National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-02-17
EXPERIENCES OF HE. NLlrG#N
the TESTIMONY OF The WITNESSES

1HE TESTIMONY OF The WITNESSES
The investigation into the affairs Of the DistIct
ofColumbia and the board of audit was resumed
yesterday morning by the House District Com
1ittee.
THE TIEST WITNESS
examined was Delaware HudnelI, who was inter-
rogsted by Chairman Buckner in regard to GER
tain papers laid before the committee concerning
work done by bin. The point Of the statement In
the papers was that he could not get his claim
settled until he placed his pspers in the hands of
T. &. Hewitt. A great deal Of time was consumed
in reading the statement of ApDell, a clerk under
the board OF audit, showing hVdnelrs accounts.
At the time the new government was established
j believed l had a claim against the Board Of
Public WORKS; believed it before: received q
certificate for S3,5lO; gave 1t 70 Mr.. Hewitt to
collect and
GAVE HIM FIFTY FER CENT.
10 collect it. My claim had been rejected, and
was glad &c get it collected. Met Hewitt at his
place of business one day. 1 said had a claim.
He said, If you have given your claim to any
body won't have anything TO do with IT." /
said had given the CHIN to Arthur Shepherd,
but had Lot Rivel him power Of attorney.
Hewitt had some way Of getting claims through;
don't know what: My claim had been standing
went into Nr Shepherds hands by the board of
audit. Shepherd didn't give me any excuse why
10 see about it dozen times, but when he didn't
make favorable report thought he was negli-
gent.
q. How did Hewitt know you had claim? A.
Only by asking me ii had one. said had.
q. Were you in debt to MIN? A think
owed him $50. He had my Noes. They were
lust as good as money.
THE NEWMAN AND MIDDLETON CLAIM.
q w StickHeV m a lest ate Iaa
and was connected with the Freednan's bank as
actuary; my duties were equivalent to a cashier.
The bank had n claim against Newman Mid
dleton for $4,000: the security was order
the Board OF Public Works and some securities
IoIrd of audit through J. q: Lay 20. set
tlsment on account OF the claims of the bank was
m de with the board Of audit: the bank received
81 200 for The claim.
q. Did you consider that payment fnal al
j1dtcation Of the claim? A: asked when re-
ceipted Tor the money: This does not bar me
from making an addi:i5oal claIm3' Mr. Wilcox
clerk o. the board of audit said, "Os, no, If you
hive good claim" an no; aware that any
o her allowances was made on account Of what
mas oHIpg Newman \ Middleton.
The chairman said he took Mr. Stickney' g tes-
+inony on this point 10 connect Il with soma sub.
sequent facts he expected to devalop.
Mr.. Buckner then read q voucher, showing
that Il. &. Hewitt, as the attorney Of Newman
Middleton, received on accoul It Of work done
by that firm (claim transferred to the Freedman's
bank the sum OF five thousand dollars and over.
Arthur sHErHERD As A WITNESS.
Arthur Shepherd, sworn: Had claim for Del
aware HudneLl it was for removing old material
and grading on Pennsylvania avenue; don't re-
member when the clam was presented; 1 think
II was presented by Mr.. Need in January, 1875;
turned It over TO me; had no power OF attorney
from him; presented the claim with o number or
others for old material; the next 1 saw of the
claim was in Mr.. Watson's room, Endorsed ''dis-
allowed" said to Watson: "Where did you get
these papers," He eaid: up in Appelps room"
/ said: Il am st!ry,r ard dismissed the
m IN rrn aEu pa, 4koE
1 heard that the claim was allowed; /
went to Hudnell, and he said he had sold it to
amount claimcd-oTer $4,000. After told Hud-
nell the claim was rejected he seemed to be salts
ted with It. Watson, the chief clerk OF the board
would not be allowed; don't know Why there was
4 reconsideration in the case. Watson said as a
reason for Getting the claim Of Hudnel that tho
old Board Of Public Works had allowed him all
that was due him. 1t was about two weeks after
the claim was rejected TO me that l heard it had
been reconsideTCd and allowed to Hewitt Hew-
lit was regarded as
AKITD or MIDDLE MAN.
- Middleton, sworn: Have had contracts un-
der the old Board Of Public Works to grade pave
curb, &c; had a contract on Tenth street south
west, from d street to Water street; had con-
tract on q street: completed it before the board
went out. employed in the first Instance Geo.
