The daily gazette., 1880-06-23

ing and paving sidewalks, grading,
sewerage, and other improvements up |
ON and adjoining the property of the
United States in the District of Co
lumbia." This grab led to a long and
angry debate, extending over several
days, in which Garfield was the chief
defender of the Ring. Under his lead
the Republican majority vot' d down
res rietive amendments and opened |
the door to greater plunder.
Parsons was paid $1,000 at that
time for the connection" which he es-
tablished, and before the big contract
was signed, 1t was bribery retainer
On the 21st of June, 1872, De Golyer
s. Mcclellan were formally notified to
this effect:
'"The Board have this day awarded
you contract to lay $50, 900 yards of
wood pavement, of patent known as
De Golyer No. 2, the whole to be COM
pleted within five months from date.
An addi ional amount of 80, 900 square
yards will be awarded you as soon as
the Board is reimbursed by the Geler-
al Government on account of expendi-
lures about public buildings and
grounds, or you will be allowed to lay
it this season if you will wait until an
appropriation is made for this purpose
at 80 so per square yard"
The Ring was then applying to Con-
gress for an initial appropriation, and
this condition for the additional so, 900
yards was to bind Garfield, whom Par
sons had pledged to Boss Shepherd
and his associates after a full under
standing with Garfield. The Job ag-
glegated 500, 900, and the profit on it
may be estimated by the following ex-
tract from the testimony Of U. IL.
Quimby, the Superintendent of De
Golyer & Mcclellan:
''By the Chairman-Did l under
and you correctly when understood
you to say that the total cost of the
pavement is 81 80 per square yard, in
Guiding the blocks, labor, gravel, every
thing?
A.-Yes, sir; that constitutes The
whole cost of the pavement, the actual
working cost of the pavement in this
city" .l
Therefore, the contractors had $4OO,
600 for addition, division and silence.
To procure this job, they agreed to pay
ninety-seven thousand dollars. Nc
Clellan, one of the partners, testifie'i
ON that point thus:
''When Mr.. Chittenden came to Chi
cago lie said he wanted one hundred
thousand dollars, but that he had ar
ranged so that he could get along with
ninety-seven thousand dollars, and he
said he wanted to pay his expenses,
and part of the national debt"
John s. Cook, the attorney and bus
mess manager of the firm, also testl
fed:
my transit account showing dis
| position of $97, 900 is as follows: May
20, Col. P. (meaning Col. Parsons)
5000; July 10, bills payable, az, ,OO'
Ono explanation, but probable arrange
ment with the Boss and others); Jul,
i 10, K. q. P. (meaning Col. Parsons)
$4,000 (half of which Garfield receiv
ed); July 12, W. c. b. (meaning tn
, Rev. w. Colvin Brown, $40, ,OO0."
When Parsons was called before tn
,, Joint committee in 1874, he swore a
,, follows
"Before the Board had finally mad
!, its awards was called home to Cleve
land by matters of pressing privat
nature, and feeling great solicitude
! to the result of my labors, and, c
> course, desirous of securing my fees
l called upou Gen. Garfield, and CAV
? him history of the case as it the
stood, and asked him, as Congress
would adjourn in few days, if h
would act for me in my absence, an
,, give the subject a careful investigs
L ton. / said to him had fee in tn
case of importance to me, and woul
be glad to share it with him. Th
}, same day or day after left for Clev'
1 land, and when l received my fee (h
> had previously received $5, 900 whic
he did not share with Garfield, or eve
mention to him), some considerabl
: time after, from my clients in Chics
go, l deposited Gen. Garfeld's to b
credit in bank, and so wrote him."
r Now, it is already seen from Chi
tenden's foregoing letters what KIN
: of ''case" Parsons was representing
and what sort of Counsel he was
That shallow device deceived nobod,
Parsons was a well-known lobbyis
n and they hired him solely because
u could manage Garfield, whom Chit el
J. den described as "holding the pur
, strings of the United States" II
, Ring wanted money, and he was I'll
man who handled the appropriation
u With this foundation laid, the hin
d next turned to the Senate to prosecul
IS their venal plans. The Sundry Civii ni
was pending on the LIST of March, 1oT
one day before the adjournment, as SUI
day int rvened. Etfigy Sargent wi
Chairman of the conference commute
! and toolof Bliss Shepherd. He repor
ed four amendments for the Ring, aggr
|: gatlng 81, ,l99, ,533 Great indignation w
n | excited in the House by this coerci'
), proceeding.s The bill was postpon. I
'' March 8, 1873, when Cbngre ess would
iuuru. Mr.. Holman and others made |
q effort to reopen the conference, but
l. was TOO late. The report was sustain'
j. uniter Garfield lead.
"a Between the 9th of January and the
4 of March, 1873, Garfield obtained appr
- priations for he Ring amounting to 8
AL 453 92. Who will say he was
D. faithful TO his contra aud did not ea
Ie his "fee'' of S6,O0OY Chittendeu kne
I. his man, and estiin ated the value OF
A. position.
:, Itisa remarkable coincidence that Il
70 barefaced corruption in legislation W
le going on day by day and week by wee
Is while the Poland committee was INV
Y tisating this and other Christian stat
/ men, and that. Garfield swore az free
r. before the Glover committee in rega
70 TO the $1,000 bribe in 1877, as he
40 sworn before the other In 1872 in rega
le 10 the ten shares of Credit M Mobilier
~ a daring swearer in his own behalf, ev
" Nth the officia al records to cOnfOund