The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-21
TWEED AND THE CAPITOL.
MS PROEITLiSS INTEREST ~ 7HE
UtLLOULLL SIONE CURRY.
The Ruiidinu Comintssion's I'crcrntngcs-One
who D,in', ni,ide with the Foe f,id-
don MLtness- W nIling Tor Mnre Questlnns.

den Mu..ss- waiting toe Nore uuesi,on..
The Aldcrmen's chamber was filled with
spectators yesterday morning. William Vi.
Tweed. accompanied by his rrtinue. Cen.
Tweed. Major Quincy. Mr.. Townsend. Dir.
Tlslstcin. and several others. did not arrive
until nearly half past eleven. when Major
Julnry formally upulOgiz I'd 10 the committee
for the DELAY. on the ground OF unavoidable
detention. THE SUS's announcement yestcr-
day Of a purpose 10 substitute other witnesses
for Tweed. prepared the auditors for thc intro
ductory overture Of MIR. Cole. who said.
II had intended to proceed with the examine
tion OF Mr.. Tantor an expert. who WIS en-
poyed by Comptroller Green. during his term
vi Office. to work up the evidence in these Ring
matters. But Mr.. Taintor was taken unwell on
Friday. and went home. yesterday morning. to
10 back ut noon on Monday. AZ the regular
course that have markrd ont in my. 'NMminn-
ton rAuuir,'s TINT ut THIS sting" Mr.. Taintor
should be pu, on the stand. would snssest to
/ expect 10 hnv, Mr.. TuntOr present"
A brief conversation, among the members 81
the committed ensurd. upon the liking OF the
time for the next ssion. Alderman Lewis then
said: Mr.. Tweed. ] should like to ask you one
2r two questions regarding TIE building OF the
Capitol nj Albany in Which the city of New
York has halt interest You ara oon,ersant
with the fn.ts concerning its erection. ara you
not Al am. sir.
quarry nj TINT timer A.--ies air.
o. Well, will YOU statrthe car umstanccs con-
ne,ted with the erection Of the Capitol in which
your interest in that quarry was concerned, II
any cxstcdY A.-That was connected with the
whole matter The facts nrc that the original
commission Tor the erection Ofthe Capitol huld-
Ing consisted of three. They wrr- superseded
By Il comm ssiun OF eight. They had gentlr-
man named Latham. vino was making all sorts
VI charges against th"fn und they decided TO
get rid Of him. There was only one way Of do
ing that. aud thnt was oy Introducing new bili
for the formation Of new commission. had
been brought IN connection some time before
with gentleman. Mr.. Hamilton Harris. who
was one OF the members OF the commission and
ne called ~ my, room several times; prtsum-
lng | had iniu"ne with the Committee
ON Ways and Means. before whom tho
Supply bill was, AMI cousu,iv | Nv II me on the
proposed measure. We r. solved TO- uut into the
Supply bill "A new commission Tor six members
three Democrats aud three Republicans they
were TO be. and he WIS TO have the naming OF
them-and 70 give them m appropriation Of
SG5JOOO. That was done. had I'm understand
ing with Mr.. Harr that he WIS t. control that
commission that IS. he WAS Ia name them. and
tie stone for the building WAS to come from the
Hallow-ll Stone Quarry Company. UP in Maine.
In which Mr. John X. Briggs formerly Super
VISOR of NV York. was Interested. They gave
me s20O.OcO OF their stp X. Harris was also 10
get IA percentage from the contractors and divide
With me. but never got dollar from him.
When my troubles commenced | handed back
the sto,k. us found | could be of no use to
rs the Bodwell Company. or New York Stone
Quarry Company. as II is otherwise known
tue one that supplied the stone for the East
Odd Mr.. Harris hold any office at the time
% MS making that agreement with you A.
He was one Of the Commissioners for the cree
Odd he mold an Interest in that stone
quarry company to which the contract for the
he did. though never knew anything about the
workings OF the quarry company. / got the
s'Sck lyom MI Mr. yohn r. Briggs: sa,.,o ,.o,
time A.-NO. sir.
