National Republican., 1874-05-13
DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
CONCLUSION N OF THE TESTIMoNY IN
BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT.

OF MATERIALS - COMPARATIVE EFFI-
CIEECY OF CONTRACTORS - GENERAL
VIEW OF THE COST AND CHARACTER OF
THE IMPROVEMENTS.
MONDAY, May II, 1874.
The committee met pursuant TO adjourn,
ment.
Governor A R. Shepherds examination con-
tinued,
By Mr.. Wilson: Q. Last Saturday commit
tee made its appearance here, before the chair
man of this committee and myself. During
their visit we took some testimony in connec-
ton with which the committee suggest that Il
Is best that some questions should be put tc
you. Some of the questions that will now
submit have been the result of the inyestiga-
ton on last Saturday, when there was no one
present except the chairman and myself. The
bulk Of that testimony has reference to the use
of Government property by VIM. H. Adams,
one of the contractors of the board removal oi
brick payements from B street south, from
Sixth to Fourteenth streets. Did you know
Mr.. Wm. H. ASams as = contractor prior to
the organizationof OF the Board of Public Works
A. Ibid not.
Q. Has he had somewhat extensive contracts
since the organization of the Board of Public
Works! A. He has done good deal Of work.
Q. What has been the character OF the work
that he has dpnel A. Mostly sewerage, If
recollect right. He paved street, between
the points you have named from Sixth to Four
teenth street.
Q. Did he pave street SOUTH A. l think
not; that would not be certain about.
Q. Did he construct the sewer on Thirteenth
street,
The Witness. Where do you mean, on Thir-
teenth street,
Mr.. Wilson. am not able to give you the
point, as have not the contract before me.
A. do not recollect that he did. He may
have done so.
Q. Has the Board of Public Works held back
any payment from Mr.. Adamsl A. That /
cannot tell you. The auditor can tell.
Q. Do you know whether he has given the
necessary bond to protect the city or to protect
the Board Of Public Works in this matter of
keeping his work in repair! A. think he has.
Q. Do you know anything in relation to an
order of 81, 900 that was given by Adams for
the benefit of his employees and accepted by
the boardi A. do rot.
Q. Have you heard of any such order having
been given! A. / saw the petition of Mr.. Hod-
net, in which my name was coupled with that
of Mr.. Adams in regard to q certain transac-
tion, and have heard some talk think Mr.
Willard had record made of the whole trans
action.
@. Did he submit It to the eommitteei
The Chairman. Yea, sir; We have that re-
cord. The correspondence seems to have been
with Mr.. Willard.
BY Mr.. Wilson: Q. You know nothing, then,
of any order having been given by Mr.. Adams
on the Board of Public Works for this amount
of money for the purpose of paying his en-
ployees! A. know nothing about the trans
action at all.
Q. And if such an order was given you do
not know whether it was charged to Mr.. Ad-
ans account or pot9 A. I do not.
Q. Who would know about that9 A. The
auditor.
Q. Dc you know what became of the brick
that were in the footwalks along the Govern
meut property between Sixth and Fourteenth
streetsi A. do not. l supposed they were
taken and used again.
Q. Used wherei A. Used at the same place;
were they not.
Q. Well, the testimony that has been taken
by the chairman and myself, indicate pretty
s.r9ngy S & Inar Mt intoA Adams hauled those bricks
street south, near the wharfl A. Mr.. Adams
had no work on Seventh street south.
Mr.. Wilson. beg your PARDON it was on
street.
A. Well, the superintendent of property will
know. He may have taken those brick up on
his returns, and reissued them on other work.
That was frequently done.
Q. What was the occasion for doing that7
You were going to repaye that along there,
were you not Z A. Well, ! do not know.
say that was frequently done. The superin-
tendent of property took tie brick, when they
were In the way and liable to be stolen, and is
sued them to work where the material could
be used at once.
Q. If such is the fact, have you in any place
given the Government credit for that property
a. That is matter that the superintendent of
property can tell. 1t is the details of his
office.
@. It is stated to the committee By several
witnesses-and we will submit the testimony
to you as soon as We can-that these brick
wrre hauled array from there, amounting to
$4,000 or 6O,O00, and put in the pavement on F
street south; some of them hauled to this
sewer upon Thirteenth street, and some to
other parts of the city, by Mr.. Adamsl A.
Well, no sewer has been put in on Thirteenth
street that knowof.
Mr.. Wilson. would like to have the &C
count Of Mr.. Adams to see in regard to this
$1,000 or order.
The Witness. The auditor has that, sir.
lThe papers here referred to were sent for.
Pending their production-)
Q. am further directed to inquire of you
whether you have sold any real estate to Mr. |
William H. Adams recently; and, if so, to
what extentl A. Ny agent sold to Mr.. |
Adams house at the corner of Seventeenth |
and L streets for GIG, 500, the cash value of 1t.
Q. When was that? A. i do not recollect;
1t was several months ago.
Q. Who is your agentl A. Mr.. E. K VII
son. He came to me and said that he had an
offer that if would take a certihcate-there
was mortgage of $1,000 on the house-he |
said that he had an offer to pay the difference |
in certificates Of the Board of Public Works, If |
would take it, and the party would assume |
the mortgage. l told him that l would do 1t, |
1. I.g.LI 7 \ Il H. - :.
1t was 81 &c., in certificates Of the Board of
Public Works. Tie whole transaction was
conducted through Mr.. Wilson, and know
nothing about the thing except that be asked
whether would take certificates for it. He
subsequently told me that he had sold 1t to
Mr.. Adams on that basis.
Q. Do you still hold those certificates, or
have they been paid! A. bold some of them;
they have rot been paid.
ITO. What amount of them has been paiG7 A.
do Eot think any of them have been paid. If
my recollection serves me right, Col. Magruder
gayeSme an acceptance for portion of them.
z. What portion-do you rememberl A.
Some IS 600, think.
Q. How long ago was that7 A. That has
been couple of months ago. (To Col. Ma
gTuder.) How long was it, Colonel
Colonel Magruder. / think about six weeks
or two months ago.
Mr.. Wilson, TO Governor Shepherd.) Out &.
of what bank was that money draWnf a. 1t
was not drawn out of any bank at all.
Q. Simply an acceptancei A. Simply an
acceptance. Yes, SIR.
Q. Has not that money been drawn out of
tho treasury of the Board of Public Works in
some way or anotherl A. No, sir; It has not
been paid at all. 1t is an outstanding accep-
tance. The Board of Public Works have had
no money to pay with. That is the fact in re-
lation to it. ..-..
z. Did yon sell any real estate to John Col
hns; and, If 60, what amount, sir7 A. None.
Y; Or to Connolly? A. sold some houses
on Second street to Daniel II. Connolly.
Y. How long ago was thatl A. Some of 1t
was year ago and some since,
Q. In what way was that paidl A. That
was paid-a portion in cash and the balance
notes; deferred payment; mortgage on the
Q. Were there any certificates? A. I do not
think there were any certificates in the matter.
g. Was that also transacted through vour
Aesltf A. That ] am not certain about I
receksct Mr.. Connolly coming to me and max
ing aIi offer for the property at the corner Of
Second 4 nd B streets. Eighty thousand dol ,
lars, thfAlk, was the price. accepted his
offer, and 81 bsequently he bought two or three
other houses.
n TUhat =. & the oooraoata of HE .,,,,-., a !,