Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-04-06

L.
| will decline to answer.
Q. On what bank was it given? A. On the
! First National Bank OF Washington.
q. Was that check paid? A. L decline to
answer.
Q. DO you decline to tell the committee the
| amount of that check? A. OF that check, or
| any other check pertaining to my private bust
ness.
Q. DO you decline to tell the committee
whether that check was paid? A. have no
hesitency in saying that never received the
| amount of that check; got no money for il. di-
rectly or indirectly; did not like the form OF the
check it contained the name Of another party
q. Who was that party? A. A. X. Browne.
q. Why WAS A. X. Brownies name put on
| that check? A. don't know; Strong thought
| i was diiatory and engaged 4. X. Browne; ne
| did no service and l declined to accept the
| check thus joined with Browne.
z. What II your dtlicary about stating the
amount? A. Well, don't remember; L Think
IT was fcr a 900; Strong, bslieve says it vas
| 80 900; the transaction took place about June,
| 1873; the check was made payable To Nv. A.
Cook and A. X. Browne sent for Mr.. Browne
| and he said he would have nothing to do with
| it; told Brown L would have nothing 10 do
with it.
Q. why didn't you return the check Il
Strong? A. Because l told him | would hold
| il subject TO his order; he said could do what
pleased with IT; don't know where the check
| is now; have mislaid 1t in one of my drawers
q. At the time you received the check, no y
long had you been counsel of the Board OF
Public WorksP A. Since it's organization; this
| took place in June, 1885, A. X. Browne was a
Il
received from Mr.. Strong is between $500 and
| 800; think my services were reasonably worth
between 81 600 and 50 900.
By Mr.. Bass:-Sent for Mr.. Browne imm adi-
ately after 1 received the check; Browne cane
and told me strong had engaged HIM in connec-
ton with me; ho letter accompanied the check;
IL was simply the naked check in q sealed enve-
lope: was counsel for Mcnamara in one or two
cases. but none that had any connection with
the Board of Public Works; he never left any
checks with me, wish he had; he never gave
mn inf in Ia
interest of his son in-law.
MR.. COOKS WORK IN THE LEGISLATURES.
Witness, Ia reply to Mr.. Bass, gave a history
of the places in which he had practiced law.
Witness said the essential portion of Mr.
Claggett's testimony with relation to him was
untrue; he had drawn few bills for the Leg
lsature, but at the suggestion of COMMITTEES.
Witness then read an opinion he had delivered
in response TO an inquiry submitted by Auditor
Richards, which that gentleman previously d cd
alluded to in his testimony with reference To
contracts made by the old corporation and com
pleted by the Board of Public WORKS
By Mr.. Stewart:-Gave an opinion with ref
print. i can furnish il.
By Mr.. Wilson:-Q Who drew the sewer bill?
A. drew the original bill, upon data furnish "a
10y Mr. OeItIy; the bill was, Ia some extent, mod
flied in a committee of the Legislature; canao
recall the s, ctioDs modified.
Mr.. Wilson requested a draft OF the bill as
originally drawn and as amended and passed.
witness said he discovered an error in the
sewer bill while it was being enrolled; called
attention to it at the tIme don't think Governor
Cooke had signed IL.
BY MIR. WilsoD:-Mr. Cook. has there been
any consultation with the Board of Public
Works and yourself, with reference to the pro-
duction of papers before the committee? A.
Not consultatlon-at all conferences Governor
Shepherd was emphatic that all papers called
for should be produced-to produce everything
called for, so that there could be an end to it,
Mr. WilsOn.-That was right.
BY Mr.. Christie:-CCntracts are executed in
the contract office; have no knowledge, except
IN rare Instances, when they are executed; can
not remember the date Of the Evans chatteI
mortgage; don't know whether DeGolyer and
Mcclellan had began work and received
payments for the same or not, before the mort
gage was executed.
Mr.. COOK AND THE CONTRACTORS
BY Mr.. Christie:-Have you named all the
contractors for whom you have performed legal
services since you became connected with tue
District government. A. Ii the committee d.
sire me 10 answer will.
Mr.. AilisOn.-It IL q proper question. a.
have not flung away tue clients that hal D.
fore; Rave attended TO business for Aufres
Gleason; to some extent for Patrick Cuilin ana;
for Filbert and Taylor to some extent; for VaQ-
denbuIgh, and perhaps some others.
BY DIT. Wllson:-JUhn y. Evans? A. No, not
directly.
q. Well, indirectly? A. No, have attended
TO case for Alr. Mace, in which he may have
An interest-a patent case arising on. of pave
ment laid by him. Dir. Mace claims a ROYALTY
for pavement laid by John o. Evans; don't
know OF any contract given Samuel Strong in
nc was 10 nave per ccntago.
Z. Did you at any time advise the Board OF
Public Works to make contracts by paying per
centage; that they had the right to do so A.
was not called upon Tor advice in contracts OF
any such character.
Judge Merrick submitted table, which was
admitted as evidence, showing the rate of sew
erage as charged to streets in the District and
hen charged to the United States.
Mr.. Allison to Mr.. Christie Can you indi-
cate to the committee how much longer time
you want? A. Only a few days longer. There
are not here-GOv. Cooke, for instance. de-
.ire to interrogate him on branch of the case
This is outside of the DeGolyer and Mcclellan
contracts. d.
Enoch Totten sworn.-Q. Do you know of any
arrangements having been made looking to a
settlement between Samuel Strong and the
Board or Public Works? A. Nothing more
than that l have entered suits In his behalf
against the District government.
At IL O'Clock the committee adjourned until
TO- morrow morning at 10 O'Clock.