Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-05-19
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
Proceedings Of the Joint Congressional Committee.
The Joint Special Committee investigating
District affairs met this morning at IL clock.

The Joint Special Committee investigating
District affairs met this morning at IL clock.
W. W. ooRCoRAN AS A WITNESS.
w. W. Corcoran sworn:-Please tell the COM
taxes in certificates. A. In November last an
a. plication was made to pay mine at an aoate-
ment OF 16 per cent, instead of per cent al
lowed by law; had about go 900 worth Of taxes
to pay.
Q. Who was that parry? A. Mr.. Harlan, for
merry a Senator, Harlan stated 20 me that the
District was indebted to him $40 200, aud he
could use INV indebtedness as cash and have
my bills receipted; FIRST intended to give him
the opportunity TO pay them, but after wi ards
changed my mind.
Harlan or to the Chronicle Off &c? A. To the
Chronicle office; he so stated TO me.
MIR. HARLAN SWORN.
James Harlan sworD:-State the circam-
stances attending this offer TO Mr.. Corcoran. A.
The Chronicle Publishing Company had some
claims on the District government, for which
appropriations had been made by the Leglsls-
ture; when the bills were presented the reply
VAS made that the District had no money; was
tod ii We could get somebody's taxes to paw
codld draw the amount o. the appropriation;
saw Mr.. Corcoran, and related to MIN the cir
cumstances, and asked him as an acco mod alton
TO the company to let me pay his taxes; did
not want him TO do the favor without paving
for IL, and offered him ten per cent off the
face o. the bills; he first accepted, but upon nv
making a second call, he said upon mature de-
liberation he had concluded to pay his taxes in
acted in good faith, he offered to loan me some
money; / thanked him and we separated; sub
seque ntly did pay some of the partnership taxes
npon the application of Mr. Riggs; don't know
paid IN, We could get our money up to the ex-
tent of the appropriations made; several thou
sand dollars of the claims OF the company were
Q. Did Mr.. o. iway ever hold a mortgage on
the Chronicle establishment? A. Yes, SIR; it
rsrged from IS, goo to &l1, 900.
q. How was that mortg gage paid? A. don't
know that 1t ever has been paid.
Q. Didn't Ordway give you a check in favor
OF Gov. Cooke for 10000? A. l ultimately
succeeded in raising some money from Gov.
Cooke and t. ansferred the mortgage to him.
q. Didn't Ordway give ven q check payable
to Gov. Cooke out OF the poor fund of the
washington market company-out of the
amount that company was to pay for the city's
poor. A. That is not my recOl ection of the
transaction; my memory is that Cooke gave a
check TO Ordway; don't know whether the ten
thousand dollars paid came out of the poor
fund or not; don't know where III. ID. Cooke
got the money; 1 understood he got the money
from his brother Jay; we simply borrowed the
money from Cooke, and turned over the mort
gage and notes to Henry ID. Cooke; the notes
and mortgage were given by John Nj. Morris
before became connected with the ChronlcLs.
q. Did you apply to Cooke for the money az
a loan? A. Yes, sir, be said he would think
about IL and ohlge ms II he col ld; saw him
two or three times before got it arranged.
.; Did OTdway endorse the note over to
COOKE? A. No, sir.
q. Did they lend money on such collateral?
DID Ordwsy sign the mortgage over? A |
don't know about that; SIR. Cooke asked me
what security we could give; said, "The notes
and mortgage he said ''BriDg them to ne"
took them to him, and he gave me q check
fer the amount borrowed.
q. Cooke took no note from you? A. No, SIR
q. And OTdway did not endorse the notes?
A. He said it wasn't necessary; the effect OF the
transaction is that Henry ID. Cooke bought the
notes and mortgage.
q. Is the mortgage still outstanding? A
Some OF the notes have been paid; think one
or tao have been taken up; ri. ID. Cooke told
me he acted for Jay Cooke as agent; that he
vas using Jays money.
MR.. CORCORAE's TAXES.
hNr. Corcoran stated that the taxes he paid
we're not taxes in arrears, bat taxes which we're
not due until July next.
Mr.. HARLAN RESUMES.
James Harlan recailed:-The notes given BIZ
Morris were not given by him on behalr of hi m
they were his individual notes. secured by a
mortgage on the Chronicle property.
by MT IhuTman:-Q. When did this trans
action take place? a. think nearly two years
ago; don't know whit position Ordway held
IN the market company at that time; think he
sas president
Gov. Shepherd.-Ob, no; he never was presi-
dent: he was superintendent of the com pany--a
managing diI ector.
At ten minutes before IL the committee took
recess until 2 p. IN.
AFTER RECESS.
The committee reassemhled at PAS p. m, and
proceeded to examine Col. Wright Rives, who
was on the stand when our report closed.