The Portland daily press., 1874-04-02
WASHINGTON,
The SanbOrn Investigatiou.

The SanbOrn Investigation.
WASHINGTON April frederick A. Sew
yer Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, has
made statement before the Committee on
Ways and Means. He gave his recollection of
the manner in which the provision authorizing
the Sanbarn contracts was embodied IN the leo
islative appropriation bill last year. He was
then member of the Senate Approximation
Committee, but had no personal connection
with the offering of that amendment in the
committee. He believed that he voted for it, as
he also did afterwards in the conference COM
mttee. He denied the assertion that the pro-
vision was struggled into the bill. He declined
to gveRny opining as to whether the Sanborn
contract was Or was not in compliance with the
term of the law, as the Solicitor of the Treas
ury Department was the proper officer to frame
contracts. He had no personal knowled &c of
Sanborn, Presbv, or any persons connected
with the contracts, ano all his official acts in
reference to them were merely formal and done
in the regular course of business. He gave an
explanation OF the manner of doing business
in the Treasury Department corresponding gen.
orally with that given yesterday by the Secre-
tary, thai is, that the papers were brought to
them for signatures and that where the papers
were checked by subordinates having charge of
that particular branch of business, they were
signed without being read. He defended the
department against the imputatons of having
withheld important papers. He declined to
give his opinion as to the proprety of re-
pealing, amending or continuing the law as it
is, Onthe ground that it was a legislative ques-
ton which was to be decided by the committee
and Congress-.
The Howard Court.
In the Howard Court to-day the testimony of
the clerks in the Second Auditors office was
continued as to the manner of disbursing mon
ey under the Freedmen'S Bureau.
Mr.. Sims, chief of one of the divisions in the
Auditors office, stated that he did uot think
Gen. Howard could have known or rectihed the
MI nf 10 nf 6Iehr @ffa g.
which he was held responsible.
The Judge Advocate made an argument fav-
oring motion that he submitted, reading the
opinions of the Third Auditor and Second
Comptroller part of his argument, wherein
these officials decided that accounts could not
be opened except where errors were shown, and
even then 1t was customary to start supplement
tary accounts. The motion was to have several
commissioners appointed by the department
commanders to visit the claimants who have
made complaint and take testimony under oath
to be forwarded for the use of the court This
is to done in the "a cases presented.
General Howard, by counsel, said mo man in
any court could be condemned by the affidavit
of complainant. The motion of the Judge ad-
vocate was then amended so as to take the full
testimony in each case. The ICourt adjourned
while the continuation of the case was pending
District Investigation.
| In the District of Columbia investigation
| this afternoon the council Tor the memorialists
statutes at large containing the law appropri-
ating $4,000, providing that the corporation or
| District of Columbia government would appro-
| pirate an equal amount to repair the old cobble
pavement on Pennsylvania avenue west of 18th
street, after which he called D. D. Costleman,
| who testified that the Board of Public works
| discarded that act and put down the new pave
ment at a cost largely greater than the $4,000
contemplated under the act of Congress.
I. T. Fowler testified he was interested in
| the National Paving Company in 1871, and
that it was thought best to consolidate this
company with the Metropolis Paving Compa-
| dy, and with the Bolard Company, in which
| witness was interested; that in August, 1871.
he called on A. r. Sheppard, who was inter-
| ested in the Metropolis Co., in company with
several others to talk the matter over and see
what could be done to bring about that object;
| that he saw Shepherd in his effice and in a
| preliminary conversation Shepherd took wit
| ness aside and stated that in view of the rela-
tion he expected to bear to the new District
| government, he did not want to be known as
having any interest in the paving business that
witness could see Hallet Killbourne, and
| whatever arrangement witness land Melbourne
could make would make it ali right for him
shepherd Witness understood by that that
| Shepherd was willing to have secret Interest
in the paving contracts, and that he proposed
| to have that interest represented through Kill
| bourne. Witness knows that Kilbourne saw
| Shepherd in relation to the matter. The con-
| solicitations were not accomplished, however
| This took place about the time August. 1871
| when Pennsylvania Avenue from LIST to 18th
| streets was to be paved under M aior Emery and
the proposal had reference to the combination
| to do that work. The object in trying to get a
| consolidation of the then existing paving COM
panies was to prevent competition in the pro
| posals fer that work. Witness got none of that
| work The Metropolis Company in which
Shepherd was interested did get portion of it
| to do.
Governor Shepherd requested leave to make
statement here under oath, alleging that
Fowler's testimony was slander and express
ing desire that his refutal might 60 to the
public with the charges.
After private consultation the committee
decided to hear Gov. Shepherd in explanation
Gov. Shepherd then stated that he then owned
stock in the Portland Stone Company and IN
the Metropolis Company in the year 1870: The
act OF Congress for paving Pennsylvania ave
nue. passed that year. In that act Mayor EN-
cry and Gen. Michler, then commissioners Of
public buildings were named as a commission
to decide upon the kind of a pavement to bt
laid. They selected four kinds of wood blocks
The pavement was put down|in the winter Of
1870 and early in the spring of 1871. The act
of Congress organizing the new territorial gov
eminent did not pass until the middle Of Feb
ruary, 1871; He (Gov. Shepherd) was appoint
ed a member of the public works in March
and then the board did not go into operation til
June 1, 1871, six months after the pavement
referred to by Mr.. Fowler was laid The Gov
eInor then referred to the printed testimony Of
last years investigation, wherein he had testl
fed that he had disposed outright of all the in
terest he had in the Portland Stone and Me
troDolis Paving Companies Immediately or
being appointed a member of the Board o.
Public Works Gov. Shepherd reiterated thl'
testimony, and said that neither himself MOI
any OF his relatives had any interest in any con
tract or patent or other pavement since he nae
been member of the board. He would mo-
even suffer his brother in law, s. G. Young
to hold an interest which he (Shepherd) had
bought for him in 1870 in the Metropolis Paw
ing Company, but sold it out together with hi'
own interest in the Portland Stone Company
Gov. Shepherd stated that Fowler might hav'
| called on him some time or other in relation u
the consolidation referred to- but he could no
recollect anything about, and called the atten
tion of the committee to the fact that FoWle
testified that this took place in August, 1871
while in fact, the pavement which Fowler saie
he wanted to lay through his proposed comol
nation had actually been laid down six months
Mr.. Shepherd stated in addition that he MAJ
never held an interest with Hallett Klllbourn
in any paving or any other contract, nor MAJ
KilbOurne even held any property OF his a.
trustee.
| Treasury Balances.
The following are the Treasury balances 10
day-Currency, 50, 526, 451; special deposit Q
legal tenders for redemption of certificates o
deposit SOL 100 900; coin $3.50, 121 $40, including
coin certificates 1881, 056 600; outstanding lega
tenders, 1882, 100000.
The public debt statement shows reduction
during March of 81, 289, 1888.
| z1..11oaroa tho cnntinpnt Il