The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-02-16
THE CANAL COMMISSION.
Abstract Of the Testimony
Hitherto Hidden.
THE ALBANY BASIN MINE.
Swollen Estimates on q
Grand Scale.
RESTITUTION FROM BUFFALO And ROCHESTER,.
How the Oneida Lake Ca
nal Was Improved.
Ninety-two Thousand Dollars on
Crooked Legislation.
RESTITUTION FROM BUFFALO AND ROCHESTER,.
Ninety-two Thousand Dollars on
Crooked Legislation.
Senator Hammond's Acts as Dep
uty Attorney General.

The testimony OF the Canal Investigating Commits
sion just handed in, comprises three volumes aud
pages of printed matter OF the ordinary size Of
the legislative document II will undoubtedly prove
TO be production OF extreme interest to every in
the State connected in any way with the canals or
these 1900 pages but small portion has ever been
given to the public the reports which published
at intervals during the alone containing any
public PRONUNCIATION of the testimony and they only in
small parts relating exclusively to the subject upon
which the report was based There were great num-
Der OF subjects inquiry upon which the commission
has not made any report at all owing either to the
lack of time or to the failure to elicit any
thing of sufficient interest to justify express
sion. These all included the testi-
mony, and evidence upon them may be of
exceeding interest just Some Of them give
promise, when a complete nvestgau may be had, Of
frauds equally stupcndous any upon which suits
threatening. The dredging of Albany Basin
appears 10 have 'panned out' rather faithfully
than the general OF the inquiries II appears from
the testimony which very full this subject that
contract let to William c. Stephens in 1868
for the dredging Of Albany Basin at seventy cents
yard OF material excavated that Thomas Gale acquired
this from Stephens almost Immediately after
the letting and it then subet to the firm OF &. r.
Seward Co. of Albany. a firm to which James J.
Belden, A. c. Belden and Henry D. Denison all be-
longed. The dredging under this firm continued up TO
the year 1871 and later. As this dredging
what unusual canal work, II was deemed necessary in
the contract 10 specify that special inspector
should be appointed by the State to count the
drcdge loads Of excavation and make return
from actual monthly OF the number OF yards of
material for which Seward & Co. should be paid The
inspector so appointed Alexander Robertson,
blyman in 1885, then a member Of the Board OF
Trade OF Albany and employee of the Northern
Transportation Line who performed the duties for 81
per day, with the assistance of Hugh McCollum,
since dead upon whom most Of the work devolved,
at salary of $50 per month 1t shown by Rober-
sons evidence that during the time OF his in
spcctorshp he received certain OF money from
Seward h Co and he accounted for them by claiming
that they paid bonus for surrendering his
right a for the delivery of sand to the
Capitol which Seward obtained after 1t had been prom
sed to Robertson In Robertson's own words the
bonus ten Genus for each yard OF sand delivered, was
given him 80 thai he wouldn't make trouble" Haml-
ton Harris the present Senator and at that time
chairman OF the new Capitol Commission, testified in
TO this contract that Robertson made
| bid At all and never promised the contract but
that he had rendered the Capitol people some
service having appropriations for IL passed when he
was member OF Assembly the Commissioners wanted
70 do him some service In return and t TO get him into
some position but without effect f. r. Seward in his
testimony admitted paying Robertson q certain per-
cenage on the sand contract but would not allow that
II for the purpose OF influencing his action in
The testimony further shows that the returns
OF yards Of material excavated swollen greatly
after hcColum had made them to Robertson the clean
steals made in this way alone aggregatng during
months much as $4,000 The testimony OF Robert
after hard belaboring was brought down to This adj
mi ssion-
Exhibit 2 Of Albany Basin shown witnesSl
o. That Is the handwriting Of Mr.. Mccolumi A. Yes
d Pcase examine and explain what it pnrporis TO be-
A. IL is statement the handwriting Of Hugh Mccolum
The Albany Basin n iao and isS during The months Of
Nay June July Augus, September October and Novo%ee
ber November is7f in Nccoliam's hsndwrit
handed Of his memo Andum books have had
them In my hands every day In the season probably .
have been added 70 amount A The paper says So Yes
Your monthly estimates for May June, duly An
same months in 1871 being shown You and examined will
you state whether the amount; which they give as returned
Q Does column No 4 there represen. the several
sums spreading upon MeCp1% RsPs 70 have been re-
figured up Yea SIR that stands there
Of e1sSvs,Sn Originally taod y ssecoa% Thai
O. How much the that appeared to be added,
and p by Rs s Sssi your
wSs Ss. S SSe0 s S an 9 .6
the bas. Of McoOlIunos ssatemonti A. 42e7l, is what
ABRAM sIcKI.Bs' TESTIMONY.
Tho testimony Of Abram Sicklcs, foreman or tho
dredgcs and at one time bookkeeper for senard h
Co., Is as follows upon the same point
excavation or quantity 81 material taken out to widen his
IT, 70, dredging in Albany basin took mem
1u s BY nsna hc ySS
for the month Of September 1871, wit Loose cubic
saSi 'S % z She ,ass: s1e.s s o. $
a. seventy cents yard AMOUNTING TO xo4s 90
IN November ISL Iee7o cnbc yards the
d so on the
State In that month.
Judgment tina, the statement correctf 4 Sothng but
q How do you know she record falsihedi A. know
Sssans SAY hs 1sss rsofps Of the 1sPse.or know
CONTRACTOR sEwARD's ADMISSIONS
+. X Seward. the contractor, subpmnaed, as in
.ne penIson case 70 produce ms books and papers
latter case, cvaded either producing his papers max
ing straightforward replies to the questions Pot him BY
the Commissioner. He attended by George W.
Miller, former Superintendent OF Insurance, coun-
SOL and while acting under his advice refused direct
reply TO Of Magone's questions. Thereupon tho
following scene ensued:-
q Is that all tho you propose TO gfvei A. Yes
Mr. Magono--Then you may there TN you do answer
Mr. Miller counsel Tor NJ seward)-Do understand that
NJ sewara - under arresH
Mr Miler~rhen NJ Leonard. We will 60
MI MagOne-Mr. Miller, II you interfere here will put
Mr Miier"i am here as counsel for this gentleman.
Mr.. Magone-lou understand us, sirf
Mr.. Miiler-I do dr.
M. Magone--Then be patient
MI Miller-I think have been patient and gentle
manly anybody here.
Mr. Magone-You must behaye yourself
Z Mr. Miiier-I DO behave myself
Mr.. Magone-fou must stop talking
Mr.. Miller-I shall not stop talking
Mr. MAgoncI shall direct you be put out Of the
then.
MI Miner-I requested BY Mr. Seward to make
for him
Mr.. Magone-we don't wish hear. TO sergeantat-
arms. who enters) Direct Mr.. Miller 10 leave.
Mr. hiler-I want Il understood that DO this under pro-
test have right 20 be here counsel for this gentle
Mr Miller here directed 20 leave BY the Sergeant
arms) Will you with Mr. SevardY
Nr. Magone 90 witnesslWil you kt down and answer
(Mr. Seward and NJ. Miller 10th eh the roonJ.
Tho commission not wholly dispirited BY this
rebuff but continued 70 take the testimony Of dredge-
men and boat hands without number accum ulating
evidence upon the subject without however, finding
anything more damag ng than that BY Robert
and Scklas The snhIeci VIII be fnrihar dexnlnned