Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-08-12
GUILTY GARFIELD.

GUILTY GARFIELD.
Tho Radical Candidates Connection with
the De Golyer Paving Frauds - The
Most Gigantic Fraud Ever Perpetrated
upon the Government-An Interview
with Congressman Roosevelt. Of New
York.
New York, August ll.-Robert b.
Roosevelt, the well.known Democratic
Congressman who stimulated the inves.
tiyation of the District OF Columbia ring,
and afterwards was the chief agent in
the exposure. was interviewed TODAY as
to his knowledge Of the District paving
frauds, and General Gartitld's connec.
ton Herewith. In reply tn question
as to a Congressman right to act as an
attorney he said;
"Th,re is no question at all but that
Congressman has no right TO act ~ an
attorney in his official capacity
"What WAS General Garfirld's position
i'm the DE Golyer business
"lhe original application came before
me when | was on the Committee on
the District OF Columbia. There we're
all sorts OF such schemes before us. A
majority of the Committee were Rcpub'
licans. Nevertheless We got on toIera.
bly in our investigation. We found that
the District ring was authorized 10 spend
- ODO, 900 which was to be raised by
general taxation. and - 0O0,OOO to be
raised by assessment. The inves,iga.
ton vas as thorough rs possible. We
found great irregularities and really
wonderful extravaganza. They really
spent six times the amount they were
authorized TO spend. Garfield was not
on the committee then, but these iacts
were thorou ,hly explained TO him when
the investigation was made public.
succeeded in preventing the committee
from passing any important act desired
by the majority without a full presenta.
non OF il before the Congressional Com
mittee on Appropriations. Every meas
ure recommended by the committee
WAS ventilated
Did Nr. Garfield aid the investiga.
ting committee?"
"Iien. Garfield was chairman Of the
Committee on Appropriations when |
went before il. had not only present.
ell the matter publicly, bur had spoken
privately of it to members OF Congress
The committee questioned me and OBJ
,ained all the information desired. The
money appropriated for the use OF the
Committee on the District cS Columbia
was required TO be paid into the hands
of the Treasurer OF the District and
drawn from time to time IN warrants
Nearly Il, 600, 900 were drawn out on one
warrant. This was particularly pre-.
sen,ed by me before Gen. Garfield aud
| in such a manner that he could not iaII
/ 10 recognize It's importance. he really
seemed impressed, but he did not sub
s,antially aid US"
How was the pavement scheme
passed.
Pavement schemes Of all kinds were
! before our committee at that time. The
pavements on Wasbington's = streets were
actually rotting. Accordingly com
mlt,ce was appointed They reported
that il would be best for the District MOI
10 Law wooden or any other expensive
payemen,s. Under some influence
which is not clear, the committee VA
induced 10 change i,s opinion. tPor
paye 4 Of its report there IL a statemen
showing that 1t afterward laid thirty
four mics OF wooden pavements beside
five miles Of round wooden pavement
at s3 80 per square yard. There is ais
another statement OF the laying o
twelve miles OF Belgium and granite
Ye, up To the time ] first called the al
tention OF Congress to the dolngs the
had onlv laid two blocks OF pavement
OF any kind" ,
"Ms- tue De Golyer scandal then IN
known" -
Yes; then knew nothing at all
the scandal. had noticed, hoxeye
that the other scandals which TIA
aroused public Indignation produce
little or no effect upon Gen. Garfield.
endeavored to point out TO him the grei
risk incurred in allowing these people
control the funds. They had gone
far as TO make one Of their numb'
treasurer OF the ring, in direct dehano
Of the law. Ny labor amounted to noti
ing. | could not pre-, vent him from r
porting an appropriation of anoth'
amount OF S3,500,000. Garfield vi
present at all meetings of his COMMITTEE
had 10 much faith in his honesty an
integrity that I had even spoken 10 hll
privately about the frauds. Gariie'
really aided the ring
"Do you believe Garfield took the -
900 as corruption mone,? -
"He admitted first that he receive
the 5000 from these pavement mel
He could not have receIvei the none
ss n lawyer. for ne had no Law duties
perform. 1t was entirely a matter
influence. The money was paid an
received to corrupt his vote and othe
wise to obtain his aid in passing the aI
propriation. This CONCLUSION hsS
arrived at after thorough investigate
Of the subject. have read his ,esilm
carefully and weighed all the points
his favor. Cohgressmrn are not en-
ployed as attorneys 10 obtain conirac
from municipal boards. Any lawyer
Washington without q public positit
would better suit ap honest corporatio
Garfield merely testified that he spo'
TO Shepherd 10 Shepherd. Well, the
are some men nov who would not spe'
To Shepherd even for 5000"
well, then the lee was large'
"Not at all. The lee vu small.
think Garfield underestimsted himse
He did not know that he Vas wortf
biy pr,ce. Dear me, look ut the pet
sum ne got in the Credit Mobilier nj
ter II Is really disgraceful for soch
influential man TO work Tor 20 III,
money. II Gen. Garfield accepted IS
in the Credit Mobilier matter. thei
confess 500 vas . high price for
aid 10 the De Golyer scheme. The
was an appropriation Of $780, 700 Q
Of the public treasury TO pay n ior the
Golyer pavementa Nov $o,UO out
| - 20 400 1. smsll GaYfield mndf