir; and also the figures here, indicating !
By Mr.. Wilson: @. Do you know where that
earth did come from that was filled 10 therel
A. / do not. L tried to see Mr.. Oertly since |
was subpenaed on Saturday afternoon, but
did not succeed In finding him. ;ss5Fl -.za3lI
Q. Is there any place that IL could have
come from except the streets or syenuesl A.
II could not possibly have come from any
where else but from the streets or avenues, be-
cause |. would take too many cellars 70 I'LL
such an amount of earth. No private sources
are available to bring such an amount Of earth
10 the streets. f7,
Q. Now, going on with this table, take this
statement which you say Is the detailed state
mcnt Of which this that I hold In my hand is
the supplement, or recapitulatioa; I find the
seccnl item 10 this recapitula.ion Is the state