Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-05-13
The Chicago Tribune upon the DIS.
triet IuyesfigatfOu

Mr.. White, the editor OF the Chic ago Tribune,
while In Washington recently, gave considera
bic attention G the matter Of the district in
vestigatiOn and the operations Of the Board OF
Public Works, aud his observations seem TO bs
embodied in an editorial, in which he goes over
the ground dispassiOnately and at some length.
As In the case o. most thou yhtful and Intelli-
gent visitors, q near view has served 90 dispel
some prejudiced opinions formed at distance
He says In this connection:
Ihe evidence before the District of Colum-
Ola Investtgstrg Committee is all in, and q
careful Ferussl Of the testimsny and the docu-
mentary evIdeLee compels 10 reverse in part
Our preconceiveo opinions OF the case. It can
lot be alleged t5at the committee have been
oereliet In their endeavOrs 70 get ut the facts,
or that they have leaned towards the accused
In the examination OF witnesses. AS to the csn-
lection of Gov shepherd with the alleged cor
tupt0ns, there : no evidence TO show that he
acted dishonesty. or that he received a dollar
corr Iptly, or a. At the Board OF Public Works
vss OrIbed. here Is no evidence to show that
be so gave cut sOrt tracts or directed work "a to
ttneft special -Dperty. As he Is q very wealthy
nan, abb as Us property is widely scattered
over NashinEt.u, Jhere was 40 necPssity for IT,
lnasm1oh a. TIE general system Of i'm prove,
nent that was '" operation could not help being
POSITIVE bene { 10 all his property"
There Is evi1,nee, hosever, he thinks to
snow eStTaVag s1ce, favOritism, aud the award
lbg OF contracts at ex0rbitant figures by the
boarG' AID thai Tor this the Board will be Sc
Esrely eensured. The editor goes on to say:
The evidence also shows the exact connec-
toh OF M george Il. Chittenden with the
Psytng cOntrsCJ business, and il shows th at in
stsad OF oTibinz The Board of Public Work. he
y reahty Was 1e victim of q gigantic Conf
Cence game, anu ~ wandered his money without
bribing snybOuy. Mr.. Chittend On was Unused
10 tfiis kind OF business, and bIindy wa kei into
Dfst OF shaTPsrs who were ready and able so
IeDSve him OF has cash. AS he stated In his own
testimony, he felt that IL was necessary TO spsnd
honey, although with characteristic nsivete he
Gu not suppose that the money would be used
corrupuy. The event shows that il was not: that
lIenty OF money was spent, but nobody was
hr1bed,-whieh must be a great Keller to his
mind he I6st Kirkland, who represented to
hlm that he had influence. That WAS what
Chtt,eDden Wa IN search of. He bought that
influence, and paid s72 900 in notes for it, and
he was exactly in the condition of the green
countIyman who has bought his brass watch
from p. Funk, Esq. Kirkland had no more in
huence with the Board OF Public Works than A
Child He Was simply q desd-beat who had
sprung eonnde nee game upon Chittendsn.
was simply squaDdered on q dead beat-as I'M
avsinng A. water poured upon the sand.
a., me sVi1enSs furthermore does not show that
SoI- W. U. Moore, the partner of Governor
Shef nerd, has ~ ceived any money, or that he
was bTlbed in any way In the awarding of the
contract. hlrtland bad the advantage of soma
acquaintance with Moore, and, after he had
seen Chittenden, went to see Moore and re-
gqested him To speak to Shepherd about him.
WI, Mnieh Moore agreed to do. After the contract
d
proposed TO give him halt OF the 81 900 in notes.
which Moore refused to touch. Kirkland then
said that when he realized upon the notes he
should place half the amount TO his credit and
Drew up written memJra ndum to that effect
shich he gave To Moore. After the contract
nad been snnulied, the DOolittle letters came
threatening 10 expose the presumed bribery If
LIS Client, DeGVlyer x Mcclellan. were inter-
Tered With. MIR. Moore thereupon DESTROYED
Ms memorandum, anu this ended his relations
with Kirkland With the history OF these notes /
Ihe pubho Il familiar. Kirkland realized some
SO,VVo on them, aud was plucked Of one half |
OF ~ by the Rev. Brown, and the other half 1
soon dribbied sway.
The v hsle matter, therefore, is summed m /
IN The fact that, even If Mr. Chittonden in
IeDoed 70 oribe any body, he did not succeed in
GOING so, but threw away S72 900 on a deal
peat, and " as badly taken in By him. Having
ISoled away this much Of De Golyer Mci,lei.
and resources, and having, accord ng TO his /
OHn statement. realized nothing himself ont 4
OF ~, II Is very evident Mr.. Chittenden went
cut ior 70 zee reed shaken by the wind,' and /
that he had better abandon this class of agency
buslaess before lie loses his reput alton for sharp-
ISss. Washington il bad place for ga stu
cent TO commence in. The reason why Chit |
ten1seWouldn't leak IS very apparent. There .
Wgno water in his boiler"