Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-04-03
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
Interesting Testimony To-day.

and testified that he purchased the claim of one
Mary Hessler from VIM. TroXall, upon power
ONeill, authorizing Troxall to act as attorney
for her; the impression among the officers of the
District Is that the Mary Hessler claim was
f96ge the claim Of Samuel Bays was pqr
teld witness that Davis had called at his
9se 9nn tba in his and that
over to witness; the only claim which witness
absolutely knows was forged by TroXall was a
claim OF VIM. Il. Cooley. Cooley came to the
forged his name. Witness bought a drawback
from Thomas Quinn upon the property Of DR.
Grouse, of Capitol Hill; in the matter of the
forged powers of attorney in the Adams and
Hessler claims, witness said they appeared to
have been witnessed by clerks In his Office; when
the present investigation began witness went
bought from TroXall between Dec. 12, 1877, and
Sept, 1879; he found 20 In all; did not pursue
MS investigation beyond September 10th. 1879,
Witness said trat he had Troxall arrested the
other day because his trial on the charges for
which he Is under indictment had been assigned
three times and postponed by some superior ar-
thorty; called upon the District attorney with
Mr. Stabl, the principal witness In the case, to
know why the case was postponed: he told wit
ness ness. ne ne II thought best to postpone it. Witness
was postponed owing to an order from a
superior authority; did not ask what the
authority was; witness had TroXall arrest
signed BY bWs W. H. wi Whitney @ which le'viasS'a was
forgery; was advised that it was a forgery by
Treasurer Gilfillan, who demanded restitution
from witness; the case witness brought against
Troxall has been postponed, ewing to the ab-
Sence OF Treasurer Gilhllan. who is a witness;
the handwriting Of TrOxall is very inferior; he
could not himself have committed the fOigeries,
Out the impression is that he had several con.
federateS. Witness said TroXall had made some
statement with reference to his transactions,
and the secret service force Of the Treasury
have made mention of it; had TroXall arrested
because Of the trifiing of the legal authorities:
witness understood that Troxall. in whatever
statement he made, had endeavored to impli-
care one OF the clerks in witness office. The
amount OF fraudulent claims which witness has
paid TrOxall will aggregate in the neighborhood
OF $500 or 5000. Witness said that he knew that
the services OF the secret service force OF the
Treasury bad been proStituted by either Treas
urer G1lfllan or the House District committee
TO manufacture case against him; had been
told by real estate agent named Gilbert that
he was anxious to make case against witness
ard that he would succeed In making a first
class case of irTegularity. Witness thinks there
Is an animus against him personally to mali
c1OuSly perSecute him.
WILLIAM TROxALL WAS SWORN.
ard testified that he was appointed messenger
In George W. Bealls Office February 18th, 1871
and was discharged October 18th, 1879; draw
back was issued In 1874 to DR.. Grouse: it was
not called for; Thomas Quinn was told that
II he could get ROOme to reissue the certificate,
that he could make something out OF it; Rcome
did reissue the certificate and YVES paid one
third OF the amount at the Baltimore and PoGC.
mac depot, where he was waiting TO receive it:
when the Cooley certificate was found to be a
forgery, Mr. Beall advised witness to take a
leave of absence; the name of Cooley was forged
by Clark, clerk In Dickson's office; after con-
ference between Beall and Dickson, Beall asked
witness if he was going away; witness said: 81
have no money to go away with" After
further conversation between Beall and Dickson
Ine latter gave witness $40 to go away with and
s!s.1l as commission on drawback; the even
ing witness went away Clark, Dickson's clerk.
helped witness to pack his trunk; he told wit,
ness If he missed the boats to take the firat
train to Baltimore; Dickson told witness that If
he would go to Philadelphia, be (DicksOn) would
get him situation on the cars; Dickson told
witness mother the same story; witness Said
ne went away entirely at the suggestion of Mr.
