National Republican., 1876-02-26
THE INvEsrIeATIoN.
Yesterdays Proceedings = More Testimony
Takeu,

The House Committee on the District yesterday
resumed their inquiry into the affairs Of the board
Of audit and the District government, the fret
witness being Mr.. Watson, secretary Of the board
of audit.
NE. wArsoNs TESTIMONY.
w. Watson, secretary to the board Of audit,
was called. He testified that he had bsen score.
as follows: Mr.. Chapman had q claim for about
$500 II had been presckted; there was .consid-
cradle dculty about 1t; IL was sent 20 the audit
ing department. thence transferred TO the District
engineer, and by him returned to the auditing
BY a statement which was to be laid before the
board: Chapman was almost a daily visitor at
the Office. One day he came and asked me about
fixed before Monday he would be a ruined man,
and would never see him again, as he could not
bear to survive the disgrace Of failure to meet sis
Iswlng he came in again. In the meantime te
link who came to me and asked me about the
claim, wanting to know whether anything was
done about it. told him there was not.
J EANLINK IN THE SCENE.
KsmIInk asked me whether It would be safe to
buy the claim. told him dId not wish 10 be
interrogated about the matter in that way. Chap
man again came to me and told me about Ham
links offer to get the claim through for 81 400.
asked him how much he would have TO pay Lay
& Co. He said twe6ty per cent. 1 said then, ..lf
yOupay Hanlnk q ~; 4oO, or pay Lay twenty pei;
This Ia where Chapman must have misunderstood
me. He then said, ~ would rather you would
friend friend TO- 70 me-" i told him he mIst not speak to
me in that way. Chapman was in frame OF
mind sS that time hardly 1T for the transaction Of
business. am utterly poweriesG in my position
as secretary to aid any body In the way chapman
iptimated, Tor have nothing to do with the ac-
counting or auditing Of claims. All do is to re-
Ter the different concentrations as they come to
the divisions where they belong. E2mlink is an
insurance agent; he had no regular business as Q
claim agent, but had bought an order Tor some
money due some contractors. do no. rscollect
whether Chapman came to me on the same day
Hamlink had been there to see me not. never
said anything to Chapman shout Hamlink having
peculiar facilities for getting claims passed. 1
did not advise him to employ Hsmlpk. j never
said TO Chapman that ii be gave the matter to
Hamlink the fee would not all stick his fingers.
QUESTIONS BY XR. TAYLEr.
By Mr.. TsyIer: State what said to Mr.. Chap
man in regard TO his claim being held up. A.
Ysu said that 1t was held up by your direction.
Since 1876 or iSI7.
Witness stated that he called for an Investiga-
tion into the Chapman matter IS soon as the stf.
davit had been read to him, which was the first
Witnsss then expisined the mode of transact
ing business in the auditors otice. He further
testified that Chapman's affidavit did not preju.
dice his claim. On the contrary, he had the sym
psthy Of the whole ONCE on account Of mis- fnan-
cial embarrasments.
DIR. EEoADHEAD's LETTER.
The following letter from DR.. Broadhead was
then read:
July H.
HoS. r. W. TAYLEI-Decr TGyler: l have
carefully read every paper in Chspman's case
Something is certainly equitably due him. and II
you can hnd that the law will sanction an allow.
ance, will take my part OF the responsibility.
HIS wife was TO see me to-day in tears and half
distracted, as her house is TO be sold the 10th
instant. She has nine children under fourteen.
would not let her go to you, but preferred Mr..
Watson should see you. j. ID. b.
rrCKET Ann wIrIrANs, ,CrorSrs
Thomas H. Williams, colored, sworn An of
tracts under the Board of Public of Works; my
firm did WORK for the board from its organic alton
up TO lSIl or 80; at the time the board went out
OF power We had settled up with the old board as
q firm; had a claim In equity against the board,
because they paid lLe in certificates and not in
money; l don't know Of any allowance that has
been made our firm since; gave power Of attor-
George W. Stickney, ac;uary Of the Freedmau's
bank: all he collected was from the old Board
Of Public WerKs, and nothing from the board Of
ar dit.
power OF attorney was read, signed by Beckett
to II. J. Mclaughlin, to collect money due the
firm OF Beckett x Williams; also, q receipt for
money received from the board by Mclaughlin
Williams.
Witness recognized the signature of Beckett to
the power Of attorney, but said he did not know
anything about the paper, however.
Witness Continued: The reading of the paper
this morning is the first knowledge have Of any
power OF attorney having been given to McLaugh-
lin by Beckett on account Of our trm. Beckett,
think, has all the books Of the old firm.
At 1I:20 o'clock the committee adjourned until
Monday at 10 q. m.