National Republican., 1874-04-01
xhers anythlng surges.ed r.. .dop.sa On ems

work. : KY { ( &
Q. Who made that replyi a. Dr.. Clarke.
Q. What is the duty Of q superintendent o
this class In refsrence 70 signing any papers d
enable contractor 10 settle With the Board o
Public Worksi A. I have understood that s1
the special supsriutcndent5 we're required K
sign all the specifications CT applications fo
payment Of the employers before tie boar
would act upon Il.
1 @, DID you sign these papersf A. signel
fully. '' ~ 1''An's'' s'a'' ina
/ By Mr.. Merrick: o. Tell Ms without sskiu,
50 many questions. You know what we wan
to ask youf T.ErFCF 4 ta7EE - :
Witness. After the work was completed 4
appears-t- think It viii be shoHn-tha,
Samuel strctg and several of his men, Mr.
and Noyss Thsg ssnx waasa sssTs tses
papers signed so as to get them before IA,
board. They, in secret conclaye, put up tht
job to get the ''old man" tight. 2. = q
O., What old mani A, Mr.. Sawyer.
@. YOURSELF A. Yes, sir.
By the Chairman: Q. Who are you speak
ing or A. OF myself.
Q. understand that: but who put up th,
job that you speak Oft A. Samuel Strong
Boyd, wiley, and Noyes.7 I think those wef,
the parties. was informed that N they could
take him and get him tight, and get thes,
papers signed, that was all they wanted.
Mr.. Merrick. It is the witness himself.
The Chairman. understand = ~ l'
The Witness. They said If they could pel
the old man tight, and get him to sign the
papers, everything would be lovely. To stats
the matter correctly, they only succeeded toe
well. - - ~ -. -. - -.-.I
BY Mr.. Christy: Q. When you signed thess
papers what was your condition. A. My con
dition must have been considerably bad, for
had no knowledge of what l signed.
@. What attracted your attention to Il: did
you find anything in your pocket at any time
after ttisl A. / got home after signing those
papers. How 1 got home could not tell; but
the next morning upon waking up / had an
and in looking matters over, and looking at my
wallet, found s11505 of certain scrip, what
they called scrip, such as the board have now
issued by Mr.. Lay, 1 think.
t Q. Finding that, what did you do next9 A
Finding that, 1 repaired down town again.
Mr.. Harrington. A little louder; this is very
interesting. t -.
The Witness. It may be to you, but it is NOT
to me.
Q. Whom did you meet' A. After while
met Mr.. Strong. -.
Q. What passed between you'll A. I asked
him If Ihad signed any papers the day before; he
said Ihad. Iasked him what / had signed. He
said the papers. Well i wanted to know what
the papers were. He said for the work, and
they were all right, and had gone in before
the board.
By Mr.. Christy: Q. Then what did you say
to hint A. Then asked him how came by
that scrip issued to Samuel Strong, and not in
dorsed on the back. He said lie gave that to
me. Said l, ''For what purposeP Said he,
HWhy," said he, "for signing these papers,
After thinking the matter over q moment, !
told him that did not understand 1t; that !
must see those papers. He said could not
see them again, for they had gone into the
board, and were all right. l told him / must
see them or would lay this matter before the
board. .... .e -...- 7..s.r
Q. What was his reply, then, and what did
he dot A. His reply was that could not see
them. l bought you with that certificate, and
you keep that, and when / get the money / will
redeem 1t from you, and mind your own busi-
ness, and go about your business. If you do
not, viii have you taken care of, or something
to that effect -. -. 80 -.....-,.-. 4
@. Did you communicate these facts to the
boardl A. Immediately; well, say a day or
two afterwards; two or three days.
Q. What did you do with his scrip that you
had received A. inclosed to Mr.. Willard a
statement Of the facts, as near as 1 could recol-
lect them.
Q. Did you see Mr.. Willard in person subse-
quentlyl A.. did; on two different occasions.
Y. Were these papers that you had signed
afterward returned to you for correctioni A.
No, sir. '~t ~
Q. Have you had any opportunity of inspect
ing them2 A. Yes, sir; think, IL my impress
sion serves me, that they were brought into Mr..
Willey's room. My impression Is that saw
them; but / was not asked to correct them.
Q. Did you ask for permission to correct
theml A. did not. merely made q state
ment Of 1t, and left the matter in their hands.
@. Now, let US hear what that statement
was. How far did you explain to Mr.. Willard
the circumstances under which your name had
been obtained to these papers! 4E
Mr.. Mattingly. Is that statement In writingi
Mr.. Christy. Now,I am speaking of the per-
sonal conversation with Mr.. Willard. 8
The Witness. VIII you repeat your question.
Q. How far did you explain, then, in that
conversation to Mr.. Willard, the circumstances
attending your signing these pspersi A. As
fully as have here; as fully as knew and
understood. - .--;s-
Q. What was his ,replyf A. his reply was,
awe win take care Of Mr. Strong IL this mat,
ter; we will look the matter up" And he
added, 81 am glad you have taken this course,
which is the only proper course to make clean
breast of it." He and Mr.. Magruder both
stated at the time that this would Be no injury
whsteyer to me; that It could not.
@ Did you call the attention Of Mr.. Willard
or Mr.. Magruder to any irregularities m the
manntr in which that roll had been kept as to
the nu mberof laborersi A. Ibid.
Q. And to the fact that there were the names
of men there who had never been upon the
work. A. As / had understood since the work
was completed, they never had been on the
work.
Q. You stated thati A. Yes, sir.
Q. You also told them you were incapable
Of understanding the act when you signed those
papers.
stated TO Mr.. Willard what he has
stated here
Mr.. HubbeIl. And as fully as he stated It
here.
The Chairman. Is that all upon that pointi
Mr.. Christy. No, SIR. What was the subse-
quent action Of the board upon that subject
The Chairman. That Is, If he knows.
Mr.. Christy. Yes, If he knows.
Witness. cannot tel what action they took
upon the papers. .--r
@. Were you afterward called upon to make
any additional statement A. / was not, any
further than to turn to my original books that
kept Of the sewer. r5
Q. Beyond that, then, they did not advise
with youl A. Except at another time when
Mr.. Sprague sent some Of his special friends to
me. They wanted to meet me.
The Chairman. You needn't state that.
Mr.. Christy. will make It competent,
think, IN moment.
Q. Did you state to Mr.. Willard, or any other
of the Board of Public Works, that
Samuel Strong, through his friends had offered
10 meet you1 A. did. T
9. Did yop state to them the place that they
had selected A. 1 did.
Q. Did you ask them to send some one In
whom they had confidence In that place, to
overhear the conyersationl A.; Lot me answer
that differently, as 1t was; After stating where
we were to meet, / says TO Mr.. Willard, "Do
you want to catch the scoundrel any furtheri
u 90, now d your time" He says, "Wait un-
til can confer with some other members of
the board" waited there about an hour, or
an hour and q half. he came in, and says,
eMr. Sawyer, we do not wish to catch them
any further; don't go near them again; don't
you drink with them; keep away from them"
Q. That was Mr.. Wizards advice TO you'll
A. Yes, sir; he did not want to catch them any
further. - ....,.... .-.- -..t-.. -
Q: Did you keep any appointment with thepi
Q. Have you preserved the correspondence
between you and Mr.. Willard on that subject
A. I have copy of It at home.
Q. How long did you continue In the employ
Of the Board OF Public Works after that timef
4. 1 think that transpired about the middle of
the month was In the emnloy of the board