Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-05-22
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
Proceedings Of the Joint Congressional Committee.
Closing Proceedings Yesters,,

q. How did YOU get that contract? A. I
should like TO state my connection first with the
company. We purchased the contract after.
ward. Before the District government was
formfd / was connected with the Ballard
Paving company, of New York. was intro
duced to them when they got their patent here.
rhey laid pavement, think, for the old cor
pCrstion. L negotiated a loan of money for
them with which to lay the pavement, and ous
OF consideration for that service they offered
mt an interest, after this government came into
existence, in any contracts gotten in this CITY,
II 1 would attend to their business. then eX-
pected to lay the Ballard pavement, and sold
out my contract TO the Ballard Paving com
pany, and they gave it to some other person to
!ay.
Q. You got contract for laying that pave
Q. What did it amount to? A. Some $4,000
OF $4,000.
Q. To whom did you make application for
that contract? A. L made application to Gov
ernor Cooke and to the Board OF Public Works
generally by written application-and to the
vice president OF the board
q. What was your interest in this contract?
A. My interest in the contract received for the
Ballard company was TO be ten cents yard
and this paving. did not receive that much,
because it never paid. L think received about
81 200.
@. Did you ever have any other contracts
awarded to you than this one Of which You has
spoken? A. None that know o.; never heard
Q. Did you ever receive any money out OF
any contracts other than this one? a. No, sir.
Q. Either directly or indirectly? a. No, sir.
TESTIMONY OF JOHN =. sEIIZ.
John F. SeitZ, swOrn.-Q. Have you anything
to do with any contracts with the Board OF Pub
tic Works in regard TO the improvement OF the
streets of this city? A. 1 have indirectly;
made an application for a contract; made an
application TO Mr. Shepherd, the vice president
OF the board.
Q. What kind of contract did you make en-
application for? A. The carrias e-way on 10th
street
Q. Did you get the contract awarded? A
No. sir; not directly; l thought the contract
was awarded to me, but when l came to see il
found it was awarded 10 Taylor & Filbert.
q: Did you receive anything on account OF it?
4. Yes, sir; 3, 500.
q. Was there anybody else associated with
sou in connection with it? A. Yes, sir. Mr.
VI. Frank Kelly and Arthur Shepherd.
q. Anybody else? A. No. sir.
Q. Now tell the committee all that you know
in regard to this transaction. A. After L had
been promised a contract, and went to get it,
and was assured | should receive it, made my
arrangements with Mr.. Jonathan Taylor, OF
his agent at least, for certain specified sum.
q. What was the sum? a. Six thousand dol
lars.
Q. Who did you make this application to, t.
get the contract? A. To the vice president o:
the Board OF Public Works.
q. Was that Governor Shepherd? \. Yes,
sir; made application at the office OF the board,
on \ street.
q. Go on and tell US all you know about it?
y. made an Arrangement With the agent Oh
Messrs. Taylor K FIlbert for the price stated
$4,000. After the contract was given, Mr.. Fill
oert went out that EVENING" was to be paid
next morning. went up TO MIR Shepherds
aOuse, and came back next Inornin. and went
to get a settlement with him, aud ne said he
could not pay the price he agreed. lie said
Governor Shepherd ted him that he gave too
much Tor IT, and he could not afford it.
Governor ShepheId.-Nugt was that?
Witness.-Mr. Filbert told me that he had
given too much for If, and cOUld not afford it.
Governor Shepherd.-FOr what?
h. Wltness.-For the street. [ wrote M.
Shepherd letter in regard 60 it. Then, | think
IN consultation with Mr.. Arthur Shepherd ami
NJ. Frank Kelly, ! thought We had better TAX,
what we could get. He offered 70 give twenty
i've cents square yard for it. l took it "a pat
gay, as | thought.
Q. What else? a. Since then Mr.. Fnbert
has paid mt S1G0 on the balance.
q. Was the $500 paid you? A. No, sir; IT
was paid TO NJ. Frank Kelly. He received a
check on the Metropolitan Bank for il.
q. Who gave that check? 4. DIR. Fibert.
e How WAS that money divided? a. Equally
between three.
e.. What three? a. NJ. Frank Kelly, Arthur
shepherd, and myself.
q. Were there any writings drawn up in regard
TO this matter? A. Yes, sir.
Q. Who drew them? A. Mr.. Beidler; he re-
presents the Philadelphia company; the Key
stone Paving Company, suppose.
z. Did you ever see Governor shepherd per
sonally in gard to this matter at any time-in
regard to the contract? A. Yes, sir.
q. Where? A. at his Office on < street.
q. Dld you ever have any conversation with
John U. Evans in regard to this matter? A.
Yes, sir.
Q. What was it? A. [ went there with Mr..
Arthur Shepherd, and he said that il was a
wood pavement and he did not like u interfere
With 1t, but go round and see Mr.. CIephane. |
think he sent me around to see Mr.. Clephane,
who represented some company. did see Mr..
Clephane.
q. How did you get your portion of this
mOney? A. got it from the National Metro
pOliton bank; DR.. Fhbert gave MIR. Kelly the
check and we divided at the bank.
q. You say the money was divided; how did
the parties get together and divide the money?
A. went down with MIR. Kelly, to the bank and
drew the money they paid me, and went iown
and paid Mr. Shepherd.
q. Where after ward? 4. Down at the Re
publican Office, think.
q Did you see MIR. Shepherd get the money?
Q. How 90 you know that he got il? A. Be-
cause he has so stated TO NE.
Q. You didn't yourself krow that fact? A.
No, sir.
Q. Mr.. Arthur Shepherd? A Yes, air.
BY Mr.. Stewart:-Q. You three we're ascot.
ated IN getting contracts; who were the parties
associated with you? a. / put in the aoplics
ION; We went IN together, Mr.. Kelly, Mr. Shep-
o. Row oId it come about; how did you come
10 gariZe for the purpose; where were YOU
ana When? a. AT different places; at the Re
pb6ttcGn once, one place.
q. Was Mr.. Shepherd connected with the
RePaJlicdH Office? a. Yes, sir.
g Who wrote the application? a. did.
q. Who was present when IL was DINE? A. /
think Mr.. Kelly was present.
q. You put in an application and spoke to
Gov. Shepherd about it? a. Yes, sir.
q. And he said Ii you got a responsible party
be would let you have contract? A. Yes. sir
q. He did let you have a contract? A. When
/ received the contract il was not in nv own
name at all; it was in Taylor & rilbert's name
q. Who received the contract? A. Irecsiyed
1t from the secretary OF the board.
Q. How did you happen to receive it IL il was
not for you? A. Gov. Shepherd authorized the
secretary to give IL to me.
q. In Taylor & Filbert's name? A. Yes, sir
z. Then what did you do? A. went down
stairs and met DIR. Filbert, and went up to his
0ffic and got the money for it.
Q. Right then? A. That same day.
q. You had q contract with him previously
to that Did you make this contract with hits
for 5000 before or after you got the contr act
A. Before; not with him, but with his agent, S
j Beidler.
Q. Then after you got the contract you wanted
the 81, coo? A. Yes, sir.
q. He would not giveitP A. No, cir; Gov.
Shepherd told him he gave too much for it; he
could rot afford it,
Q. Who could not afford it? A That he could
not-Mr. Filbert could not afford TO pay that
price for il.
Q. And do the work? A. Yes, sir.
q. That Is what MIR. Filbert told you? A
Yes, sir
Q. But he gave you -, 500P A. He paid
fm rV u "A. II