New-York tribune., 1874-05-21
WASHINGTON.
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.

METHODS OF HOLDING MEETINGS AND AWARDING
CONTRA ACTs-PALSE MEASUREMENTS AND OVER
PAYMENTS
iBr TELEGRAPH TO THR TRIBUNRl
WASHINGTON, May 20.-If anything were needed
since the testimony of the engineer employed by
the District Investigating Committee, to prove that
the Washington Board of Public Works is rotten
with fraud and corruption, il was supplied to-day
by the evidence of Mr.. Adolph Cluss, a member of
that Board and its Chief Engineer. Oyer-measure-
ments double payments to contractors, and
fraudulent charges against the United States Gov
ernment had already been proved beyond all ques-
ton but before to-day the responsibility for all this
had not been scarcely fixed upon any member OF the
Board of Public Works upon the Board col
lectivcly. Engineers had blundered or subor-
dinates had done wrong. but, in the estima-
tiOn of his friends and supporters at
least Gov. Shepherd had thus far escaped the sus-
pcion of personal dishonesty. To-day. Mr. Cluss's
testimony fastened directly him the response
bty for some of the most glaring irregularities,
and, what is important, proved that the two
engineers, Forsythe and Oertley, have been only
corrupt tools in his hands to do his bidding.
To understand how Gov. Shepherd becomes person
ally responsible for false measurements and over
charges it is necessary to understand the method of
doing business in the Office of the Chief Engineer of
the Board. Whenever contractor desires his work
10 De measured, ne Qnpues 10 tHe
Board, and an order is issued to the Chief
Engineer to have the proper estimates made. There
is a rule of the Board that the Engineers Depart
meut shall make no measurements of work unless
ordered to do so by the Board On receiving such
IN order Mr. Cluss directed his assistant Mr.. Bar
ney, TO have the work done, and when it was
completed he examined it himself and
finding it correct he approved it. On these
measurements payments were made. When Mr..
Cluss first became Chief Engineer of the Board he
found Mr.. Forsy the-about whose false measure
ments there has been so much testimony-as an AS
sistant Engineer, and Mr.. Oertley, who has been
scarcely more accurate as Office Engineer in charge
Of clerks craftsmen. &C Mr.. Cluss very soon dis
covered that FOrsythe was making over
measurements in favor of contractors; and,
after correcting three of these within
very short time, caused him to be transferred and
Mr.. Barney put in his place. Gov Shepherd knew
of these false measurements by Forsythe, and yet
afterward caused him to make measurements
which TO base charges against the United States
Government without consulting with the Engineer,
Mr.. Cluss, giving him any information in
the matter Mr.. Oertleys regular duties were all
IN the office, but Mr. Cluss very soon
found that tie work Of certain contractors who
have been notorious in this investigation favor
ties of the Board instead OF being measured the
work Of others under his direction, was by the di-
rect orders of Gov. Shepherd measured 10y Oertley
and the vouchers were made out and paid without the
approval of Mr. ClusS. In other words, when John o.
Evans, Albert Geason or the Evans Concrete Com
pany desired to have their work measured, Mr.
Shepherd. instead of sending their application TO
the Chief Engineer and allowing IT to take the reg
uIar course detailed the Office Engineer, Mr.. Oert
ley to do the work without consulting Mr.. Cluss,
and the vouchers were also made up and approved
without lis knowledge.
This was very suspicious and only one more link
needed to complete the chains of evidence prov
ing intentional fraud this Mr.. Cluss supplied. He
produced the journal of his Office and showed that,
about the 1st of September last, Albert Gleason
applied to the Board for measurement of the
grading done on 10 different streets. Five
days after the application, Oertley entered on
the journal the amount due on each piece of work,
although in the mean time he had not used any in
struments in making the measurements, nor had the
assistance of rod men anybody else The total
amount OF the voucher was S14S,000. When, several
weeks later. Mr.. Cluss discovered this, knowing
that it absolutely impossible for Oertley to
have made the measurements in five days, he asked
him how he did it. Oertley replied that Mr.. Cluss
must not blame him, as he was following out the
orders of Mr.. Shepherd. Afterward Mr.. Cluss him
self examined the work, and character
Ized some of the estimates as gross
outrages and all of them as excessive.
This was only partial measurement, but the over
allowance had been so great that Gleason has never
to this day applied for final measurement know
ing that il would show a less amount of work than
lie had already been paid for. Mr.. Cluss
said that Oertley very competent
engineer, but weak, and obeyed orders In cases
where more independent men would not. The fact
that Gov. Shepherd took the measurement of the
work out of the hands of those whose business it
to do it, 'and put it into the hands of a
man who would "obey orders" coupled with
the further fact that the measurements so made
grossly fraudulent in favor of the contractor
and against the District Treasury. is a sufficient
foundation for the assumption of a corrupt motive
On Gov. Shepherds part; and the further fact
that has been proved by measurements
made under the direction of the Committee that
estimates made under CuSs's directions have been
uniformly correct, while those made by FOrsythe
and Oertey have been almost uniformly incorrect
fully explains why, with such corrupt intent
Shepherd should take the measurements of the
work of iayorites out of the hands of the one and
pu; it into the hands of the other.
Mr.. Cluss gave much other very important testi
mOny in relation TO the management of the Board
From the time he became a member of the Board in
October 1872 to January, 1874, he said there had
BEEN only about eight regular meetings OF the Board
although the minutes showed meetings every week,
and sometimes several times a week. Mr.. Shepherd
would meet Mr. Magruder Of the
street and Mr. Willard another and full report
Of a meeting of the Board would be spread
upon the Journal Mr.. Cluss said that, as
a member of tto Board lie had never been consulted
in regard TO the award of any of the Large con-