The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-11-19
EXPOSING CANAL FRAUDS.
THE LEG TsLATIVB JOINT OOMMIT-
TEE AGAIN Ar work.
How the Otisco Lake Dan vyns Constructed
The Hon. ID. ~. mus ExpiaBation of his
Connection with the ChemanR Clatms.


committee to investigate alleged canal frauds
| resumed IT'S lab0rs to-day. Present, Senator
| Cole. Assem- blymon Seward aud Sherman, and
their counsel Messrs. Henry Smith and Rufus
w. Peckham.
Henry c. Beach, an engineer under c. II.
Sweet. was examined by Mr.. Smith az to the
dam In Disco Lake. lie testified that he meas
ured the dam In 1916, and examined Its con-
struction. Its length Is chains GO links, or
30S.Ss 100 feet, which Ia one link shorter than
given 10 the final account. lie found the dam
In good condition, and apparently Of good work.
He examined IL externally only, and did not ex
anime as to thickness, &c. He dda't know
whether the stone used was ordinary field stone
or not and did not pay any attention "a TO
whether amy land about there had been Rruboed.
The cement was tested with knife, and found
to be hard. lie didn't know whether the ma
sorry done in accordance with the contract
c. II. Sweet appeared to correct his former
testimony as to the length of the dam. The
final account showed II TO be 800 ~ 100 feet. He
mislcd by the figure given by another wit
ness, who had given the measure Incorrectly.
His original field notes made 10 chains CT Inks.
DAVID T. Whitford. a civil engineer, employed
as an assistant To Mr.. Sweet, testified that he
was WITH Mr. Beach when the measurements
were made, and confirmed his testimony.
George T. Briggs was called and examined nv
Mr.. sweet ~ 10 tho manner OF constructing the
dam. lie said IL was constructed Of clay, gravel,
aud sand. There was heavy stick Of timber
under the slope wall. The dam had never leaked
To Mr. pocknam he said that he worked on
the dam from the time II was begun until IL was
completed. He drew stone and helped to build.
there wis some grubbiDg done under the dam
one STUMP was taken out and that was all that
was arubbcd. Gravel has been put ON the dam
TO prevent It's being carried away. A small leak
began at thnt tnc but that was the only one.
Brush was put on TO hold INC gravel, aud gravel
done perhaps tue dam would have been carried
away. Tue dam was puddled above tue water
line.
Afr. Pcckham- othcr Witnesses swear they were there
and ENGAGED I'm bundr nc dsm, anu that i was not
can yOu swear that II Was? - can. I kuow It Wa.
pu died up sboyr me water Inc. was there all the
while, aud saw what was done.
the CuEMUNG CANAL CLAIMS.
ID. u. Hh appeared aud rcquested to see tho
testimony In the clse of the Chenun2 Canal
claims. Ihe testimony was snoyn MIN. and
then he asked to b. out under oatn. as he wished
to correct some mi statements that had been
print ed tlrOu lhout the state. lie was then pat
under DATA and testified
In M opinion the dam g. nv the nood Of is6; was
caused by an agent u ,he sat u, nei { Lnfhyl y
Iuste I'd VI uOegn the Ocs gates he c ia tleh and
s S up n % i,.7 Sass f q,
| claims was ~ ~ ti1 hnls oi Mr. o. l. smith, who
Ici,siai W Commit . aui % nv 10 before the ep-
prs-rs. anh was receive onc.inir. Of the aSards.
apnris, go HeAr ne clans % other pAftie who bad
l.gl.a,lrc .lip ua.,ri ..nir 4ct ~ Nj smith &.
We tionn. d 90 ihes, c'nm' D.iig 10 his nhals. 1
aoar, u,, tec sei wa. pn.set II, partner r.,ae a
tio nrguncts never hunted mp aiS 90 the evidence
claims II aas hecn reported through ne Asiociatei
i..r o. Inc i~ris,st,rc ~ ~ nes a t.ct. Was |,
mcm.rr A.. e. tn my tpacry as 0mein0cr Of the
az & All Il tss ' s ~ "a "a b,s ri sS@1 te
these pad after wac olt u tne Lesisltturc
apl cAls dismissed Ia "a bit tnrec clsrs, up
p S1,S 5y ne Cin4 ri 'aa ne sopfae caas
70 Eimlra to Try hsl. lint hero W., accession IA
ria. but ,frg.nI. "a ls72 th,y called
saa Inc CSaas Board siificd tnes In 1874 tie re-
nainus Que was rrgued and that was disposed of ~
BIO COUNSEL rREs
nv Mr.. smith-llow m,uy ciuns were there in which
Trims RE ar.icsiSc sam awardci wis A10ut s0i Fl.
a.. sSsa, @ SS' sSat = hs nas,s s aecg.
ptasers h1-rns nearly az the Tune at h;mlrs. one
the qucston OF soiity Tie case u Bank, when was
tue test case, cOniested my par. A. well -
could. On tne other side It was contested wen.