W. Stickney as my attorney; he never gave me
any satisfaction about he cillm. Next went to
see Bill Dickson; Re said: There's nothing due
you Next went TO Lay Co; that firm made
ing coming to you" Next was informed that.if
went into the board and
SAW Nm. JOHNSON
he would give me some Information: don't know
who told me TO 20 ana see him; would know him
II saw him: he was short, well built man. with
mustsche. went 10 johnson and gave him my
statement said l had been to three or four,
and they all sail there was nothing due me-
johnson took NY statement ard in three days
sent for me. lie sad: 'HOW much is coming to
you?" l said didn't Know, the board never
son said was, 'IioW much will you take for your
claim said, Il don't know what my claim is
worth" lie said u am authorized by another
party to give you 500 for your claim" lett and
went 10 see Newman. Newman said "Well, we
had better take that or get nothing" / went
back and johnson had curtailed the amount from
$500 20 $50. took the $50, although was sat
ished there was $4,000 coming to me. l said to
JOhnson: II do this under protest, because do
not want my children to starYs'
q. Who paid you the money, johnson or HeU-
lit: a. dent know; they were both
IL CAHooTs.
l think Hewitt paid nc. Twas so glad to get the
two or three dollars that i would have signed
anything: all know is, never got dollar ont
what Stickney got, and don't know what he
got. When Stickney got the money ! was In
debt to laDorers on two pay.rolls-one for $500
payroll, but never paid the other Of 81, co., At
the time l signed the power Of attorney to Hewitt
my work had been completed eighteen months.
All the money ever got for any work did was
the SijO, the certificate for.which Bill Dickson
cashed Tor me. l Know that am out FIVE or SIX
three hundred and some dollars.
q. How much was the discount: A. Oh, he dis
counted me enough TO damn me.
THE OTHER PARTNER TEsTIFIEs
Geo. H. Newman, sworn: Was a partner with
Mr.. Middleton as q contractor under the Board OF
Public Works. The testimony Of the witness was
mainly cOrroboratiTe Of that Of the previous wit
mess. He testified: About three months ago, after
running eighteen months for the claim, Middle
ton came to me and caid, 1--WE can get $500 for our
claim l said, Take 4; take anything you
get" The next thing knew of the claim was
when was called upon to sign the power Of at
torney.
q. What parties were present when you signed
money at that time was the object with me- and
not the man; the money which was coming to our
hrm honestly belonged TO the Freedman's bank:
all my partner or myself got for our work
was Sla6-fOr a balance that we claimed due Of
between 5000 and $4,000.
ANOTHER CoNTEAcroRs EXPERIENCE.
IL. J. Mclaughlin SWORD: Am contractor: at
the time the old Board OF Public Works went out
of existence had claim Tor hauling earth into
the canal, and for removing old material from IL
street, put my claim in myself 10 the Board Of
Public Works for IS 80; no allowance was made
me by the old board: when the board oil audit
came in gave It to Mr. Stone for collection; he
didn't succeed well with it; enc day Stone said,
viii you sell your claim" l said, what will
you give for it, He said be would give me 500
Tor my claim for hauling earth: sold il for 500;
the claim for old material collected myself; 1t
was reduced from $l,4Os TO 500.
y. W nat WIS IeaIlLSu Oh tHe Claim you SOLD Tor
500? A. Nineteen hundred dolIars 1t was col.
lected BY Shekells Stone; they were claim
q. Was Stone az any time a clerk of the board
Of audit? a. l think he was
q. How long alter you sold the claim for $500
before you discovered it was allowed for Il glOs
A. Well, in a good deal less than q month: prior
70 that time the claim had been pending year
more, '-
q. What indaced you to make reduction of
l,4Oo on your claim, Whcn you never applied for
II: a; W ben SOLD u ! REGARDED the claim as
somewhat dSu Suui, becau3sI WASN'T posted in re-
z. DID you al any time employ Arthur Shsp.
herd TO collect the claim? a. did but don't
think be made much effort to collect it. He fold
me he couldn't get il, apd he was SO slow that /
Thought he wasn't trying to get It. When / with.
drew TIE papers from BIN vsno recollection
Of telling Shepherd that 1 withdrew the same
because was N king IN application for new
work under the CppnissiQnsTs, and thought 70
press the matter would interfere with my appli.
cation for work. Comptroller Taylor said that
when the board of audit Organized 4. considered
all claims as presented which were at the same
time pending.
At f2:3O O'Clock the committee adjourned unit.
'75'slOck 10 day