The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-17
EOnE>ON DfFfNDING HIMsnLr.
Trying To Explain hts InwRrrnntcd Expcndi.
ture OF Millions OF DoIlars.

WAsHISGroN. Jan. IT,. The testimony In
rohura az the evidence taken hy Mr.. Whit.
thorn"'s committee 40 the last session pf this
C1usrr-s--t,stimonyw which waS considered by
thn Demo rttic member. Of Ia" Committee o.
h. ~ o character to recommend the Indictment
of cN-S rtn'sry Roh"soI-was closed to-day hy
tl. cNamia.t.. of Eoh...rn hin-el Il.s i.-ti-
mouy. which was delivered for the mort part 10
tlr form ~ "a connected defence without the in
trrruitnu of questions. Included the rou'tition
10 large part of testimony before the Com
mii,"c ou Naval Affairs in tn Forty-folrih Com
gross. and did not essentially d.ffr from the
defence lac then made. save ~ the additional
cyids nee accessible s.noc OF admlni-traii,
waste eni abuse mnlr changes In the earlier
apology necessary. II WIS not then known DIS
il is now known. that. w.tAou; adyor, scmeut.
without explanation in thc department reports
or Information % the Committee. Rohcson ore
der,d property costing sl2,5Ouon0 broken up
ami sod Tor s4jOUUO. THIS transaction. and
tho series ~ contracts made under R,h.snn in
"Srr-s II current approvriatluns Hnd contrary
sons =" de- irn,e r"' 'N-ithcr saii Ire. Of
tue sal" ~ old material WHO devised this
had any thought ~ p"rs lual arcrandN' mrut.
And after suWnarHng the testimony Of those
have h""n here IN behalf Of loh"son and t"stl p
fed that they mad" very lad bargains indeed.
bee triri 90 cl'ar himself D. rsonnlly by saying
That b." believed then and believed now that the
delivery of the OLD matcr.al WAS the best that
could %" don" with 20, aud never directed a
t~lund Of iron 10 bee sold. and never interfcred
IN any particular in any trunsn.tlon.'
Ia short examination Mr. Whiuhorne drew
attention o. III" fact tia; tho law whose opera
tiolis were 50 widely extended by Rplrson WIS
not even technically followed and Rpheson' :
defence remained resting on the assertion that
these wasteiul bargains. since formally con-
demnod hy the Lest experts in the country, We're
admnirtrativry wise
contracts made 10y hphTSOn's direction for
IN" completion ~ the double-turrpttrd monitor
WIS loss plnusihi" the first contracts were
made i'm 1875 and were explained upun tha
Gus examinations. At this point Whllthorne
drew out the admisslon-itself anording the
which these contracts were niadi-that while
the original authority for repairing th"s"
monitors contemplated Hn expenditure ~ only
a .ulOOuO turhercontracls for r, bniliing these
monitors entire, costing nearly f6,uOOhOO, were
made without authority OF law, anu tnlS
wholesale change OF plan lob"son udmlt,
ted WIS never mentioned IN IN annual
report. and remained unknown, bY the
| House until an Investigation brought the fact
| u light. Throughout as to THESE contracts,
| Rohc-ou took the ground that while ihey wrre
not strictly aceorlin M g. NE letter 81 me lHw ms
PRACTICE was justified by the practice Of other
departments, AMI he read in this respect let .
ter rom +. Is. French. ASS stant SECRETARY 81
| the Treasury. kpbesOn argued that the wants
| OF the service lad been regarded The mulil i
! piled facts. which SHOW That these contracts
were made with favored parties at eXorhtant
sums ia excess ol approx riaton IN plans slnce
| proved Yalu"ieSS, were not rNpluinrd.
Some questions were asked 10y Morse Of
] Massachusetts, rs % the general report hnd be-
ment had mndo more money Than they fpuId
| 10y saving their salaries entire hob'son an
| sWcrcl that he had no knowlrdgc rs 10 others
| Ms 10 himself he "a 1t; Do Well. il anybody VIII
| pay my debts should be- glad 10 give them q Y
property; - and an instant later he added;
| don't know that | should want 10 say that en-,
| tIrcly. but should Ike TO have my debts pald,