The New York herald., 1877-10-21
TWEED's TALE.

BRIEF SESSION OF THE ALDERMANIc SPECIAL
COMMITTEE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. HARRIS
AND THE BUILDING OF THE NEW CAPITOL At
ALBANY.
William NJ. Tweed appeared again yesterday before
the Committee OF the Board Of Aldermen TO further
testify in relation to the Ring frauds Counsellor Cole
stated that he had intended to proceed with the
ination OF Mr.. Henry +. Painter That gentleman had
been employed by Comptroller Green in the exanina-
tion OF the Ring fraud vouchers file in the Finance
Department. and could, no doubt, gvo the committee
much Information pertinent to the present nvestiga
tion. Mr. Painter was, however III, and unable
to ationd. Mr. Cole declared that the line
OF examination he had marked out rendered
IL necessary that Mr.. Painters testimony should
be heard before proceeding iurther therefore ne
asked that the committee should adjourn until
Wednesday next, when that gentleman would be In at
tendance. This was agreed to. Alderman Lewis.
however, put few questions to Mr.. Tweed IN relation
to the new Capitol at Albany.
In reply Mr. Tweed said-'I was conversant with
the building of the Capitol; was interested in
quarry time the facts are that the orig
nal comm ssion the Capitol consisted OF a commit
tee OF lhree they superseded by committee OF
eight; the eight quarreled among themselves, and
one their number, gentleman named
Latham, was making all sorts OF charges against tho
coin mission, and finally an Investigation WAS had
and the commission decided, IL 1t could TO get rid OF
Mr.. Latham there was only one way to do that, and
that was 10 introduce bill / was in cotnmunica-
tion with Hamilton Harris, one OF The commission,
and who agent Of The Erie Railway for q mum
of years; he called at my room number OF tines
presuning had influence with the COMMITTEES Of
Ways aud Means, before whom the supply bill was;
he consulted with me and finally agreed upon put
ting in Supply bill q new commission OF SIX
three democrats ana three repuocans; Inc committee
alton oil se5oooo IN that year-ls7l; tina.
Vas lad aon' an unaorssandins With Hamilton Harris ns
was to control OF that comm ssion and all the
stone was 10 De gotten froma quarry, called me Hal
lowell quarry, think, IN Maine, Ia which John n
Briggs formerly supervisor, was interested; that
company gave me 500, 900 Of their stock.
Harris to take charge OF the entire work and he
was also TO get money III tho shape OF percentages
from contractors and in other ways aud share
IT with me; got dollar OF H. tor shortly after
adjournment that year our tronbies IN New York
commenced; Briggs waited upon me in my room AT
the Deavan House aud / handed him back tho
stock, l could not be OF any use
him tho stone aierward got from the Bartlett
quarry, believe; Harris was ut that time member
OF the Capitol Commission; believe he had inter
that quarry, but do not know positivey
/ knew anything about the working OF the
quarry, except tnat got this stock from Brggs
In reply to Mr.. C0wing, who said he did not know
who was Mr. Tweed stated that he thought the
latter held elective office at the tlme ana that no
did know OF Harris being concerned IN any other
fraud whatever Mr.. Tweed said, however, that he
given TO understand aerward that Harris received
money from the different commissions; witness was
SO informed by party who said hc had handed the
money Harris.
To mr. Cole witness stated that he was told tho
commission had an interest in the fraud by gentle
man who was present when witness made the original
arrangement with Harris This person Mr.. Tweed de-
clined TO name publicly, giving as o reason that
wherever lie had given o name means had been
used TO obtain Information from the person in
dicated to Mr.. Tweed's detrment Mr.. Cole
pressed for the NAME stating that he wished
TO subpoena the person TO testify before
the COMMITTED Mr, Tweed, alter consulting with hts
counsel John D. Townsend, wrote the name upon a
card and passed 1t to the committee. Alderman Cow
ing asked witness whether he possessed any uorma-
ton with reference Ring frauds upon which he
had Iot been questioned. II do not think OF any
thing replied the Witness ''Since have been be-
lore this committee the Brooklyn Bridge has como
up, the Capitol has come up and half dozen
things that l never thought OF. l cannot keep my
mind upon these things entirely do not now
think OF anything upon which have not bccn inter-
rogatcd'
The committee then adjourned until Wednesday
morning next, At eleven O'Clock.