National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-10
DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.

nine months. think one OF them was nine
months.
Q. How long had this So, 900 note to RUM
A. That was the frs. note that fell due,
think, and probably that was in sixty days. \
do not know, but II might have been thirty
days; would not be positive now as 70 the
length of time. %
@. How long had these drafts to runi A,
They were payable on demand. They were
made on sight. -
o. Were the drafts made payable to your
own orderl How were they drawn, do you re-
member A. Yes, sir; think the drafts were
made payable to our own order. -------
Q. Were they promptly paidi A. They were
promptly paid. 80
Q. How long after they were issued until
they were psidi A. do not know. handed
them 30 George R. Chittenden when they were
issued. l do not know.
Q. Your firm paid them, however, A. Yes,
Q: Do You remember when your firm paid
By Mr.. Hubbell: Q. Were they drafts or
checks on bsnki A. They were drafts on
New York. II they were checks, could tell.
BY Mr.. Wilson: Q. Do you know how long
afer--i A. think they were made about
the hast Of June, or the first of July, 1879.
.oQ. Do you know through what bank they
came TO you for payment A. The drafts were
drawn on New York.
BY Mr.. Bass: Q. New York bank draftsi A.
Yes, sir; and sent there by George K. Chitten-
den.
By Mr.. Wilson: Q. did not know but what
they passed through other banks and came
back to youl A. No, sir.
Q. Do you know to whom these drafts were
paidl A. do not.
Q. Have you ever seen the drafts yourself
sincei A. Yes, sir; think have.
q. Were there any Endorsements upon them
Indicating fhrOr1Oh WHOSE haDds thew had
passed? A. have no recollection of seeing
any Endorsements on them.
@. Where are those drafts nowl A. think
they are in our safe in the city of Chicago.
Q. Did you yourself pay any money on &C
count of any of these hottest A. did not.
Q. Do you know who did pay any money on
account of these hottest A. No, sir; only from
looking at the books here in Washington.
saw 81, 500 charged up
Q. To whom was that paidl A. I do not
know. was not here at the time 1t was paid.
I was in Chicago.
Q. Have you any papers, books, or memo
randa which will enable us TO know who re-
oeived that So ,5O03 A. 1 have none to my
knowledge; not paper.
Q. Do you know whether that was paid by
check on bankl A. could not say.
Q. How were moneys generally paid by your
firm, by checki A. Yes, sir; generally by
check.
Dlu 1Ou hGtp sIuDS VI LuG SHCChS ohO"A
the moneys OF the parties to whom the checks
were issuedi A. In Chicago we always do
that.
Q, Do you know whether it was done here
or mott A. do not know. Mr.. Cook, our
book-keeper, can answer that.
Q. Do you know the names of any parties
who received any money whatever, this money
OF which we have been speakingl A. I do net.
Q. Did you ever hear of man by the name
of BrownI A. Yes, SIR; / have heard Of him.
Q. Do you know whether he got any OF that
money! A. could not say; have heard he
did, but do not know It to be fact.
@. Who was this man Browni A. l don't
know him; never knew anything Of him at
all. met him here in Washington at one
time, ut the Arlington House.
Q. What was his businessl A. That could
not say.
Q. What was his reputed business7 A. They
said he was an Episcopal minister. Laughter. ]
know it was not the Mr.. Brown who belonged
to the Board of Public Works. don't want
TO connect those two gentlemen together at
all.
Mr.. Wilson. understand you about thst.
What became of this man; did you ever see
him sgainl A. never saw him since-yes, l
did. saw him in Chicago one time after that;
he called at my house and stsid few minutes,
and that was the last of him. Understood he
went TO Europe.
when he was at your housed A. No, sir; he
didn't stay there long when he called there
neither; he was not received very cordially.
Q. Where do understand you to state that
he received that money! A. cannot answer
where. understand it, but got the impress
sion myself that he got portion of that
money.
@. From whom did you get your information
or Understandings A. don't know but it was
created in my own head altogether. have
heard remarks made by Mr.. Cook, and Mr.. De
Golyer, my partner, saying that they believed
Mr.. De Golyer said he believed that Mr.. Brown
was an old rascal, and he had got fully eight
or ten thousand dollars of that money that was
paid.
Q. Do you know where he came from when
he came to Washington A. No, sir; / don't
know anything about him.
Q. Do you know who he was representingl
A y ~ 4-o-'1J nc uuuUIsVUUu 10 ne represent
ingl A. never heard. The first I ever knew
OF him was in the company of George R. Chit
tendon, at the Arlington House, and he ap-
peared to be total stranger to the crowd
there. have heard Mr.. Chittenden say that
he became acquainted with him at the Airing
ton House, and that he had never known or
seen anything of him before.
Q. Why was It that in paying out this very
large sum Of money you made no inquiry as to
where it was going or who was to receive itl
A. As think have already said, asked the
question; was told that /: was to pay his ex-
penses, which Eere large in the city OF Wash
ington, And part of the national debt.
Q. What did you understand him to mean by
the national debit A. could not understand
him to mean anything more than what he said
He keeps very straight, cool face on him,
and you can get so much out of him and no |
more. have tried it several times, but have |
not met with any success.
Y. He was not partner of yoursl A Not |
al all; he was simply interested, If he got any
thing.
@. He had rather oficiously thrust himself
into your businessl A. Yes, sir; he was the
first to suggest it.
z. Had you ever had any business relations
with him prior to this timer A. None what
ever that know Of.
Q. Nele you particularly acquainted with
Mf. Chittenden prior to this timer A. knew
of him and had seen the gentleman; I knew
him by sight.
Q. Did you have any personal acquaintance
with him prior 10 this tlmel A. had not.
Q. Then be was gentleman who was an
entire stranger TO you except by sight, who
puts himself into your business, and who calls
upon you TO pay him S97 900, with the state
ment that part of that is to pay the national
debt, and you make no inquiries Of him in re-
gard to that transaction further than that; that
is the state of the case, is 1t mott A. That is
but could never get anything more than that
out of him.
Q. Notwithstanding the fact that he was en-
tirely unwilling TO communicate to you what
lie was going to do with the s97 900 of your
notwithstanding he was an entire
stranger to you, except By sight, you were will
ing to entrust him with that amount Of money
of your fund.- I. Yes, sir. That was done on
the Representation Of this letter Of acceptance
of contract that was awarded to us. The
letter showed that there was an award made
TO us of 10000 yards, and an additional So
900 yards, with provisions.
Q. Then you were willing to pay premium
o S97 900 to secure that amount of paving in
This cityl A. We did it.
@. say you were willing to pay premium
of S97 900 to secure Contract for 200, 600 yards
of paving intni5 cityl A. Yes, sir; we did ii.
Q. Upon what conditions row was that other
so 900 yards to be awarded to youl A. Ny re-
collection Of It now is that we were to accept
or reject that within a certain time after the
first award of Isl, 900 yards. / never knew
whether it was accepted or rejected. / never
accepted or rejected It.
@. Was there any other condition than thatl
A. Yes, sir. There was a provision that we
would wait for our pay until the collections |
were made to pay for it, or until Congress
should make an appropriation. cannot tell
now which it was. We were to wait for our /
81 II