New-York tribune., 1874-03-20


STATEMENTS by DISTRICT OFFICIALS REGARDING
| THE EXPENDITURE OF THE SCHOOL FUND-AN
| ARGUMENT BY JUDGE MERRICK FOR THE MEMo-
RIAIIsTs.
IBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBuxE.l
| WASHINGTON March l9.-After announcing the
conclusions arrived at during its secret session yes
terday Mr. Allisons District Investigating Commit
tee listened to further statements by the repre-
sentatives of the District Government, and reply
| by Judge Merrick representing the memorialists,
touching the expenditure of the School funds The
examination on this point developed little that was
new. but rather corroborated the evidence hereto
fore given. To understand fully the position in
which this branch of the investigation is left, a
| few words of explanation are necessary.
| When the present District Government came into
power the old Corporations of the Cities of Washing
ton and Georgetown and the County of Washington
had certain liabilities and among them were debts
for schoolhouses wages of teachers, contingent
| expenses etc. Beside these the old Corporations
| had made certain contracts out OF which Naid
claims arose after the present District Government
! came into power. 1t would not of course. have
| been Just to require the new Government TO pay
| these liabilities out of the current taxes after
it came into power but it did pay them out of its
current receipts or out of the money which 1t bor
rowed. Afterwards, a settlement of all accounts
between the old corporations and the new govern
ment took place, and a payment by the representa-
ves of the former to the latter Of 100000 OF bonds
of the City Of Washington and than 100000 Of
money was made. by which the present District Gov
ernment was reimbursed for the money it had thus
paid ont But this transaction has nothing what
ever to do with the expenditure of the school fund
collected since June 80, 1871. The money advanced
TO pay these liabilities has been returned to the
present Government in the form either of money or
bonds and the account stands just as though the
money had never been advanced.
The ouestioniraised by theiCommitee'is, what has
been done with the money collected for school pnr-
poses by the present Government, and which could
not be lawfully diverted to any other purpose
Judge Merrick showed this morning that on page II
of the Governors answer to questions submitted by
the Committee, the Controller of the Dis
trict reported baying received on account OF the
school fund from collections under the tax levies for
three wears and from other sources, in the City OF
Washington, $54G634 26 in the City of Georgetown
the amount received for the same fund was Sol l56 27
and in the county, the amount was $G3,O3g 4S,
making total of S67l 800 Of. The expenditures
were according to the report, for schools and
| teachers in Washington $5OS0l2 62 IN George
town. S77749 %; and in the county, S7 433 so imak
ing a total of S65719J 6j. This leaves balance due
the schools of Sl4,C0i Sc. But these payments
and from the fines received from the criminal courts
Twenty thousand dollars of the schoo-house fund
in GEORGETOWN was borrowed, and Sl010 81 used in
the county was paid in bonds for debts oil account
of school buildings. This makes the amount due
| the school fund S4j,3s1 %.
Whenever the District Government is asked to
explain this they begin to talk about the debts OF
the old corporations as though those had not been
provided for from other funds, and to-day they filed
| an itemizad statement, in which they put INTO the
same account the amounts paid for the old corpora
tions and under tie present Government and theu.
by giving the schools no credit for the amount
received by the present Government from the
old corporations on their account, and charging to
them all that was paid out account of the old
corporaion's liabilities they make the School fund
indebted to the District Government $173,0C0. But
all of their explanations have not yet touched the
fact that there is $500 school money which has
not been expended OF that the Governors report is
| Incomplete.
GENERAL PRESS DIsPATCH]
On the assembling Of the District investigating
| Committee to-day the Chairman, Mr.. Allison, an
| nounced that the Committee had made ruling, IN
| substance as follows namely: That they viii. IN
their discretion issue subpenas daces tecum to com
pel the production Of private papers, provided there
be first filed with the Committee affidavit of
counsel, averring to the best of his knowledge
the existence Of such papers, and showing
that they are material evidence in the
investigation with which such Committee are
charged The Committee will then decide as to the
advisabilty OF issuing the suhpenas asked for. IL
was also announced that the Committee will not be
restricted to such charges and specifications as the
| Inemorialists may choose 70 submit, but Will take
such action and send for such persons and papers
as NAV be necessary and proper to secure thorough
and impartial investigation of all matters embraced
in the resolution Of the Senate and House OF Repre-
| sentatiyes creating the Committee.
| An examination OF the school fund question then
ensued in which various members of the Committee,
the Counsel on both sides and Gov. Shepherd ell
| gagged in argumcntative conversation, but nothing
| new was elected and the Committee took a recess
until o'clock
After the recess the Committee examined William
| Ballantvne to ascertain under what authority lie
nroylded Iurnture for the District School He tes
| tilted that he made the bargain and completed the
furniture under verbal order Of the School trustees
| Of the old corporation of Washington such having
| been the practice at that time.
Subsequently,. before the furniture was delivered,
| the new District government having been estab-
lished he procured from Gov. Cooke written order
to'make himself entirely secure under the verbal
order of the old authorities for whom LIE had nearly
| fulfilled the contract. The Committee then ad-
| iourned until tomorrow.
| CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
THE TRANSPORTATION BILL
! WASHINGTON. Thursday, March 49, 1874.
! number of members are disposed TO favor Judge
Holmans proposed amendment to the McCrary
Transportation bill, which provides that the Rail-