New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-20
WASHINGTON.
TILE DISTRICT FRAUDS.

"a coxR TO THE RELIEF OF THE PEOPLE
iBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON. April 19.--7hs Sunday Chronicle. al
most the only newspaper in Washington that is not
entirely controlled by the Ring, dscloses some
startling facts in regard to the financial condition
into which the people of tho District have been
brought by the recklessly extravagant territorial
governments During the less than three years
Of its existence, hundreds. perhaps thousands
of poor people have been taxed out OF
their homes to paw for special improvements about
which the people of the District were never con-
snlted Business men have been forced to take at
par the various kinds of paper issued by the Boaru
of Public Works, but which is now hardly worth %
cents on a dollar, with no market for Its SALE ana
the debt, floating and bonded. created by tine us
trict Government and the Board much of 1T illegal
will remain as drag upon all kinds OF property and
business here until it is lifted and paid by Congress
The Chronicle says:
Knowing that We utter the sentiments Of nnetenths
Of the responsible portion of people, we appeal to
Congress take charge Of ADD establish for all time
10 come our relation to it, Punish those who may
be guilty spare the innocent Do not lot this great
city deserted and sink back into the ruts and sloughs
OF past. We IN trouble, and unless relieved Dy
the powers that in all fairness responsible for IT.
there is hope for Bankruptcy and ruin are sure
20 oyertake us. There is Disgusting this fact.
Whatever may said to the contrary. the reality ex-
lists. and is being severely felt not only In business
circles but in hundreds of individual cases. Let us DO
rad OF half Of the unnecessary machinery OF
our present Government commencing with the
Legislature which, as far being representa-
tive body OF the interests OF the District,
fraud and expense large enough to run many OF
the single States In the Union. Give us Board of
Commissioners representing different sections of the
eoanry aided by the courts In the supervision neces
sary TO our government. Bring Congress as
o1tzaO in
70 destroy every petty local incumbrance connected
with US II the investigation ends III this, will have
abundant for rejoicing and we know OF what we
say when We repeat that the people desire it, and II
rallied upon iudorse 1t, would do so By the largest
legitimate vote that mas been cast IN this District
on any question.
CRoss-Ex ANIMATION OF MR.. CHITTENDEN-No NEW
FACTS EuCITED-MYsTERIEs CONNECTED WITH
THE RING.
Iron THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OP THE TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON, April 1S.-The crOss-examinatiOn of
Mr.. Chittenden by the District Investigating Com
mittee, which was concluded to-day brought out no
new facts. The case stands substantially as it did
Yesterday puzzle TO the Committee and puzzle
to every one else in Washington who is not in the
secrets of the Ring" Nobody will doubt that
there were aud arc IN Washington hundreds of dis
honest follows who pretend TO exercise great infu
ence not only with the District Ring, but with Con-
gress and in the Departments, and who swindle
credulous people ont of considerable sums of money
But when the thing desired was a contract to lay
pavement at fixed price, and the particular kind
of pavement met the appreciation of the Board of
Public Works, it is dificult to explain why it
should have been necessary to pay so cent yard
bonus before the award could be obtained except on
the hypothesis that somebody who had the award
inc of the contracts had to be seen"
Chttenlen's whole course In regard to this con-
tract was suspicious. When he came to Washington
IN January 1872 The did not 60 to the Board of Public
Works and file an application for contract. He
did not. so far as his testimony shows, take
any measures to bring the merits of the
De Golyer No. 2 patent to the attention
of the men who were to award con-
tracts. He went to Mr.. Huntington, who not
Iiember of the Board, yet of the District Gov
eminent but cashier of the First Nation al Bank, Of
which the Governor Henry d. Cooke. was Presi-
dent, and the man who was reputed to be one OF
the leading spirits in securing the passage of the
organic act and to be interested with others in
NEGOTIATIONS growing out of the establishment of
the new form Of government To this man Chltten-
den went and in his hands he placed his case, and
he saws that he saw no one else during Mr. Hunting
tons hfe-;me-for two months at least.
The records Of the Board do not show, 80 far as
they have been put in evidence, that any proposal
was made on the part of De GOlyer d Mcclellan
10 lay pavement while Mr.. Huntington lived Chit
tenden thinks the application was made after the
Investigation of that year closed, and that was in
Nav. Aud vet Chittenden believed that an arrange
ment had been perfected by Mr. Huntington by
which the contract was to be awarded to him. When
Mr. Huntington died Chttenden did not then 90 to
the Board and apply for contract, an honest con-
tractor would naturally have done. but engaged the
services of the Rev. VIM. COlvn Browne, stop
Plug temporarily 10 Washington. who said that he
was acquainted with Gov. Cooke; and it was not
until after he had engaged Browne and agreed to
give him five cents yard any contract that was
obtained that he thought of employing Col Parsons
TO argue in favor OF the pavement before the
Board Browne introduced Parsons to Chittenden.
But the man who got the lions share of the bounty
was Col. Kirkland and what he did is most mystic
nous of all. He didn't even know Gov Cooke, and
Chtenden never found out positively that he knew
anybody who had the power to give out or to com
mand contracts. He said he had great deal of in
fuenee, and reported every day that matters were
Progressing favorably," and yet Chittenden says
i that he does not know and never did know what
that influence consisted of or how his business was
Advancing. He paid to this man and Browne
5000, yet he never knew that either of them had
done him cents worth of service. except that
Browne first brought him the information that an
award awaited him. Mcclellan, in writing to
Chttenden, speaks of these gentlemen as middle
| men, and if they did anything at all they surely
! we're middlemen between ChittendeD and some one
whom he processes not to know.
4 There is one fact that may throw some light upon
4 this dark subject. Ever since the organization of
1 the present District Government and Of the Board
I Of Public Works. the air of Washington has been
full of rumors that the award of contracts