The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-13
DISTRICT RING ROBBERS.
THE METHOD ny WHTCH THE DEBT
ms BEEN SUELLED.


Fnveritc aud Swellch from Eight Hum
drcd to over Eight Thousand Dollars,
WAsnfHGToN, Feb. 12.-Thc third inycs-
tigation Of the District Ring hogan TO- day most
auspiciolslv. The testimony elected showed
the method 10y which the District ia ebte1ncss
has becu swclcd 50 enormously. A pour con
tractor who Lad no particular Influence had
cluiin which he had tri d 10 have settled, but
always signally failed. It was a small item. only
eight hundred OF a thousand dollars, and
richer and more inucntih contractor Offering
him ono thousand dolhrs for his claim hc ac-
cepted. The purchaser, who IL now running a
so-cacd Democratic newspaper here, actually
collected, through the friendly Assistance ne re-
ceived 'front.' the Board Of Audit, $50 on a claim
which the original contractor only placed at $500
or 5000 The story is told In detail IN the tcst.-
mony which follows After reading II the public
will ce Sc to wonder how the Indebtedness Of this
District has been liner ased six or seven millions
Outing the past two years. The revelations
which viii be made Of the Rings operations,
under the District Commissioners and the
Board of Audit, Will surpass those made two
years ago concerning the Board Of Public
Works. The committee has made a good start.
and 1t Is TO bc hoped thnt II viii pursue the sub
jcct with unnagging Ne and relentless purpO'e.
a CONTRACTORS STONY.
Morris Murphy, a contractor, was the first wit
u"aA tN liuintd los the District tUuulittee fn-
day lie testified that tie had been n contractor
ia Washington Tor reten or eight years, and that
when tuc old Govcrnment was abolished he Lad
clain AGAINST the Board OF Public Works for
work done, which he put into the hands of Lpy
n 60. Of tnis cts Tor sett ement. giving IN m
power ~ attorney To collect whatever WAS due
him. some time atterward Liy * Co. hau4 cd
him a certificate for sl,JOi1. witch he under
STOOD to be payment in iuli Of what was due him.
excepting an extra ailuN tncN that he claimed
for hauling dirt. lie hnd applied to tho
AUDITORS uihcs for TINS. but VIZ. tpld that the
Hat Bi hg ttt d. I'm Ina ~ IN D. -
being allowed only for work done after cert In
time, and accordingly he had ce'scd to make
despaired of getting It ~ all. About the 2l,h 81
September last lie met Mr II. c. Hewitt
there was not something duo man from
that be claimed this extra allowance Tor maui
eight hund ed to twelve hundred dollars he
could hot tell tho ex CT amount. sir. II witt
ply said tnerc was not as Lay & Co. mad settled
up his accounts Mr.. Hewitt then saii he would
buy the claim, end offered eight Hundred dol,
lars IN District bonds for It. Mr.. Murphy had
not time then to give definite answer,
September, the latter renewed his offer, increas
| care much whether he sold II or not whercupon
| Hewitt told him If he did not sell II, or give
| him uiewItO "a power Of attorney to collect Il
at once, II was very doubtful whether he would
| ever get II at all. Murphy accordingly agreed TO
accept the offer, but remarked To Hewitt that
| he thought he was buying doubtful claim
| office who would throw the papers IN his lap
! and give him eVcrs facility tor looking up the
Claim aud getting II through. AccordingN the
! arrangement WA- coft-uulmated, MurpIy giving
Hewitt power Of attorney to collect every.
tning due linn for work done under the board
| Of Puthc Works and Hewitt giving him al
| order Tor the bonds.
WHAT MURPHY DISCOVERED.
| Murphy has been working under the present
District Govetnmeat' AMI IN settling ~ hi, &C
| counts he found charge oi Sl.s0 afhnst h -,
| brought down from the oil pJnrd's cooks,
which he could not underst an !, ~ he supposed
| that his old accounts were 1nilly settled, cxccpt
the disputed item When he disc lvered tois
un ccolntahle charge, he set about inyCsu-
eating u. lie discover q that Hewitt mai COL
| murphy cllimcd, AMI that the dirt haul
i1c item was not even included in the
| t5,2O lie also discovered that imm ediately on
| iecelyinV the mower Of attorney Hewitt had
nlsd a bill wi 70 he board OF Audit for the
amount II The aim. Mur, by denied that hc
bad ever made Il any such bill for Hewitt, or
the eighteeu-nu.drea-d liar charge wac that n
paving Hewitt tns aDdiang officers claimed "a
certain accoInt twice by mistake. and
on discovering It tney had charged II
up against hi4 new work. Murphy deter
mined to sitt the thin. To the bottom, aud
hc Ito OeTtly, tue .A.rl-taut Engineer. claim
ins thai he had done Wofe cough to cover All
the money he hsd reea'Nri' and ASSN. TT a re
me. surrnent Of his work. Oertly hhu the re
medsuremett made, ana - ''oNcrei that' IN the
| interval between tar lAst lneasurehent undei
the former Distr. q ~, runcnt am the FIRST
measurement under tue present government
Murphy had done "oik ~hicn ma Dsen over
| locke amounting 10 some tl.CO and this bal
ancs was applied IN plymeLt VI the tl,eVJ charge
Mur. by foand further change OF SSi5.fj
whicn, It wa claimed. had been ovcrpaid &
| Hewitt on hurlhN's account, which amount
Hewitt refuu.ed " him in bonds. This WAS al
that Hewitt had ever refunded to HIM, or tC
ANYBODY, to hmihys know ledge. lie mad no
asked Hewitt tor any portion 4 the balance o
the $500, be alse IL was not due him, and Il,
regarded the whole operation % fraud llent.
Inc cOmmi';ee vial coLthue tue inVestiga
| tiou an Monday