New-York tribune., 1878-11-25
,pcHITECT HILLS DENIAL.

VIC GAYS NJ IS INNOCENT, AND DESIRES AN LAhL1
Tet,L or THE CHARGES IN CONNECTION WITH
THE CHICAGO CUSTOM HoUsE-wIIAr MR.. MUL-
LETT HAS 70 SAY
InY TfrEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBrNEl
WASHINGTON. Nov. 2l.-Supervisng Architect
nm .tontIv ofirms his innocence Of any and all
CHARGES which may be brought against him IN con-
,o.tion with the Chicago Custom House con-
tracts and SAWS that he will take every means IN
his power 10 bring about an early trial ana
final settlement Of the matter. He does not expect
10 90 10 Chicago for the purpose OF giving bail, but
expects the warrant will be served upon him by the
limited States Marshal of this District when he will
furnish bail here. The question of his suspension
from Office pending the settlement of the affair is
not vet settled Mr. Hill says that if there any
fraud in connection with the affair it occurred in
connection with the original choice of stone, for
which Architect Mullett was responsible. Mr.. Hill
asserts that he can in ne way be held responsible
for the quality of the stone as it had all been
delivered before he came into Office; and nothing
in connection with the matter left for HIM to do
but continue the work.
Mr.. Hill considers the indictment of Mr.. Potter
an outrage, nasmuch as the latter had recommended
that the use of the stone be discontinued IN all pub
lie buildings.
A. B. Mullett. ex-Supervisng Architect of the
Treasury, says the war now being waged against
Messrs. Potter and Hill started the par. of the
Joliet Stone Company, which had waged war on
him (Nlullett for ruling against it. The company
wanted the contract, but he found that its material
was only soft magnesia stone, totally unfit for
that sort of structure. The company at once pro-
ceeded against him. and commission, composed of
General Smith, Mr. Post and Mr. NOrcrOss, was
appointed. These three gentlemen proceeded
to Chicago and made report that it was
unsafe and unwise to complete the Gus
tom House building according TO the
designs. The building was condemned. and il was
decided that the structure must come down. and be
constructed again other plans. ." laid the mat
ter before President Grant" sir. Mulett says, and
be said that should be permitted TO eXonerate my
self before any steps were taken. Accordingly
went to work, and succeeded in obtaining a hoard
composed ofthe most eminent architects Of Chicago
They inspected the building with great care and re-
ported that the present designs simple and
cure and that the building could go ahead with Ter-
ect safety. Secretary BrstOw directed the tTstrepnUt
to be set aside, and that proceed with the design.
! recommended the Mueller free-stOne, frOlu the
Buena Vista quarry, near Cincinnati, and the
Ring went right in 10 advance the in
terests of that stOne-in fact, did great deal
more for II than | would have done. Now, there
was Mr.. Potter, who succeeded me. MI Potter
was nOmInaly at the head of the concern but prac-
tically he had nothing TO do with it. II by
Hill and Jacobs. they awarded contracts without
any publication, and the acting Supervising NUchl-
tect thought nothing at all of making cOntTaC on
his own hook. Anticipating, no doubt, that Mueller
would ante up for them (the Ring J, they went to
work and allowed everything III the way OF eX-
pense. In fact, they allowed a great many bills
that had been rejected, and General smith ex-
amIned the vouchers and found that many OF the
charges were fraudulently excessive, and hence the
proceedings against Hill"