Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-03-07
THE DIsTRicT INVESTIGATION.
TLsTIMONY TO-DAY.

the Dis trict to-day.
HOW BECKEr AND M'LAUGHLIN TALKED
THE TESTIMONY OVER, VERY MUCH TO
BECKET's ADVANTAGE.
William Beckett recalled:-First saw Nc
Laughlin on AZ street, after Christmas; had
one or two conversations with his about the
and gave him a power Of attorney; he came
TO my office after i gave him the sffidavit
What was done at your houseP
A. well, ne brought me bill of items At
my house; de didn't say where he got them,
i think he read the items over to me; Z
showed him some communications had
lot commit anything to writing when he
made an examination Of my papers; never
had any conversation with members or
clerk of the District government before got
the claim from Mclaughlin.
q. Has Mclaughlin paid you or Williams
SoGt know y %hetner Se h 6ss bald Will
ltams anything. He paid me 81 900 before
testified. In all he paid me about 81, 200.
Beckett you are summoned again. 1 can't
remember what he said. We talked the mat
ter over in general way. He said see you
good statement, and that IL was right.
@ Did he tell you what he testified to?
A: saw what he testified to in { re paper:
He went over some of the testimony he had
given, but can't remember what he said
When i testified before / had no idea any
money was coming to me.
EXPERT MORRIS ON THE STAND.
John Morris was sworn, and an account
was shown him, which he said In his judg-
ment could not have been made up except
from information ObIaided inside the Dis
trict government office, inasmuch az ii had
the folio of the book on its face wherein IL
was matter of record.
The witness then read the following state
ment, showing
THE ACCOUNTS OF LEWIS 6 CO., THOMAS
LEWIS AND r. G: HEWITT:
April Is, 1873. Grading Vermont avenue
The two feet OF grading required by the
terms of the contract fs charged at 40c.
yard, and deducted at SOC. yard, as fol-
lows:
1855 yards, at 4Oc.................... %
fyoOo - at3Uc....... 1,jUI 40
Overpaid. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1888 so
In this voucher the total amount allowed
according TO statement made and signed by
Il. Oertley, under date Of March "a. 1875, is
s9,0i6s5, while accompanying the same
paper is report of Lieut.. Hoxie. under date
January Is, 1875, apparently based on a let
ter OF Mr.. Oertley dated January u, 1875, In
which it is represented that the claim is for
"grading deducted from concrete pavements
as being required under the terms of the con-
tract" In still another paper, without date,
signed by b. Oertley, assistant engineer,
that officer reports the claim "ought to be
disallowed," as 'the grading done was no
more than was required and considered re-
quired at the time" Settlement for this
work was made by the board of public
works August 3, 1872, and payment allowed
for $3.50 yards of grading.
Grading 4th street nOrthwest.-The entire
amount, being the two feet called for by the
contract, is charged at 40 cents a yard and
deducted at so cents yard, as follows:
9,5Z1 80 yards, at 40 cents IS $40 %
$50 80 yards, at 80 cents. 2,S5S 10
Overpaid ..... NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 1852 80
Total amount OF grading and haul allowed
on the street Is 50. .12-On paper without
date, signed b. OerIley, Assistant Engineer,
although the claim is referred to adversely
in letter of Engineer Hoxie, OF January Is,
hi
by board OF public works In 1872 and settled
for January p, 1873. In their measurement
no grading was allowed.
Same vOucher.-This is the two feet called
for by contract, and Is allowed by paper
signed B. Ortley, Assistant Engineer, already
referred to, and upon which the total amount
OF grading and haul (at cents) allowed, is
Sl3 1882, but paid by board of audit S13 ,443 f6
while ii is stated in his letter of January 12
1875, that the claim was submitted to the
late board of pubic works at sundry times
and disallowed." The work on 9th street.
from Pennsylvania avenue to NJ street, was
settled for by the board of public works jan
uary %, 1873, less retainer of SIS, S6is2, paid
December 6, 1873, and on 9th street from NJ TO
Z, January Is, 1874, which limits comprise
the entire line upon which the above grading
has been allowed.
Raising and retopping 1892 yards of con-
crete on railroad track and two feet outside
thereof, made necessary by the condi Il IN of
the track, il not having been finished when
pavement was laid, at S1.75, S14, 563 80; 959
square yards pavements rel id at intersec-
tAOA VI tIIcCts az 10 ~, cOsUOo OF, fSt square
yards patching pavement, at 50, sS4S. These
last three items are referred to in letters of
Mr.. Oertley TO Lieutenant Hoxie, of January
II, 1875, and Lieutenant Hoxie to the board
OF audit January 10, 1875, as having been
submitted to the late board of pubic works
several times and disallowed." They are
without date, already referred TO, based upon
a sworn copy Of certificate of III. A. Duprey,
general superintendent Attn district, dated
October Is, 1873. AS already stated, the final
payment on 9th street was not made until
December 6, 1873, upon report of Inspector
Wallace dated November n, 1873, that "the
street from Pennsylvania avenue TO M has
been repaired, and the street from Pennsyl-
vania avenue TO p street appears to be in
VOUCHER II 647-Thos. Lewis & Cor. G.
Hewett, paid July 2, 1875. Repairs to asphalt
pavement on 4th street, allowed, S2,129.23.
board OF audit TO the Commissioners Deem
Der n, 1874, and by them to the engineer on
the same date. The engineer returned 1t to
the board OF audit January 25, 1875, with the
report There is no foundation for this
claim. All repairs ordered were TO cover de-
yeetIre ,9ork, and still more repairs are need
ed" Mr.. Oertley made statement bearing
10 date allowing S7Oi. 1t was finally allowed
by the board of audit on the affidavit of the
claimants.
VOUCHER IA, 650-Thos. Lewis & Cor G..
Hewett, paid July 2, 1875, 233el cubic yards
OF earth deposited in the canal during 1873,
as per affidavit filed with voucher, 50 ,49515.
This claim has no foundation whatever, as
during 1873 the increased price of haul was
paid IL also appears mat their entire street
work was measured up by the engineer B.
p. W. before the close of the year 1872, with
the exception of 9th street from NJ to Boun-
dairy. In an affidavit filed with voucher
Il, 2O3 TO they declare that of the earth exca-
waited from 9th street, between r and Boun-
dairy, fully two thirds was taken to o and
Sd streets, and the remainder was used to
NIL up the ditch OF the Rstreet sewer. This
would leave the 23.301 yards allowed and
paid for, to come from the three squares be-
tween NJ and streets.
Extra work in laying S,9G2 yards OF con-
crete between the railroad tracks on 9th st.
between Pennsylvania avenue and street,
at 60 CTS, sc, 1S37S. This is an allowance
outside OF the contract, and is over and above
the 1920 per yard called for by that instru-
ment- II Is based on paper signed by Il.
Oertly, assistant engineer, dated June i7th
1875, a copy of which is filed with this vouch-
er, and the original with voucher 1i,62S 1t
is one OF the items referred to in 1t. hoxle's
letter of January 18th, 1873, as having been
submitted TO the late board of public works
several times and disallOwed." Lewis & Co.
claimed In their Dill so cents a yard.