The Rock Island Argus., 1880-10-25

report and Recommendations, put an end
to all further legitimate effort In that
direction. Soon thereafter one GEORGE H.
Chittenden, notorious in Chicago as an
unscrupulous adventurer and tool OF
still more unscrupulous trm or paving
contractors, appeared 10 W ashington'
claiming to have had turDIsneo MIN Dy
the hackers of the firm he represented
100000 wherewith to secure 100000
yards of street paving by the DE Golyer
patent at So SO per yard.
EThe congressional investigation showed
| that Chittenden first negotiated with u.
W, Huntington, the we'll known cashier
of the government deposit bank of Jay
Cooke s. Co., and chief lobbyist of the
Washington Improvement ring, agreeing
TO divide the 100000 bonds for securing
to his principals from the board 100000
yards of DeGolyer pavement No 2 at
SS. so per yard. Huntiugton's sudden
death put an end to negotiations in that
direction. Chittenden at once sought Col.
Wm. q. Moore. business partner of Gov.
Shepherd, chairman of the board of public
works, who agreed that for $3.50 he
could and would procure from the govern
ment the coveted contract. This agree
ment becoming public, Gov. Shepherd
denounced the arrangement, and the
morning following gave public notice of
the dissolution of the partnership The
firm of Dent Il Page were approached
with the offer of $4,000 for their supposed
political influence with the administration.
Not moving as fast as desired, Chittenden,
through a go-between, sought further
political influence, for q consideration, in
the person of James A. Garfield, chairman
of the committee of appropriations of the
lower house of congress, through whom
all appropriations must be made for the
board of public works for the city of
Washington street improvements. Gov.
Shepherd testified before the committee
investigating these crooked transactions
that Gen. Garfield approached him. earn
estly urging him, as personal favor, to
give his friends. De Golyer and Me
Clelland. of the west, 200 900 yards of De
Golyer pavement. The governor, repair
ing to his private Office on Pennsylvania
avenue. gave an order for 10000 yards,
and further amount of $4,000 yards,
payment to be made a. soon as congress
made an appropriation for the same.
Thus this notoriously bankrupt firm.
without the consent or knowledge even of
any other member of the board of public
works, at the personal request OF the
chairman of the committee Of appropria
tions, were permitted without either
bond or contract, or location OF
streets, to lay a large amount of worthless
pavement lavoidinG the terms Of the pa
tent) upon many of the principal streets
/ Of Washington. How correctly Gov,
Shepherd understood the chairman OF the
appropriation CO mmittee will be shown by
the passage at the first session Of congress
thereafter of bills at Garfeld's solcition
for the board of public works, am ounting
to s., 100000. and soon thereafter federal
Endorsement Of $l5,0OG000 District 3.65
boudsto cover entire these Elost extravagant
municipal improve ments. Public indigaar
ton beng aroused by the magnitude of
the swindle being imposed upon them, Mr..
MulIett, superintendent of public buildings
and grounds, and ex ofhcio d member of
| the board of public works. learning the
means and parties employed, and manner
| of giving the illegal order without the con-
sent of the board, demanded that the
order OF the governor be at once resclnded
Shepherd protesting that the board could
not interfere, as he had given the order at
the especial solicitation Of Gen, Garfield
| for his personal friends from the west;
that the board could not antagonzs the
chairman of the committee Of appropria
tions, to !whom the board must look for
means TO carry forward. their protected
city improvements. While Gov. Shepherd
Indignantly spurned briba when offered
directly to his firm, be was by 40 means
the kind of man to neglect the opportunl-
ty to put firm hook in the nose .of the
too willing chairman of the appropriation
committee when voluntarily offered.
Garfed's guilty completely in this dis
graceful business becoming generally
known, he sought to break the force OF
the transaction by going through his dis
trict and declaring upon the stump and
through the party press that he acted
as an attorney; that he wrote and filed an
opinion with she board Of public works
and that he also appeared as counsel be-
fore the board and made an argument
upon the validity of the De Golyer pave
ment, and simply received u fee for sale
| services.
This false statement would. if true,
} consign him to the penitentiary. The
, Revised Statues OF the United State
provide that no senator or Representative
after his election, and during his contin-
ance in Office. shall receive or agree t.
) receive any compensation whatever direct
ed or indirectly for any contract, claim O
controversy. in which the Uniteds State
is party, directly or Indirectly interested
before any department bureau, or any
civil COM CIsSl0D whatever. Every person
offending against this section shall be
Imprisoned not more than two. years
and fined not more than $4,000. and shall
be rendered forever thereafter incapable Of
holding ofice of honor. trust or profl
under the government of the United
States" The forty fourth congress
appointed committee to investigate the
charges ofcorruption and bribery preferred
against Garfield in:the De Golyer contract
| Col, Glover chairman, after weeks of
ivestigation, the evidence being over
whelming against Garfield, Summoned
lCnrclu6nd On noxt M nro \