The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-11-04
CAPITOL BUILDERS BRIDES.
IRON STOCK DIsrRTBUTED no LEGfS-
LATORS AND CONTRA CTORs.
subscriptions for Entertaining Members OF
the Assembly Amer they had h-rn Elected
TO support Certain Appropriations.

subscriptions for Intcrtnining Members OF
the Assembly tn-r they had b-rn Elected
TO support Certain Appropriations.
Tho session u the Adormcn's ln,cstigat-
ine Commttoe yesterday. was more largely at
tended than either Il thoac preceding since tue
Boss was on the witness stand. A basclcss ru-
NOR had hc,u set anoat that cX-AIayor Hall
would demand to be heard ia denial Of the aver
mon, by Tweed OF his active completely in the
Ring frauds. This attracted numbers.
samuel j. Davenport testified thnt he was
contractor for las ing Scrimshaw at the new Cap
itol when Hamilton Harris was Chairman Of the
commission for erecting the Capitol. and got
$3.50 por yard for it. There was an understand
ing. he supposed. that he should contribute
something toward running expenses. but he
did not know what those running expenses
were for. what he should evc toward them. OF
who was to receive the money, and he could not
remember that he had ever paid anything. At
all events. no stipulated commission or percent
age was ever required from him. Some time
after his work was done. Mr. John Bridgeford
requested him TO buy some iron stock. which
he did. paying for it ono hundred cents on the
dollar. although the stock ut that time had no
market value. He believed that he paid about
81 0OU for it, but could not say exactly. He
thought the stock was still in his possession.
but did not know that it had ever achieved any
market value. Revcrtng to the money he sup
posed himself expected to contribute for run
ming expenses. surprising they were for enter
tanning the Legislature. and he had never
thcl .,ht whether that was proper use Of money
raised from contractors and others or not.
The stock. he thought was Lake Champlain
and the Corning Iron Ore. He did not know
that Senator Harris had any part in those COM
panies. or that he mad taken commissions from
John L. Randall testified that he was the per-
son who had. at Bridgeford's request. sold to
Davenport the stock mentioned 10y him. II was
IS shares of the Champlaiu Shore and Noun
tam. AMI i5oitheCorring Iron Ore ComDhny.ior
which Mr. Dayenpon paid him. in cash. $500.
Relating the details 81 the transaction. h" said
- On the 22d day ot january. 1872. Mr.. Bridge
ford called NJ my house and said TO me that
Mr.; Davenport wanted Ia buy some stock. and !
had better let him have II and Mr.. Bridgeiord
said to me that the money that Davenport would
Ray %s va p h%2 6hn
do H.: wouldn't do such dirty work for any
one Well said he. I've got TO do il. John.
says |. then I'd got out agreed to let Davcn-
port have II when he called Tor it, On the next
day Mr.. Davenport called at my house and said.
Have you any iron ore stock tina, you want to
sellY SAID |, Yes how much Dc, you want ?
want said he, $500 worth. don't want
10 take II to-day. but I'll pay YOU Il part Of the
money now. and when pay you the balance
III take the stock SO he laid down on my desk
$500. and gave him u receipt, which ! have
ne and gave me $1,000 more. and got the stock.
then gave him receipt on the back OF the
other receipt. After had drawn this recei Ut
and delivered the stock. said to Mr.. Daven-
port. lnasmucn rs have delivered the stock
~ you. this receipt is OF no use To YOU. and Id
IKE 10 Keep II rs memorandum; and that's
the way II coinrs in my possession
Q.IWhat did you DO with the money you got
for that stock; Al took the money over TO
the Capitol grounds. and went in Bridgeford ;
Office: he was then superintendent: laid the
package OF money containing the $500 on his
table. As went out Brdgeford walked in and
took the money. did the same with the $1,000.
In the cross examination. conducted by Al
derman Cowing, the witness said that the stock
that he had sold belonged TO him. and he dis
posed OF itin the manner related under an un;
derstanding that he was 10 have equal
amount OF like stock returned 20 him by Mr..
Brdgeford.
He testified that during the tendency Of the in
vestigation into Capitol affairs 10y the Fnnnce
Committee Of the Senate he had heard Mr. John
Bridgeiord charge that both Senator Harris
and himself tRicel had received percentages
aud, COMMISSIONS, from contractors, Mr..
BridRefOrd had made that charge against them
At the time. 10 their faces. in presence Of Com
missioner De Wolf. who was very indignant.
but witness could not remember that Mr.. De
BridgefoId and Rice should be in state
prison. The charges Were not denied by Nj
was subsequent 10 that that Harris and himself
gave the letter Of RECOMMENDATION To Mr..
Br.dgeford. Witness denied knowingly re-
eeiving any commissions or PERCENTAGES from
contractors. hut admitted that he had received
from Mr., Bridgeiord sl.5UO. which he supposed
was a voluntary contribution 10 the fund raised
10y subscri ption among citizens. already men
toned by senator Harris IN his testimony be-
fore the committee. Where that money really
came from h. did not inquire. The resiGna-
lions Of Mr. Harris aud himself We're sent in
thu witness remembered, during the tendency
:! -" Investigation IN S1j. hut not until after
the testln.cus WAS riy complete. He had
wished to rtslLG ."tpr,-. IN Tact for years pre-
yiously. and could no say thni the step was due
10 the pressure ~ :. public feeling that he and
hr. Harris had better resign. or their con.
tinued connection with the commission would
affect leg ,latVc appropriations. Personal
questions. h. said. were not entered into by The
legislative committee. A. for the money spent
shat from the $4,000 fund already mentioned
by Senator Harris and the 81 500 he had him
self received from Bridgrtord-and which he
did not know whether Harris included ia the
sl5,uVg-he could not say how II went. but Il
good deal no doubt went in politics. trying &
elect mcmh-re otthe Legislature who wOu.d b.
favorable 10 giving good appropriations 10 the
Commissioners to spend Oh the Capitol.
The committee adjourned to Nov. H.