.Q-And he held no other Office under the
STATE that you are aware OF than a. one " the
commission : Ale had no elective ONCE. He
was appointed us one Of the Commissioners
that was ull
q (Br Alderman Cowingl-Have you any per-
sonal knowledge Of his having b.en guilty Of
any frauds Al Understood afterward that
lie received percentages and commissions from
contractors and from this quarry. hut have no
personal knowledge concerning the matter.
understood that al the time.
N-That was merely hearsay was II not ? A.
--hearsay from II party who said he handed
him the money from parti'%
y. BY Alderman Lewisl-Dld you say you
made an arrangemeni with him by which you
were e, be Paid Al did.
Q.-Was that arrangement made personally
with you A.-Personally. in my room in the
Ole held no or =. at that time A.-No
eiectiy. oner. merelS an appolntnent.
Ole WIS one Of the Commissioners A
les. sir. and was in the new cUmmi-s on. also.
=; by NJ ca w th regard e this heersay
evidence. Mr.. Tweed, tLnt YOU have spoken Oh
est in the querryY "A gentleman who WIS
present when made the original arrangemenl
with Mr.. Harris.
Q.-Who was that2 Al decline giving his
name ~ present
Q.-ls he available as witness Ale Is. sir
Q.-CHn YOU point out b the committee where
he is and who he is Al can and will sir.
Dwell. is 1t your Judgment that he will
obey q summons 10 come he re 10 testliyy Al
an sat SIZED he would
Q.-Thyn. thai being the case. upon what
ground do you base your refusal2 A.-Thal
u l4siss. l4In
been used to obtain tho Information from thos,
parties Ia u manner 10 NV detrim-nt- | am
Wiling e. give the committee the name pri-
'aisy M the proper time.
O. When do YOU consider il will be the proper
tine AMY time when there Is private
inset NJ OF the committee aud can give Il v tn.
out II being immediately published. | thin nix /,
would be more conducive 70 the good results oi
tle examihatlon TO give IT privately than to hav,
Nnrrtld"I ~ over the rOuntry.
Mr.. CO'-If there sunybo1y who knows these
ia,ts n should b. subIHnned ut once.
y lBy Al lerIan Cowlngl-iou never received
aiy money on those comini7siNn5f A.-No. sir
V-And YOU ar not personally aware that any
one . - received anyf A.-No. sir: not of ml
Ad-ru,an L.w sit has been suggested thai
T0a nend IN, pa'ne 10 me counsel!
Mr. Twe"i-l Will do 50.
Mr. Cn'c-tOr tnr purpose OF subppnaing him
Nr Twted-l will do so before leave or
eve NJ pencil and paper and VIII do SC
Ihr pencil and paper ware handed to Mr.
Townsend. who very carefully wrote down II
surl lnunner MS to AVOID It's icing read by any
pystandrr. name which Mr.. Tweed whisp"re,
IN ms ear, and the piper WIS then carefully
lold-i and handed to Mr.. Cole. who cautious
Wrust II intO his trousers po kri
Alderman Cow4n- You are hct-. Nj. Tweed
70 state all You know about the RIM transHc
uons VIII you picus" intimate 10 the commit
zee. as you have a hett.r knowledgr Of the met,
tian We cln possibly hHN,. what other muttrr,
connected with that subIert you can give Us AM
iufturr Information uDOnf A.-Ihat can hes
De developed " ASKING me questions abou
them
Q.-Have you any other information in regar,
70 tne ring frauds than what you have alread,
Felhtedf Al nave no recollection NJ presrn
o. any o:ner. rnn b, Il remember things h
having them called to my mind by questions
. me have be- br'Or,. this COMMITTEES, IN
Brookly bridge and other matters which hnt
passed from my mind Mt the time OF my com
Munlcatlpn t. the Attorney Grnrral. have thu
Deem Recalled 10 my rccOile ton. | cannot carr
all these matters ia my head and bring then
out without my mind Is led to them.
Q.-And you do not tnlnk ~ anything I'm con
ntcton with the frauds on the city. further thai
You have been lni"rtugated On Al do ~
now think OF anything.
The committee then adjourned until MedneS
day next.
Mr.. Harris Puts la ~ Strong Denial.
ALBANY, o I. 2).-Concerning Mr.. Tweed
testimony esrecting Mr. Hamilton Harris an
the Capitol bui ling commissions and CONTRACTS
III latter gentl man says.