National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-03

be put away and the board would sign them
/ at different times.
Il Q. Can you tell how many ofthese contracts
were on hand, say in September last, or IN o
tober lasti A. could not indemnity, really. IL
Is Impossible for me to do so. n
i Q. Were any Of themi A. Why, certainly.
Q. Contracts were on hand all the while un-
signen A. OF course. The reason Is because
We were constantly drawing them.
| Q. When there was change Of Governor
when Governor Cooke retired were, there any
contracts remaining unsigned by himi A. or
course II was very natural that he should
2. Was theref A. Certainly. There were
quite number.
Q. He has signed some Of them sincei A.
Yes, sir.
Mr.. Harrington. We admin that. We told
Mr.. Christy that there were . few contracts
unsigned by Governor Cooke when he went
out Of Office, and he signed them now for then.
But they had been formally signed by q
majority Of the board. Il was simply to COM
plete the contract. There has never been any
question about ft between the counsel.
! Mr.. Christy. So as to have full and COM
plete understanding about this matter, will
state that our charges are, first, that work was
done without contracts In some instances;
second, that contracts were, in fact, executed
after work had progressed; then that con
tracts have been executed since the order made
by the committee for the production of con-
tracts. Is that admitted That establishes
the principle without regard to particular con-
tracts.
Governor Shepherd. Contracts have not
been executed; some contracts have been COM
pleted.
Mr.. Merrick. Have been signed by members
of the boardi
Mr. Harrington. Yes, sir; signed previously.
It was not necessary, but 1t was thought best
to do so to complete them. I understood Mr..
Christy to say, while he was sitting here, that
the only point in this charge was that Governor.
Cooke had signed some contracts after he had
vacated the Office of Governor Of the District.
That Is true, and we explained to the commit
tee that at the time he went out of office there
were some contracts remaining in the Office of
the contract clerk that had been signed by the
other members of the board, and the Governor
completed them after the term of his office had
expired. Now, If there Is any question to be
made in regard to that, you can make It in ar
gument.
Mr. Christy. Let us 90 one step further, and
end the argument now. Not only were con-
tracts signed by Governor Cooke after he went
out of office, but after the order made by the
committee for the production of contracts.
Mr.. Harrington. None at all.
Mr.. Christy. Now, on that subject we desire
to inquire of Mr.. Mott.
The Witness. know Of none. don't think
It was done as a matter Of fact.
Mr.. Harrington. was present when Cover
nor Cooke signed those: It was anterior. am
willing to be qualified as to that.
/ The Witness. don't think there was
single member of the board who signed subse-
quently.
By the Chairman: Q. You remember the CIR
cumstance that such direction was given to
call upon Governor Cooke for signing contractsl
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Now, just state whether or not any of
those contracts were signed after that time,
| fold there thirty FORTY
naming over, but not single important con-
tract among them all. remember that fact;
one of them you had the other day. It was
simply the extension of contract $50, Of Mr..
Samuel Strong.
Q. Did you receive at that time any instruc-
ton from the board in reference to the COM
pletion of those contractsl A. Nothing further
: than to see them properly executed.
D Q. And they were executed A. Yes, sir.
Mr.. Christy. / now desire to ask In regard to
q particular contract, namely, the Bingham
contract, which is subject of controversy.
. Mr.. Bass. When you return to your office
can you specify particularly which of those
: thirty or forty contracts werea A. have stated
5 that If could find that little memorandum
that had, would be able to do so. / will
r make another search for that, and If / can find
: it, I can doubtless give you the information.
Q. Have you no other way Of ascertainingi
A. No, sir.
MI L uuucIeloilu CObb W
say that there was only one important contract.
5 The Witness. Yes; that of Greggs. That
: was no fault of either the board or the con-
! tractor that that was not signed. It was
merely difficulty about the terminus of the
line of sewer.
By Mr.. Jewett: Q. understand you to say,
Mr.. Mott, that the rule was to make no pay
D ment on contract until it was executed A.
, That understood to be the general rule, and
1t was followed up so far as I know. It was
i that that constantly keep the contractors, more
/. or less, pretty we'll up to date.
/ Q. In this book which you placed In my
hands find some 40 or so contracts which
have been executed since the first of Noyem-
: bert A. Yes, sir.
Q. find that looking at them that nearly
. all of them were at the time of their execution
partially executed. That is, work had been
| partially done. A. That is q question in re-
I gard to which I have no knowledge. That
! part of it is the report of the engineer.
Q. The book which you placed in my hands
shows that contract No. 955 was completed
3 when it was executed A. Yes, sir.
Q. TIE entire work donei~ A. Yes, sir.
Q. And the same in regard to contract No.
l 961-the entire work was donel A. Yes, sir.
: Q. Contract No. 963. A. Yes, sir.
[ Q. The contract of Mr.. Samuel Strong, No.
065, seems 10 have been an important contract,
and that that entire work was completed.
D And so with regard to 967, 96S, $50, 772, 975
with Samuel Strong, 976, on, 979, 9S2, 9S5,
9S5, 0S7, that all those contracts being, some OF
them with Andrew Gleason, Evans, and other
parties, that the whole work was done when
e these contracts were executed A. That
could not testify to, because have no know
ledge on the subject.
l Q. am speaking Of the memorandum that
> you have here in this book.
D Mr.. Mattingly. That is correct so far as
know. What page is that, Mr.. Jewett'
Mr.. Je~ett. It Is o written book handed me
. by the witness.
o. $50. 900, 991, 9os, es4, 995, 997, 900, 92sK
l !, 200, ! COS, zoos, with numerous others
When these contracts were executed, the entire
E work, it seems, had been done. Now, if this
be true, when you state that the general rule
E was that no money was to be paid until the
j contracts were executed, you didn't intend this
E committee to believe that that rule was all OBJ
Q servedl A. do intend to have this COMMITTEES
/. believe that 1t was generally observed.
e Q. With this memorandum placed In the
hands of the committee by YOURSELF A. / am
s only speaking Of the general work of the two
of1ces-the auditors office and the contract
Office. Those things were appended after ii
Z passed my office.
/ o. Arc not these contracts in your officel A.
q Yes, sir; but the knowledge whether the work
5 was done under them or not Is not in my office.
Q. Very well; but you have placed here in
, my hands q memorandum from the auditor
) showing that the work had been entirely done!
} A. No, sir; not from the auditor, but the en-
gineer.
? Q. Well, from the engineer, showing the
/ work had been entirely done when they were
|. executed A. have no knowledge of that.
i only tell you the general rule Of the board. 1t
: is possible that contracts may have been done
5 before they were awarded. I know nothing
: about that.
!. Q. Then you merely speak Of the rulei A.
Yes, sir; Of the general rule.
Q. You don't mean that this committee shall
D believe that 1t Is a facti A. So far as / know
, il, wish them to believe It.
7 Q. Don't you believe this book is truei A,
: do.
! Q. Didn't you believe when you presented
me this book that these statements in it were
. true; that the entire work had been done be-
: fore these contracts were executed, A. It may
: or may not be 50. will not swear to another
: mans acts.
! Q. I ssk you If you don't believe that this
' book which you have brought here-that these
I memoranda are truei A. No, sir. had nc
1 reference to the memoranda at all, but gave il
to you simply with reference to what relates to
Q my Office.
: Q. You call my attention. A. call the
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