The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-05-04

The controversy at Richmond over the
awardment OF the contract to print the
State bonds authorized by the Riddleber-
ger bill assumed an Importance which we
did not think the facts justified, when we
first read the several statements in refer
enee to the bids considered. This impress
sion was confirmed by the determination
of the courts honorably dismissing the par
ties to the controversy. and finally dissolv-
ing the injunction which had been obtained
to prevent the Kendall Company from exc
cutting the contract awarded them. We pub
lished last week the statement of Auditor
Allen, embracing what he regarded an i'm
proper suggestion from Mr.. Kendall, aud
which he assigned as a reason for vot-
ing against that company and for another
Offering to do the work at Il higher bid
This necessarily brought ont Second Auditor
Dyson and Treasurer Revely, who had voted
for Kendall The inference was legitimate
from the publication OF Mr. Aliens affida-
Wit, that Improper advances had been made
to him to influence his vote. that the
other members of the Sinking Fund Com
mission, and that notwithstanding this they
had voted to give the contract to Kendall.
The response came from Messrs. Dyson and
Revely, then, that the reason assigned by Mr.
Allen was not known to them before
the award was made; that another rea-
son was given for his vote, and that
Was that the American Bank Company
was friendly TO the Readjuster cause.
Mr.. Kendall af1irms also in an affidavit
in which he states that Mr.. Allen had
said that the American Company had
contributed to the Readjusters last fall
So 600, and that Allen had intimated will
ingness to accept a present. or what Ken
dali called a rebate. subsequently Mr.. AL
len swore out a warrant for the arrest OF
Kendall for the alleged improper offer made
to him, and afterwards made affidavit that
the statement of Kendall was false. and
charged that mprOpes advances had bees
made to Messrs. Dyson and Revely by Ken
dali. An injunction vas gotten OUT TO
prevent the execution of the contract with
Kendall, and this brought the whole mat
ter before the court. After hearing evil
dence and weighing all the facts, the court
honorablv dismissed the case. and the in
junction was dissolved. leaving the con-
tract in force as it had been awarded by a
majority vote of the Commissioners. The
American printing Company come out III
a card and deny that at any time they had
ever contributed anything for the support
of the Readiusrers. and especially contra
dieting the statement that they had con-
tributed So 900, or any other sum. for that
purpose.
We think it unfortunate that the whole
matter was not isposed Of before the Com-
mission, as it is very evident from the ac-
ton of the court. that no bribe was intended
in either case. as intlmated III the state
ments of Mr. Allen. While the language
used, as published, might have justified
such construction. the court, which acted
as an impartial Judge in the matter, did
not so construe it, and this ought to salts
fly all the parties to it, as well as the pub
lie.
The subsequent difficulty between Audi
tor Alien and Second Auditor Dyson is to
be regretted. and if less of temper and
more of judicial calmness had controlled
in the controversy, there would have been
no occurrence of the kind.