New-York tribune., 1874-04-23
TIE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
THE CAsB OF THE MEMoRIALIsTs NEARLY CLOSED
EFFORTS TO THROW THE BLAME FOR THE FRAUDS
UPON THE LEGISLATURE

TIE CAsE OF THE MEMORIAIIsTs NEARLY CLOSED
EFFORTS TO THROW THE BLAME FOR THE FRAUDS
UPON THE LEGISLATURE.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUyE.l
WASHINGTON, April 22.-Ihe case OF the District
memorialists is rapidly drawing 10 close, and the
Committee of Inquiry will, within day or two,
allow the District Government to produce its re-
butting testimony. No indication has been given
as to the time that will be consumed by the defense
but il is very probable that it will not extend beyond
a week or two. 1t must not be supposed that the
District Government will have nothing to answer
for but the accusations brought by the memorial.
lists. Several members Of the Committee have been
studying the different branches Of the subject and
will call additional witnesses, both on charges
already examined and on Others not preferred
by the memorialists. On the subject OF
false measurements, the COMMITTEE has
taken but very little testimony. An
engineer employed by the Board has been engaged
for several weeks in remeasuring the work for
which the United States has been required to pay
and his report, which it is expected Will show the
most gigantic frauds has not yet been made Col
Magruder the Treasurer of the Board, produced to-
day his bank aud check books, and the Committee
spent the larger part of the day in examining them
for the purpose of ascertaning whether certain
payment of certificates held by them at times when
contractors were refused money There was not
time for thorough examination Of these books, but
from that made it is evident that one or two banks
who held the Boards paper either AZ collateral OF
by purchase got the lions share Of the money ap-
propriated by Congress.
The Joint Committee took up for consideration to-
day the bill introduced in the House yesterday, and
Xs'.l ha ueetinu Of the
District Legislature Senator Stewart and Gov.
Shepherd favored an immediate suspension OF the
meetings of this body but the majority of the Com
mittee saw that if tins dOnel no taxes could be
levied by the District authorities, and Congress
would thus he forced to make an appropriation at
once for the purpose of carrying on the machinery
of the local Government. 1t was therefore deter
mined to report the bill, with an amendment sus-
pending its session after thirty days The present
law makes the session sixty days in length
The apoogists for the District Ring are now at
tempting to throw all the blame for the extraya-
Qance and rascality of the District Government
upon the Legislature. 1t is true that there are
crave doubts about the constitutlonalty OF the act
creating this body, and that in corruption and rreg-
ularity of procedure it has been equaIed only by
some of the "carpe-bag Legislatures OF the South
ern States But, at the same time, 1t should be
remembered that the members of the Upper House
of this Legislature were all appointed by the Presi
dent and confirmed by the Senate, and that no fact
is more notorious in Washington than that the
tire Legislature has BEEN since the present form of
government was adopted, bat clay IN the hands Of
the Board of Public Works. year ago before the
assembling of the Legislature Mr.. Shepherd, then
executive officer Of the Board OF Public Works, in
attempting to explain to correspondent
Of The TRIBUNE the Of revenue
from which the Board was to obtain funds
10 nav its debts, spoke as confidently OF the
massage of the act authorizing the issue OF the
special improvement certificates as though IT was
already a law. Ii is also in evidence before the
Committee that VIM. A. Cook, the legal representa-
tive of the District Government. lived" at the
Legislature, and that when there was doubt about
the passage Of the Sewer Bond bill, the whole Dis
trct Government came to the Legislature to help it
along. II contractors have brbed members OF the
Legislature the Board of Public Works have CON
trolled tho body by means known only to them
selves Ii is not fair therefore, for the Board of
Public Works or Senator'S BY whose consent the