Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-04-28
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
Proceedings Of the Joint Congressional Committee.

4 this morning at half-past ten O'Clock.
John Pope Hodnett, representing certain
| workingmen who sllege to have been defraud-
| ed by one w. ID. Adams, contractor, made an
forth their grievances. He said he had been
delegated by the House Of Representatives to
directed TO make out written statement, set
| tirg forth what ne could prove, and what wit
nssses he desired smmoned.
shs saed sy .se District
eminent, AID sworn:-Is engaged in the manu-
factnrc of sewhepipe In OHIO; furnished tue
Board Of Public Wsrfs $50. 600 worth of 6-inch.
| inch, 12inch, and 1s-inch pipe; have fur
nished pipe TO other cities; 10 Cincinnati, But
falo, Detroit, Rochester, and good m any other
cities; the pipe furnished the District is cheaper
than that furnished the cities L have named ,
because of sharp eastern competition.
By Mr.. Wilson:-Never entered into a written
contract with the Board of Public Works.
Y. Who made the negotiation on the part of
your company? A. did, and received the pay
ments. No drawbacks have been paid our
firm.
BY Mr.. Stanton:--The price of nine in ,s7,
was lower than now; an increase Of from . to
80 per cent. took place about January, 1872
furnished pipe to this city lower than any other
consumer or nclpality.
By Mr.. ChristIe:-Can't tell the date sub
mitted bids for pipe; think ii was about two
years ago; went to see Gov. Shepherd about the
pipe; he says, 60 put in your bid, the m an that
furnishes the best pipe for the least money will
get the contract
Mr.. ChIisty asked that the bid submitted BY
Mr.. HarringtoD:-Will send right down for the
bid.
The witness was directed to stand aside for
the present.
MOSES KELLY ON THE STAND.
Moses Kelly sworn:-Q. 1t is alleged that you
in company with others, formed q conspiracy
with a view to obtain contracts from the
Roard of Public Works State If that is so. A
1t is not. have no knowledge of any such con
spiTacy; have no interest IN any real-estate
pool, nor in any contracts under the Board OF
By Mr.. Christy:-was once member of the
Portland Stone company. The company dc
not think was organized after the present Dis
trict government came into power.
Q. What was the extent of YOUR interest? A
Very small; don't remember the number OF
original c0rporators.
2. What do you mean by very small? A. My
impression is that the entire capital stock was
only s2O0ooi do not remember what my in
teTest was.
ncial Stone Company? A. That was a continu-
we're merged.
Q. What efforts did your company make to
obtain work from the Board of Public Works?
A. made no efforts; the company was organ
lied to do private work; L don't think all the
work done by the company for the Board OF
Public Works amounted to o 900; have had
no interest that / can recall with Governor
Shepherd in real estate transactions since the
organization of the District government; in
tifcates, in no instance did the National Me-
tropolitaD bank buy the certificates outright; |
loaned money On such paper In my individua
capacity as cashier at per cent. interest.
By Mr.. MaitiDgly Don't think the Portland
and Artificial Stone company made any p.onts
think we lost money.
By Mr.. Merr.ck:.The provision for the JAN
uary int 3st was N ade in January, 1873; 1t was
provided for by receipts from taxes partis, and
partly by the hypothecation OF 3O-yesr sinking
fupa bonds; there have been payments Of money
I'm nd facinr al,
May last; the amount ha, been small, and was
applied to pay interest
Q. Had you any arrangements with Col. Ma
gruder, in making allowances to contractors,
that you would be paid as soon as the Board OF
Public Works was In funds?
A. No, not at ALL we took our chances with
the rest.
THE BID FOR PIPE.
The bid Of Sperry & Richie for pipe, dated
in 1872, was submitted to the committee, and
Mr.. Christy asked that the bid 20 in a. evil
dence.
DIR. KIpwELL's TESTIMONY.
John l.. kidwell. sworn:-Q. 1t Is alleged
that you in company with others entered into a
conspiracy in 1871 to get contracts from the
Board of Public Works; is that so? A. on
tered into no conspiracy in 1871 or at any other
By MT. Christy:-Q. You may state the in
terest that you took in securing what Was
known as the Scharf or Mace concrete pave
and asked me to secure an interview with the
parties who would lay concrete pavement; the
Scharf pavement was q good one, and ar
had no pecuniary interest In the pavement
SIMPLY arranged the interview for Mace as q
friend; q contract was finally made with Mace,
aid 1ou aas uhslas or
that contract A. L DON'T know whether it
was by that Of Mace or Of both parties; 1 had
the contract In my possession probably sixty
time was called by family afaiction to Cali
fOrnia; when l returned Mace said he wanted
to see tine contract, and 1t was then ascertained
would have sworn up to that time that 1t had
been signed by them; the contract was in the
nature of license to use Q certain patent pave
ment for so much royalty per square yard, to
q. Do you remember whether this occurred
after Ha!lett Knbourn's return from New York
IN august A: DO not; 1 am president Of the
Board Of Public Works about 81 900 worth OF
stone; furnished contractors under the Board
about $4,000 worth; Governor Cooke, in Al
gust, 49, l. think, held an eighth or tenth in
terest In the CT mpany.
By Mr.. Mattinely:-Q. Do You know of any
en1r. on your part. or that Of Gov Cooke to
stone. A. do not; am satisfied that ON our
sales we have not realized q cent; think the
difference is on the other side; we furnished
take certHcaEs, sc.
GOV. COOKE BE Examined.
Gov. Cooke recaed:-Q. State your know
ledge OF any conspiracy entered into by you
and others for the purpose of controlling con-
tracts under the Board OF Public Works? A.
have no knowledge nor never had OF any con-
spiracy, or Of any effort to form q ring to get
cQntI acts; am entirely ignorant Of any such
conspiracy.
q. State why the Board of Public Works did
not award contracts on bids presented i'm Sop
TENDER, 1871? A. The general idea In adver-
Using for bids was to fix the scale OF prices to
get fair average for the work; the bids were
higher or nearly a. high - paid by the old cor
poration; the object OF the board was to get the
work done from Is to rs per cent less than the
former rates prevailing; IL was not the inten-
ton OF the board to award contracts; never
had ono dollar OF interest In any contract ct
any time.
By Mr. Stswart:--I know Chittsndsn very
slightly; never spoke to him, nor he to me on
the subject Of contracts, don't know Kirt-
land; certainly don't know him BY name.
y. DO you know the Rev. Calvin Brown? A.
Ny acquaintance with hin Was about - casual
a. With Mr.. Chittenden; never had . coaver-
satioo with him about contracts.
Y. DID NJ. Huntingto0 ever say anything 10
you about contracts? A. Never bat onos. 1
then told him ! would prefer, ON account Of his
relation With the bank, NOT to speak to ma on
the subject OF contracts, because IL might be