1e efSon fh because Dickson thought he would
had forged Godey's name.
.: 20 you know OF any other forgeries COM
Tl.ted In Mr.. Dickson's Office?
A. Yes, sir; one OF Mary G. Adams Her name
was forged by Clark. Dickson's clerk. l saw
jim dOit.
COL. CORKHILL AS A WITNESS.
At this point the witness was directed to step
aside, SO that Col. Corkhill might testify He
said that he never had any conversation with
any member OF the District committee touching
the postponement of TrOXalls trial; the trial
was was postponed because it was represented that
Troxall had been the scape goat of other par
ties, and witness concluded not to embarrass
the pending investigation by the trial because
MAJOR Morgan, one of the Commissioners, had
sald the commissioners were quite anxious to
IND out who was behind TrOxall; may have
said to Dickson that he had postponed Troxall's
trial out of respect to the District authorities
put not because OF any superior authority.
MR.. TROXALL WAS RECALLED
and testified that Clark forged the name of
Samuel L. DAVIS; saw Clark forge the name o.
Mary G. Adams, Samuel L. Davis William Rus
sell and VIM, H.. Cooley; the name of Mary
nv yynpo tl,otn
WIN named Darcy; witness received no part OF
the money In the ESler case; In none of the
forged cases did he receive cent; received only
a commission and divided the same with MI.
Roome, who has charge OF the special assess
rent division; witness received 10 per cent.
as aoo commissions s ard gave five per cent. to Mr.
backs on which he had been allowed a commits
sion, and the amount he had divided with Mr
RoOme; among them were the following, show
1pg the o amount sM n Roc Roome got: Mrs MARI s1.75
81. 50; - Payne, ss.6s. Mr. Beau told witness Witness
tnat his salary was quite small, and if he could
that If he could get Roome to reissue the 1874
certificate in 1877, that he would give Roome
one %one-third; Roome did reissue the certificate,
tomac depot to give ROome his one-third.
Daniel Q'Brlen? WV 0'''0 Vi
A::1Yes, sir; o'Brien came to me and asked
- - S0"iHh SCI nooiue W allow ulNl IOr OH
material. said no your receipt is on file.
He said: We'll l will see Quinn about it."
Quinn saw Roome and Roome told Quinn to tell
OBrien to come and see him: O'Brien came and
the next day ROome allowed O'Brien draw.
back OF S95; Quinn was given $40; Roome was
given 80 and O'Brien Kept the rest; O'Brien
offered me $50 Ii would get the claim through.
Dat told him | couldn't, as the receipt was
on file that O'Brien had been paid all
be was entitled to for old material.
There was claim put In by one O'Meara. In
trying to get Roome to look. after it witness in
CURED his diSpieasufe. When witness WAS going
home Beall came to him and said. You had !
better make fair weather with Roome or he will
have you dismissed" In September 1879 In
front OF the Metropolitan Church, Roome told
witness and Quinn THAT now was our chance
to make some money, and if we didn't make 1t
we were lot of - id FOOLS" When the
assignment Mr.. Clark, MI. DicksOns clerk, said
that Il needn't be afraid Of the trial, as he had
five of the Jury flXed.r Mr.. ROOme had deposits
in the Citizens National Bank and the Second
National Bank, the Bank Of washington and
the German National Bank.
G. Were these deposits public money or
RoOme's private account?
A. ROOmeS private account.
q. DO you know Of any presents having been
made 0y any brokers to any District officers or
their families?
A. Yes, sir; Mr.. Dickson bought watch for
Mr.. Bealrs wife. he asked me to find out what
Beall would like to have engraved ON the face.
! ascertatned Mrs. Beall'S name and gave it to
Dickson. The watch was bought in 1879 at
Galt's think.
witness said that when his case was before
the grand Jury Mr.. johnson, Mr.. Roome's mes
senger, was told by R0ome, that II he (Johnson,
did NOT go before the grand jury and swear that |