The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-03-27
W HING TON.
The District Investigation.

consumed in the examination OF Col.
Theo. Laws, of the U. S. Englneer
Corps, who testified concerning the es-
Inmates and measurements made by
him of work done by the Board OF
! Public Works around the Government
reservations and Government property,
upon which measurements the bills
presented by the District authorities
against the United States have been
! based.
During the cross examination OF the
witness, Judge Wilson asked him If he
was willing to stake his reputation as
a civil engineer on his measurement OF
the work charged Tor around govern
ment reservation No. II IN Washing.
ton CITY. Laws replied that he would
and in response to further questions
stated that $4,000 worth OF tagging
had been laid there.
Judge Wilson remarked to the con-
mittee that so far as he could judge
from personal observation no work
whatever oil this nature had been done
Appropriations
The President signed the joint reso'
luton making an appropriation 10 de-
fray the expenses OF the joint selec
com mittee TO inquire into the affairs oi
the District OF Columbia.
The House Committee on AppropTl-
ations to-day, heard the abatement OF
supervising architect Mullet. in regard
to the deficiencies in the appropriations
for repairs, furniture and fuel for the
public buildings throughout the
country, and agreed TO insert in the
deficiency bill items amount
ing TO about Sl25 COO
for these purposes. The committee
also agreed to the item Of $25, 900 &c
cover the def cheney in the appropriation
for the bureau OF statistics, and SO, ,OOl
for Prof Haydeu's geological survey o
the Yellowstone region. This latte
deficiency has been caused by the de-
parture from the usual custom o! sell
ing mulep, wagons, &c, at the end o
the seasons work, it having beer
thought advisable to retain them iol
this years expedition.
The Sauborn Contracts.
The Committee on Ways and Means
gave another hearing to-day in The
Sanborn matter, $anbOrn's counsel
cam. before the committee aUd stated
that after full consideration, it was
agreed that his client (SaatoTu) would
present himself before the committee
tomorrow, and make written state.
ment and submit himself to an examl-
nation by the committee. That arrange
ment being satisfactory, the committee
proceeded to hear the statement o
WIN. A Simmons, collector at Boston
and late Internal Revenue Supervisor
for New Englsnd He appeared SIS
witness on behalf OF Sanborn.
He related his connection with th'
latter and stated that when Sanborl
first came into his office in Boston anc
told him OF his contracts and his right
to he aided in his examination by tht
Internal Revenue officers, he, Simmons
declined TO act on that statement an
Immediately went 10 Secretary Rich
ardson, ther Assistant Secretary OF The
Treasury and who was then II
Boston, and was tod tc
assist SanGoru. He subsequent!
got a letter from Secretary Boutwell, an'
still later one from Secretary Rich
.rison to same effect Under these ln'
struc,iors he had detailed revenue de-
tectlve Horton to and S@nborn, anc
Horton had continued TO DO so whlI'
be (Srmmons) remained IN the Inter
nal Reveuve Department.
Upon beiug pressed by the members
O. the Committee IS to his views of tht
propriety Of turning over a sslarleC
officer OF the government to the EN-
plovment OF a private Individual, ht
said that his rule was alYays TO ODE.
his superior oticer'.
70 the question as 10 Sa"torns pscu
! liar qualifications for tn
business OF collecting dcreilc! taxes
! be replied that Ssnborn Wa
! lnown in Massachusetts az the myS
terious man." that he was acqua!nte'
with every member, and that he man
sgel the business OF railroads, partlcu
larlv the Eastern railroads, IN thes
LEGISLATURES, MS member Of the third es
tate.
In answer to q question by Mr.
Wood. be stated he had no couversa
tion with any member ot Congress Ii
regard 10 the Sanborn contracts, and q
20 the policy OF tie law unde
which such contracts could b
made, he declined TO give an opinion
least he nigh; be supposed to be csst
II ing reelection on the members o
: Congress who voted for it, but he ex
, pressed his decided conviction that =,
per cent OF the $4,000 collected in Ne7
England under Sanborn's contrac
, would never have been coIiecte
: through the regular channels.
? T. N Green and . I. PresbTey
!. agents employed hy Ssuborn TO wor'
: up the western railroad cases, were eA
smined at length. They testified ths
the csses they had dealt with were nc
! ON record n any Internal Revenu
! Office. and denied that they had eve
y; represented themselves es agents OF tn
\, Treasury Department. They ADMITTED
r however, that they had never anuount
4 I'd themselves as agents OF Sanoor'
but had lett parties to draw their ow
inferences from the secret service WhlC
they represented. Adjourned.
Tho Howard Investigation.
General Babcock was on the stan
: again to-day, in the Howard court
inquiry The principal portion OF b
). testimony related to the State boun
9. fund. the witness testifyiRg that Il
Il Yonehers iharefnr xara nresentei To II