The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-07

latons with interest. Perhaps they may also in
quire who profit by the other branches OF the vast
purchases which are requisite for the Institutions
under the charge Of the Board.
The Testimony.
GRAND JURY ROOM, April %, 1874.
TESTIMONY OF JAMES BOWEN.
James Bowen, being duly sworn and examined
by MIR. Stout and other Grand Jurors, testined:-
Question. We would like to know something
about the workings OF the institutions under your
supply Bureau-how 1t is constituted, what pur-
chase clerks there are In It, and what agents there
are for making purchases OF supplies, ana so on;
what they receive, what they are paid what they
do. whether there Is gentleman named stern
bach connected with 1t; and something about the
purchases that he made, and whether you always
approved them not, aud whet Their you dld not
disapprove OF them7 Answer. The purchases Tor
the department are made IN this way; once
fortnight the head of each institution makes his
acquisitions for supplies FOR the coming fortnight
snch articles as may be required they are Tor,
or disapproved In whole or in part; necessarily
large portion are approved; they are then
assigned 10 the purchasing clerk VINO mas charge
OF making purchases lor the department; THINK
his salary is about $4,000.
q What is his name2 A. The name OF the pres
ent purchaser is Goodkind.
O. Is his name Moses A. l do not know, sir;
he has recently been appointed. -
Prior TO that Tune the purchasing clerk was a Mr.
Lampson, who was IN office some eighteen months
These reQulstions are turned over to the purchas-
ing clerk and he makes the purchases.
T. Has any one else right make them. A.
Not except by order oil the Board.
z. Did The Board ever appoint Mr.. Sternbach to
make purchases A. No. There were many in
voices, last year, OF dry goods purchased.
o. Purchased by MI LampsonS A. No. sir not
by Mr.. Lampson. The invoices came IN TO Us
bought oy Mr.. sternbaen- The dry goods found
IN the early stage OF this Commission, 'Referred
to Mr.. Stern.n After the first or second reference
! discovered that Mr. Stern was purchasing. or
causing to be purchased, these goods. protested
against 1t and declined thereafter to sign any
requisltion so shaped.
not know. sir; suppose be is merchant
q, These purchases should properly nave been
made through Mr.. Lampson? A. Yes sir; under
the general rules OF the Board; the rule that all
purchases shall be MADE either by the Board or by
the purchasing clerk; they were reierred by the
O. Did not that virtually give the consent OF the
Board TO such purchases A. Yes, sur; a majority
Oi the Board approved OF IT. but | protested
against 1t on the ground that 1t would be injurious
TO the character OF the commission and would
affect Mr.. Storms reputation.
O. Did YOU nave any objection TO the price paid
for these articles A. believe there was OBJ
lection on the part OF the Comptroller's once
suppose on account OF the exorbitant price.
q The acquisitions for dry goods were checked
by Commissioner LamDeerY A. Mr.. LalmDeer and
Mr. Stern
o. How about Mr.. Goodkind-I suppose the same
gentlemen voted for Mr.. GoodEndf A. They
voted Tor him; | voted against him.
o. Did you ever know or hear that Mr.. Goodklnd
was foreman of the jury That acquitted Mr.. A.
Oakley Hall A. ! have heard So
q, Have you ever heard that he had trouble
with the government with reference 10 whlskey
matters A. No, Sir, think not
q. Have you ever heard that Mr.. Stern has A.
have heard lntimauons OF that sir, but nothing
authentic.
o. You have not got samples with you OF dry
goods purchased, presume A. No, sir; have
not.
these goods were eXorDitants A. had reason TO
believe that they were above the market price,
inasmucn as after this had run along for some
time obtained samples IN order TO verify my own
opinion. obtained samples OF many OF the articles
that had been purchased ron TINS man Sternbach,
and addressed communication TO the hrm Of
Teft, Griswod 4 Co., requesting them 10 INFORM
me what tne market prices Oh these samples were
certain dates. Inls they did and found mat
the prices charged TO us were larger than were
the prices OF the same description OF goods on the
same dates TO others.
O. Has Stefnbach any place or business "A. /
do not know.
q. DID You ever hear that he was a son-n.aw or
Mr.. Meyer stern A. | heard 80; protested two
three times against This IN the Board the
III law SAID ne was not a son -in-law; ne was a
brother Of the s0n-n-law
q. DO you know anything Of Mr.. GoodEInd's
anJecedents A. ! do not, sir.
q. You never heard tnat ne had anything TO 30
win the Barren Island dstillery MIL, broken up
by the government, ostenslbly hsh OIL A. Moth
ing specific at all.
Q. Does thls memorandum concerning him sug-
gest anything TO your memory A. | know OF
nothing except this. that some time ago sOme-
thing was SAID about soap contract, and he sald
he could buy soap cheaper than the contract
price; he SAID that be had been III the soap bust
ness
=. What did Mr.. stern say wnen you protested
A. He SAID II was Impossible Tor one man to pur-
chase all the great variety OF goods that were re-
auired for the department and he suggested tnat
there ought 10 be three or four purchasers; Was
opposed TO II.
q. YOu have had long experience? A. Yes, eight
years. After / opposed that proposition ne pro-
lessed an intimate knowledge OF dTy goods, winch
have no dOubt he possesses that he was in the
dry goods trade, and n view OF all that and his
intimate acquaintance with that class OF mercnan-
disc, MI. Laimbeer was induced 10 assign 10 hm
THIS whoe subject. ! think mat MS confidence,
probably, was misplaced In this mans soD-in.law.
U, Ano you thlnk THAT the system now should DC
somewhat changed aud ateredf A. ! nave no
douot thai IS the wlsest 70 refer II TO SAL
AIRED oiflCer.
q: II there any law On the subject Of purchases 4
n. No, sir.
q There is no bylaw Of the Board on that sub
jectY A. No, sir; but 1t mas been the Uniform
practice TO have purchase clerg to whom was
committed the trust OF purchasing All the sup
pnes as broker, since ] nave been In the deoart.
ment, aud never 10 instruct that clerk where he
should go.
A. Not 10 my knowledge; he appeared to me 10
discharge has duties very well, ana the best evt-
dence oil that was that the Comptroller through
his experts, never made any complaint; on the
contrary believe, he commented MN
O. Was he removed or did ne reslgns a. lie was
removed In January.
q. on whose notion A. think ne was removed
on Mr.. Laimbeei's motion.
u. How long ago were purchases made oy MI
SeTnbach2 A. This new BOARD was i0tneu ~
May tblnK purchases oI ury goods were auOpteV
~ June or July -.
u Last June ? A. Yes, STR aud continued unit
the lst oil January the nrst acquisitions that came
W after the Grst OF January Mr.. Laimpeer had, as
usual referred the dry goods 10 MI. stern an
handed them over 70 me for nv approVaIi salu
''Mr Lambeer, you Know that cannot approve o
Luese, aud YOU snow ny reason and The matter