New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-14

of . majority Of the committee appointed
to investigate the affairs of tho Beuf and
Crocodile Navigation Company:
To the Pubic:
Ny attention has been called to an
article in the New Orleans Democrat, of the
eleventh instant, entitled ''Ea Eighty Thou
sand Dollar Steal, and to an editorial of
the same date, headed "Another Grab"
The first article, which forms the text of
the second, publishes what purports to be
the ''report Of the select committee of the
House to investigate the affairs of the
Beuf and Crocodile Navigation Company"
signed by Messrs. r. L. Luckett, w. II.
Pipes and George A. Kelly. This document
in favor Of the company for $4,000, which
were negotiated at the rate of eighty-five
cents ON the dollar, and that the amount
was paid over to me; that the expenditures
of the company have not exceeded $500;
tn At from the statement made by Mr.. E.
CAN'T, and made part of the report, it will
be seen that Mr. CAN'T, the superintendent
of said company, places the total amount
of expenditures at $73, $50; that said state
every item of this statement, except the
first, is exorbitant and extravagant, and
many of them insulting to the intelligence
of the Legislature and that careful ex-
animation of the superintendent's state
ment will clearly show that the figures fur
nished are beyond all reason. and your COM
mittee is forced to the conclusion that these
so-called expenses constitute one of the
most deliberate frauds perpetrated in this
State"
Such is the substance of this pretended
report. 1t vas not made in the usual man
ner to the House. The journal will sho "
that during the last hours of the SESSION the
chairman reported by handing the dOcu.
ment to the Clerk, in whose possession it
remains. 1t was not received by the House,
was not orded to be cslendared, and re-
ceived no notice whatever from that body.
1t is, therefore, not the official report of
committee performing it's proper functions.
1t has no status among the parliamentary
other document placed in the possession of
the Clerk without the formal authority Of
the House. 1t embodiee the opinion only of
the three gentlemen who have signed it;
but it has no official character.
1t is published, however, IN the Democrat
a. an Off cial report, and for that reason
have thought proper to notice it. The
Democrat says: This report was handed in
on the last dav of the session, and in the
hurry of the occasion the House neglected
to order it to be printed, and it has thus
been excluded from the journals" This is
. mistake. 1t does not appear in the jour
nal because it was never properly before
the House. Had the proper opportunity
been offered, two out of the five MEM
bers would have made . minority re-
port, entirely exonorating the COM
connected with the proceedings of this
committee, that they never invited me to
be present at any of their meetings, nor to
make any explanation as to the grave
charges made against me and my associates
in the company until the day of the ad-
journment, or the day preceding, when the
clerk of the committee requested me to at
tend and testify. provided my testimony
would not cOrroborate the statement OF
Mr.. CAN'T, but that if it did, my attend
auce was not necessary. My reply to the
clerk was that he might inform the commit
tee that coDcurred entirely in the state
ment of Mr.. CAN'T as superintendent, but
although very busy in the Senate. would
appear vt any time before the committee,
on being notified. I heard nothing more
from the clerk or the committee on the sub
ject.
1t may not be improper also to state il
this connection tn At Senator William A
Robertson, who was material and import.
ant witness, did, at the request OF myself
aud others, express wish to be heard be.
fore the committee, but that he Was not
given the opportunity of doing so.
It NAV be further stated in reference to
the Dodus operandi of the committee, that
no demand was ever made by them fol
books, papers or vouchers. Nor did they
at any time express . desire to have any
produced. They had complete control OF
the testimony, and never intimated Q desirt
to have anything but written OF vefos
statements.
R~1H~ y
CAN'T, in detail, was received by the com
mittee with great reluctance. Although
authorized by them to make it, he found, a.
he informs me, some difficulty in getting Il
before them. 1t is . clear and detailed
abatement of the expenditures Of the com
pauv, and il susceptible of proof whenever
the evidence may be required before any
authorized tribunal.
Itfollows from what has been stated tha,
the majority of the committee gave mo ano
my associates but little opportunity for ex
laid on the Clerks desk at the last hour
must necessarily contain an ex parte and
illiberal exposition, to say the least OF It;
The company in question was originally
organized for the purpose OF estaoiisnlng a
permanent slackwater navigation IN tne
Bnuf and Crocodile. 1t was first lncorpo'
rated by notarial act at Opeloueas. Ihe
charter was subsequently ratified oy aca 90 OF
the Legislature. See acts of 1867, page 3I4
In the year 1870 the Legislature author
lied the issuance of bonds ir favor OF the
company for $4,000, payable in twenty
wears. at the expiration of which time the
COMPANY should refund to the State any
money paid upon said bonds. At the Isst
session Of the Legislature lace acts Of 1873,
Do. ITO and 11l) these bonds we're repu
dated by the State. and the Funding Board
hon,
state would seem, therefore, to have NO
nresant interest in the matter. But / am
not disposed in any manner to screen myself
behind this defence. The bonds have been
neootiated and the proceeds legitimstely
ernended in work done for the company,
"a has been shown to the House committee
and NAV be established in any court oi
competent jurisdiction.
Assuming the statement OF the committee
to be correct. that the bonds realized $67 I,
$50 in money, it has been shown that more
than this amount has oeen expended 1oi
work done BY the corporation. In the
ststement made by Mr.. CAN'T, superin
tendent. ia included the expenditures made
Nv Snnerintendept W. A. Robertson,
smountinp to $40, IT'S, which Senator Rob
ertson. as have previously intimated
was ready to verify before the committee
and which may be established by lega
proof. The expenditures made under Su'
perintendent CAN'T, which can also be es
tablished by legal evidence, amounted t.
1885. The two sums together make az
aggregate Of s735oo Thus the exPen
S;fnres Of the company have been consider
sblv in excess Of the proceeds of the bonds
The work done was Of permanent char
acter. A lock was nearly completed, whel
the work was arrested by two unprece
denied oyerfows in 1871, when swePt awa!
the ;mm, nae timbers intended for the com