Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-16
The Board Of Audit Investigation.
Testimony TO-day,

examined was DelaICdTe HtnfleU who was in
terrogated by Chairman Buckner i'm regard
10 certain papers laid before the committee
concerning work done by him. The point OF
the statement in the papers was that he
placed his papers in the hands of Il. c.
EeHe t. A great deal of time was consumed
in reading the statement of Appel. a clerk
under the Board of Audit, showing Hudnell's
accounts.
Hudnell then testified substantially as fol-
lows:-At the time the new government was
established believed had claim against
the Board of Public Works; believed IL be-
fore; l received a certificate for 81 $40; gave
ii to Mr.. Hewett TO collect and
GAVE HIM FIFTY PER CENT.
to collect it, My claim had been rejected
and was glad to get it collected. Met Hew-
EFT at his place of business one day. / said
/ had claim; he said. "If you have given
your claim 10 anybody l won't have any
thing to do with It," said 1 had given The
claim TO Arthur Shepherd, but had not given
him apower of attorney. Hewett had some
way OF getting claims through; don't know
what. My claim had been standing for three
years; the claim was rejected before il went
into MIR. Shepherds hands by the board OF
audit; Shepherd didn't give me any excuse
why be didn't collect the claim; he said he
had gone to see about IL a dozen times, but
when he didn't make a favorable report
thought he was negligent.
q. How did Hewett knoT You had claim?
A. Only by asking me If had one. said
had.
@ Were you in debt to him?
A. think / owed him $3.50. He had my
notes. They were Just as good as money.
THE NEWMAN AND MIDDLETON CLAIM
q. ". Sickney, sworn Am real estate
dealer, and was connected with the Freed
mems bank as actuary; my duties were
equivalent to cashier. The bank had q
claim against Newman x Middleton for
$4,000; the security was an order on the
Beard OF Public Works and some securities
and bonds. The claim was presented to the
Board of Audit through j. c. Lay & Co. A
settlement on account of the claims OF the
hars l. ia Wi IA I,Nor
bank received 81 500 for The claim.
@ Dad you consider that payment final
adjudication Of the claim?.
a. / asked when receipted for the money:
This does not bar me from making an al
ditiOnGl claim?" Mr. Wilcox, n CLERK of the
Board of Audit, said, Goa, no, If you have
allowance was made on account of what was
owing Newman q Middleton.
The chairman said he took Mr.. Stickney's
testimony on this point to connect il with
some subsequent facts he expected to de-
veiOD.
Mr.. Buckner then read voucher showing
That \ G. Hewett, as the attorney of New
man 4 Middleton, received on account OF
work done by that firm, (cl3im transferred
TO the FTeedman'S bank,l the sam Of five
thousand dollars and over.
ARTHUR SHEPHERD AS y WITNESS
-drgi,T Shepherd, swurn:-Had a claim for
Delaware HudDell; 1t was for removing old
material and grading on Pennsy lyauia ave
nue.; DON'T remember when the claim was
presented; think IL was presented by Mr.
Nc ed in January, 1sT5: Need died, and Hud-
nell withdrew the claim and turned II over
TO me; had no power of attorney from him;
presented the claim with a number of others
for old material; the next saw of the CLAIM
was in Mr.. NELSON'S room endorsed 'dis-
allowed; l SAID TO Watson; "Where did you
get those papers?" He said: "Up in AppeiI's
rQom." l said ~ am sorry" and dismissed
the case from my mind, Two weeks alter
that heard that The claim was allowed;
went 20 HudnelI and he said he had sold 1t 10
Hewitt for IS COO. Hewitt received the entire
amount claiIned-oyer $500. After L told
Hudneli the claim was rejected he seemed TO
be satisfied with it. Watson, the chief clerk
of the Board of Audit, said quite empLati-
cally that the claim would not be allowed
don't know why there was Republication
in the case; Watson said as reason for re-
iectiDg the claim of Hudnell that the old
Board OF Public Works had allowed him all
Il at was due him. II was about two weeks
after the claim was rejected to me that
heard ii bad been reconsidered and allow ed
10 Hewett Hewett was regarded as
A KIND OF \ MIDDLE MAN.
- middleton, sworn: Have had contracts
under the old Board of Public Works to
grade, pave, curb, &c, had contract % 10th
street southwest, from ID street to Water
street; had contract on q street; completed
1t before the board went out ] employed in
the first instance George W. Stickney as my
attorney; he never gave me any salts faction
about the claim. Next L went To see Bill
Dickson; he said there's nothing due Won;
next / went to Lay Il Co; that firm made an
effort for me, and still the report was moth
ing coming to you;' next / was informed
that il went into the board and
SAW MIR. JOHNSON
he would give me some Information. Don't
know who told me to 60 and see him.
would know him If L saw him; he was a
short, We'll built man, with mOustache.
went to Johnson and gave him my state
ment. / said had been to three or four and
all said there was nothing due me. johnson
took my statement and in three days sent
for me. He said: Chow much is coming to
your l said l don't know, the board never
gave me any information. The first thing
for your claim" 1 said: "I don't know
what my claim is worth" she said: ~ am
authorized by another party to give you
$500 for your claim" left and went to see
Newman. Newman said, "WelI, we had
better take that or get nothing" 1 went
back and Johnson had curtailed the amour
from $500 TO $50. 1 took the $50, although
i was satisfied there was $4,000 coming TO
me. said TO Johnson: lido this under pro-
test, because do not want my children 10
St8rVe.N
q. Who paid you the money-Johnson or
Hewett?
A. don't know; they were both
IN CAHooTS.
" think Hewett paid me. was so glad 10
get the two or three dollars that would have
signed anything; sll know is, / never gog a
dollar out OF what Stickney got, and don't
money / was in debt TO laborers on two pay
rolls-oDe for $500, and the other for 81 900;
the board paid the $500 payroll, but never
paid the other, of 81 900. At the time signed
the power OF attorney 10 Hewett my work
had been completed eighteen months: All
The money ever got for any work / did
was The $780, the certificate for which Bill
Dickson cashed for me. / know that am
ont dve or six thousand dollars. Dickson
gave me check for three hundred and some
dollars.
O. How much was the discount?
A. Oh, he discounted me enough 10 damn
me.
The OTHER PARTNER TESTIFIES.
Geo III. Neecladl, swOrn:-Was q partner
with Mr.. Middleton as a contractor under
the Board of Public Works. The testimony
OF the witness was mainly corroborative of
that OF the previous witness. He testified
About three months ago, after running
eighteen months for the claim, Middleton
came TO me and said, ave can get $500 for
our claim" said, take Ii; take anything
you GET" The next thing / knew OF the
claim was when was called upon TO sign
the power OF attorney.
q. What parties were present when Won
signed the power of attorney?
A. don't know; the money at that time
was the object with me, and not the man;
the money which was coming to our firm
honestly belonged to the Freedman's bank;
all my partner or myself ever got for our
work wos s136-for balance that we claimed
due OF between 50 900 and $4,000.
ANorHER CONTRACTORS EXPERIENCE.
VI. d. Nc LQuOhfin sW0rn.-Au1 a cantrao-