New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-28
THE DISTRICT FRAUDS.

THE CHARGE PROVED THAT UNITED STATES HAS
BEEN MADE TO PAY FOR WORK NOT DONE-Gov.
SHEPHERD MAKES AN UNTRUE sTATEMENT--TEs-
TIMoNY or ANOTHER CONTRACTOR.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRiBUSE.l
WASHINGTON, March 27.-Little by little, the
truth about the management of affairs in the
District of Columbia comes out, though it has
to be sifted with much labor from a great
mass of irrelevant testimony. To-day, the
memorialsts proved their charge that the United
States has been required to pay for work that has
never been done by the Board of Public Works or
anybody else. Among the charges against tho
United States is the following, which is found in
Gen. Babcocks report, and is part of the voucher
upon which the money was paid: ....
Reservation l7Faggng 72z9 square feet, at co cents
$1O,S37 40. ..
Cutters 7OI9 square yards, at IS cents, $3.50 95.
Grading, 40 cubic yards at 40 cents sl72.
Total, $l43s6 IS.
VT. Riley was called as witness and asked if
he had examined the reservation and what he found
there. He replied that there was not foot of flag
ging on either side of the reservation. On the New
Jersey-ave. side there was an old brick footwalk,
with a twonch curb, that had been there at
least ten years, and might have been there
twenty years. At this point Gov. Shepherd
interrupted the witness by saying that he could
explain this matter, he was personally cognizant
of the facts and to the time of the Committee
He said that Congress made several appropriations
for improvements during the last session. One
of these amounting to S124O,000, was to pay
the Board for work which it had actually performed
before the passage of the bill making the apprOpria
tion Jan. s. 1878. On March 8, 1872 Congress made
another appropriation Of $1,000000 TO reimburse the
old corporations for money that had been spent
upon the avenues of the city in years past.
M fnr
new improvements to be made. When they came
to draw this money from the Treasury no vouchers
were required for it, and so the Engineer of the
Board and one appointed by Gen. Babcock measured
up and estimated the original cost of the old work
The tagging &C.. around Reservation No. II was of
this character, and there was no clam that the
Board had done the work there.
This explanation wonld have been very sa.isfac-
tory had it not been that it lacked two essential
qualities-Ers: 1t is not true and, second IL 1t
was true it did not explain the charge against the
United States for Tagging when the only walk there
was brick 1t was not true that the SAC in ques-
ton was paid out of the appropriation made March
g. 1873 to reimburse the old corporations for work
done ON the avenues. because the money was paid
JAN II, 1873 nearly two months before that appro-
priation was made, as the following certificate,
appended to the account, of which this is item,
Will show:
OFFICE PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
WAsHINGToN, ID. c., Jan. 10, 1873.
have had the proper examination made and the
measurements verified, and hereby approve them aud
the prices claimed therefor. o. t. BABCocK,
Major Of Engineers in charge of Public Buildings and
Grounds.
This settled the question in regard to that
ton, and the District Government had nothing TO
say in reply. Mr.. SamO the engineer who repre-
sented Gen. Babcoek, in measuring this improve
ment testified yesterday that of the Boards en-
gineers went with him 10 the reservation and
pointed out the work that the Board had done. 1t
is not very creditable TO him, an engineer, in
trusted with the duty Of protecting the interests OF
the United States that he did not notice the differ
ence between old brick pavement, that had been
down at least 10 years and new tagging, that must
have been laid, if laid at ALL within 10 months.
Another interesting part of the testimony to-day
was given by Patrick Cullinane, one of the con-
tractors employed by the Board of Public Works
This man had contract to grade and macadamze
Four and-a- half-st. and completed the work in De
cember, 1872 During the progress OF the work the
Board bad two superintendent present to see that
il was properly done; and when 1T was, completed
the Chief Engineer of the Board examined it and
gave written certificate that the terms of the con
| tract had been complied with and the WORK
| properly done. The Board therefore settled
with Mr. Culnane, by issuing to him certificates Of
| indebtedness, as it had no money on band. About
month later. and after tbs assessments had beer
made upon the property to pay for the improve
ment, the Metropolitan Street Railroad Company
dug up the street to lay down its track, and
| some months later a question arose be
ween the Board and the contractor
as to the character Of the work. Th,
former, fortified by report of personal inspection
made by it's Vice-President, Mr.. Willard, holding
that the work had not been properly done; and the
| latter claiming that the work had been destroyed
| by the railroad company. This dispute was finally
settled last October by making the contractor pay
$4,000 and then his certificates, amounting to about
| $4,000, were paid in sewer bonds
While Cullinane held his certificates Of indebted
| ness the Board got several large sums Of money
from the United States, and he thought that he
entitled to some of 1T. dc therefore visited the
Treasurer of the Board repeatedly, to ask fol
money, but got mono until July IL, 1873, wheI
he was paid $4,000. Several days before this
he says, he was told by the Treasurer. Col
Magruder, that if he the contractor would pay hin
$1,000. he would settle with him. CuliDane supposed
that he joking until the day he received the
$1,000 when Col Magruder told him that if he felt
any delicacy about paving that 5000 TO him, he
might 20 over to Georgetown and leavetL money oil
a check with his THE Treasurersl wife. Cullinant
did not do it, Still later in the season he asked the
Treasurer for money at the Treasury steps, on Eff
teenth ST., aud the latter told him TO go away. Mr.
Cuinane told this story several times, aud under
very sharp and searching cross-examnation by Sen
ator Stewart and the counsel for the District Govern
nent sustained himself in such way to make q
favorable impression upon those present. Col. Ma
gruder denied under oath immediately after, that
there was word OF truth in the story about the
$1,000. There is therefore, an important conflict
Of ntiuoanu or raiher nlea Of NOT nnilfu under