The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-06-10

letter from the Commissioners Vi lu-
/ ternal Revenue In regard to the charges;
which witness produces; also retail
| license and charges annexed. The letter
| is read by Mr.. Stevenson witness is
charged with retail Internal Revenue
license for selling liquor to his hands;
the Department holds that the. tax y
due, but finds no penalty charged
against Mr.. Brown, as attempted to be
collected by this office.
| 10 Mr.. Conger-Had to pay In all SIS !;
showed the officers the letters from
Commissioner Pratt; they stated Mr"
/ Pratt was new In Office and did not
know his business: there was so per
cent penalty, five per cent on the license
and penalty. one per cent interest per
month on the whole, also mileage and
| a charge for the notice; the tax really
due was about $50 or $50; the sum at
tempted to be collected amounted to
$115. Mr.. Brown stated to Mr.. Conger
that as soon as his case was reported to
Commissioner Pratt 1t was corrected at
once.
RICHARD BUcKNER
called and identified Mr.. Lane, who was
present at the Baton Rouge Convention l.2h
with witness the convention was held
August "A, 1874.
JOHN CLARK,
foundryman put In q bid for the iron
cornice 81 the Custom house; thinks it
was Tor ss5. 900: the proposals were to
| be In on q certain day at twelve O'Clock
the next morning J. Hale Sypher. the
Congressman came to his shop; re-
newed acquaintance with witness;
stated there were eight or nine
bids from different foundries in the
United States stated my bid was the
lowest, $75, 900; stated that IL | allowed
him to raise the bid $1,000 he would get
it for me, as he was on good terms with
the Department ct Washington stated
the money was for the benefit OF the
people around the CustOmhOuse went
down with my clerk, Withdrew my bid
and altered It he told me Capt. Morse
knew all about it; then here st
the st. Charles that Capt. Morse knew
nothing about this; suspected some
rascality, the other Sypher showed q
telegram telling me to go on with the
work took my securities down to the
Customhouse to sign the contract, with
plans and specifications attached; sign
ed and set my men to work the follow
ing day A. J. Sypher came down to wit
ness and told him that his brother had
authorized him to get $4,000 from him
refused he said he would break the
contract witness told him to do what he
pleased q few days after that Sypher
came with additional specifications
told them the additions would be in
proportion to the weight. Met Capt.
Morse; spoke to him about the trouble
given him also about the attempt to
take the contract from witness; he told
me my bid was for e41 900; / told him 1t
was for $35, 900 he told me 1t tCds a lie;
told him to take that back; he cooled
down, and q few days afterward witness
received news from Washington that
his bid was rejected.
Witness had signed contract, also
specifications attached; had spent $500
In lumber and patterns; A. j. Sypher
told him he would break the contract II
he did pot giue hin. $4,000 at once, does
not recollect signing contract in dupli-
cate, but Is sure he never got copy OF
il, witness Is ashamed that he ever al
lowed Sypher to make him such pro-
position: he never ought to have al
lowed him to Withdraw his bid; only
did it because Sypher persuaded
him that he never could get the con-
tract unless he allowed him the COM
mission. -s@ -
n. II. MARI
sworn-Has known Mr.. Lane for more
than twenty years; the Democratic Con-
vention met at Baton Rouge on October
"a, and adjourned at about dark on the
18th, and several members, Mr.. Lane
included, came down ON the steamboat
Gov. Allen; saw him in New Orleans
several days afterwards; have an indis-
tinct recollection that he was in New
Orleans when the first telegraphic re.
ports of the Coushatta business reached
the city; Mr.. Lane made purchases in
town at that time and the dates OF the
purchase; would show when he was
present In New Orleans.