Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-09-28
FURTHER DOCUMENTARY TESTI.
MONY.
VANCE RII,DLED.
Explanations yet in Order.
Special Dispatch to the Cincinnati Ga
Zette.

[CItCs
WASHINGTON, Sept. II.
A private letter from the Eleventh
Ohio District says that Representa-
tive Vanceis claiming that his cousin,
Joseph Aleshire. to whom he paid
$100 for services as an expert on
printing" was really paid as an ex-
pert in bookkeeping. Unfortunately
for this excuse, it is not borne out by
Mr.. Vance's own report, or by the
speech of his colleague, Mr.. Single
ton, who signed it with him. The ex-
pert in bookkeeping actually en-
ployed was Mr.. Charles E. Behle.
The report upon the public printing,
submitted to the House by Mr.. Vance,
on May 18th, thus states this fact:
"That these accounts might be sub
mitted to the only test which it was pos
sible to apply, the Committee employed
skillful accountant (Mr. Behle) to
make examinations of the statements
contained in the annual reports as COM
pared with the facts as they appear upon
the books of the United States Treasury.
The result is set forth in his testimony
and clearly shows that in every instance
the reports upon the points in question
are incorrect"
The above appears over the sigma
ture of Messrs. Vance and Singleton.
In the speech Of the latter upon the
report he refers three times to this ex-
pert in bookkeeping, and neither he
nor Mr.. Vance once refers to expert
Aleshire, either in the report or their
speeches. Mr.. Singleton said:
sThe last witness who testified in re-
lation to the bookkeeping is Charles
Z. Behle, an expert, who spent many
days in his efforts to find some key
which would unlock the door and re-
| veal the arcana of our Government
Printing Office"
Hear what Mr.. Behle says:
"John Larcombe again appears, and
admits that there is in his hands, rs fl
nancial clerk, or ought to be, SOC, 1892 O7,
exclusive of 81, $50 80 accumulated since
10Th November, 1875, thus cOrroborating
the statement of c. Z. Behle, an expert,
who examined the books, and testified
i'm relation to them"
sI now read from the testimony of c.
E. Behle, a very skillful accountant,
who, before another committee of this
House, demonstrated his thorough abil-
lily to sift and digest the most compli-
Gated system of bookkeeping, and who
spent days in trying to comprehend the
affairs of this Office"
Mr.. Aleshire was not examined as
a witness and if he had any knowl-
edge, either of printing or book
keeping, it could only appear in the
record through such an examination
under oath.
The same letter states that Mr..
Vance is claiming that his Committee
discovered frauds amounting to half
million dollars a year, in the public
printing. The claim he made in his
report to the House, was quite differ
ent from this, being only an express
sion of an opinion that private par-
ties could do the work half million
dollars cheaper. The words of the
report on this subject were these:
ain CONCLUSION, your committee, after
full consideration of the subject of pub
lie printing, are of the opinion that, as
now executed at the Government office,
this work is costing half million dol
lars annually more than it wOuld cost if
done by responsible private parties un-
der proper contract SYSTEM"
And this statement was made, not
from any reliable calculations, but
was based in turn upon the opinions
of private parties outside of Wash
ington who would have been glad to
contract with the Government, and
make up for low prices by inferior
work. 1t was also part of the gene
raj statement relied upon by Mr..
Vance to float his proposition, to give
the printing of the Congressional
record to private Washington firm.