Witness was showD the book Of wrlttcn tcstl-
monV t.hin in the case, and sad tuore was four
| question of iiautlity.
By Mr.. smnn-rhat mbraces an the Testimony on the
s SuS't Sso o r.asss caIi 4. 4cs sr b3t ,bn
| JJ,ge Brooks dil not tlkc do"n an tho te umo1l;
Ju-l, and NcwhortcT, making ave IL ali wo Of them
@ GIVE no names OF the Eitnesse,caed on the part
Of the STATE. A. There were ~ ne ,hat lsee here
$4,000 whether m were any witnesses On othrr
M e9 'GSS' Sas az se n c inSr S sss
o. now AK You. Nr I'm. whether you thlak as a
lawyer hal tnat ea,e Vas contest ii as ouxnt 20 have
| l. concerned, think It wac.
q ~ you tniaa II tns mad becn private matter It
would have Uccn contested as THIS wasY Al do not
knvw.
NOT a DOLLAR To THE LEGIsLArURR.
lee,sIa,ionP A.-Sot dollar that know OF.
aoD nrsi heard OF ,ese sslm. esa. years after
Al knew Of some OF these dlmasesi knew they
% How dt you know tat those were NOT included
u, tng nl r IN hat mo- sn r' ,sfe wh' ,nss
caims were nad IA 1870 lhc m 'ney was Appropriated
IA ls'o l-t Of 'ho cessation TOOK place while Vas
BY Sir. Pccshnn low wa q proved tina, cisusherty
XsSy wiines.c wac ia the e.aoay u '' canal
Tho testimony was examine and II was found
that the mau VINO took the charge VI the canal
afterward said ha found the waste veins cue
| away. II was also g. uni that tue suprgntend-
ents foreman had said he had cut out the waste
Nj nm then Id that whatever ref ,cts upon
| these awards reflects IN suuc Il egree upon the
counsel " II tu.s investigation he continued
| long enough" he sid, would like TO have
some witnesses tx mined either OUT there or
| here. Some Of the Testimony. at least. such a.
| has been puhlsheu L. wrong, AMI l want The op-
| portunitN TO snow Tn It.
Mr. PccNh.m dld NOT think II waa possible or
prop r To 20 III oVerthis ground again. II there
! Is 40 corruption IN tue matter, we want TO III ke
that appear We are hero ony ~ investigate
Mr. hill--Mcll, sir, make the application for
an opp lrtunity to produce wltnc ses to snO "
! the Justice uf these accounts.
| without y ls-iug upon MIR. IIil's application,
| the committee took = recess until ~ T.. NJ.
JUDGE BaooKs's ExrLAgArIoS.
| At the afternoon session Jadge Brooks Ap-
| peared, md ASKED tue privilege OF masking a
! sworn statement IA reference to the testtulu. y
! Of one Frost, Who said that he (Judge Br0oksl J.
! one Of tho canal appraisers, made award IA
| favor OF property in which ho had an Interest.
! Tine Judge sworr positively that he never had
| ant interest Ia any properly in Nillporf, or i'm
| any part Of the state on which an award had
| been made.
| Ia answer to questions by Mr.. Smith, he said
thOro were still Two claims pending against the
| State growing out Of tue Cnemung Canal ulOd-
one ~ Mira. Am, aud one of her mother. Mrs.
| Egbert. An act enat lIug pers US to tle cln ims
that I'd not been nlrd IN time under the pre-
yious law was passed for hearing in these cases.
Mr.. Smith, would Ike 10 haNc YOU explain what rea
given or tue passage Of AN act to hear
| III. cen years OLD.
Juug6 BrooSs-t have never been member Of the lie.
gislaturn and do NOT know now thlngs done
KNOW that TIE law required that lhe claims sloul he
IA al certain naie They failed ~ reach ap-
pralHers OiiCe in time, though az u unul
they mai ed, ami that ncccssaics the
anew law Witness further explained That there were
cases Of claims twenty years old wnch the appraisers
have not yeti nat tine 20 reach.
QDo you think IN these cases the interests Of the
star were protcctrdl Al do, SIR paced much
| Nance the Testimony OF Moses colo.
III searched the book OF luinutes m the bank
but could hnd 40 testimony by wtncas OF that anne.
| THE TESTIMONY OK WHICH THE JuDGE RELIED