National Republican., 1883-08-02
THE HILL INVESTIGATION.
Some Lively Testimony and the Usual Spat
Between Counsel.
Chairman New Says the Case VIII Cer-
tainIy Close To-day.


letter written by Secretary Sherman to tho
collector of customs at Chicago in 1879, in
relation to renewing the lease of the Arcade
building; q letter from architect Hill to Mr..
Mcdowell, superintendent of the Chicago
custom house in 1879; and also the record of
the appointment of General Mcdowell as
superintendent by Secretary Sherman in
1873. These were presented as showing that
Mr.. Mcdowell was authorized to take charge
of the expenses Of the work ON the Chicago
building and expedite the work, and that Mr..
Hill carefully guarded the interests of the
government in endeavorng to reduce ex-
penses on the building milford Helmer,
of New York, was then examined by Mr..
Coleman in regard to elevators.
Mr.. Totten objected to the testimony as
merely cumulative, and he didn't think it
necessary to further advertise the different
elevators.
The committee decided to admit the testi-
mony. Tho witness said he had put in ele-
vators for Crane & Co., of Chicago, and had
some experience with elevators. He said he
could have put in two elevators in the treas
ury, similar to those put in by Hale & Co.,
for $4,000, or $4,000 each. The elevators in
use cost $500 each. On cross. examination
said he would have put in Crane elevators for
the price named.
M. N. Malone, superintendent Of public
building at Pittsburg Pa, was called by Mr..
Iotten and testified to recent conversation
held with Mr.. Stnemetz ut Pittsburg, in
which he remarked thai he was party to the
investigation, aud that the architect, the as
sistant architect, and the chief computer were
the men he was after; that Mr.. Hill had
treated him unfairly and he meant to get
even with him. Mr. Thompson, chief COM
puter,was present during the conversation and
took part in it.
On cross-examination the witness said the
conversation took place in restaurant; Mr..
Thompson might have criticised MIR. Stine-
metz for his course in the investigation, and
MIR. Stinemetz defended his conduct. He
abused Mr.. Thompson roundy. Witness
came here partly on business and partly in
response to a note from Mr.. Thompson, who
called his attention to Stinemetz's testimony
in regard to the conversation in question.
Witness paid his own expenses to this city
charged the government only for his expenses
when travelling on public business in one iu-
stance. Had frequently travelled on public
business at his own expense.
A breeze occurred during the cross-eXam-
ination of this witness. Mr.. Coleman dis
credited the witness's statement that he bore
his own expenses when travelling on public
business, and criticised his answers so sharply
that the witness looked tercely ut Mr..
Coleman and said in sharp tones, "Do you
doubt my veracity? l am under oath, and
you must understand / am telling the truth"
Later on Mr.. Coleman said he proposed to
settle the matter now, and the witness said
he could settle any time he liked.
Charles p. Newton was then examined by
MIR. Totten. He was born Aug. 80, 1858; was
inspector of heating apparatus at Chicago
custom house in 1879; was appointed by Supt.
McDowell; had been in the employ of Bart
lett, Robbins & Co. in 1877; left there because
his pay did not satisfy him; when
he lost his place at Chicago he
returned to Baltimore, and soon after
went to work with Bartlett, Robbins & Co.;
remained in Chicago several weeks after
being discharged inspected the heating ap-
paratus at the Chicago building ut the time it
was received; found that square headed bolts
had been sent instead of hexagonal bolts; re-
jected them at first, and finally, as there was
delay in the work, allowed the use of the
square head bolts; the heXagonal bolts were
received about two months later; the fact
that the coils on one floor were six inches
shorter than called for in the specifications
was due to the lack of space below the win
dows to receive the coils of the length called
for he allowed the use of the coils put in
because the coils called for could not have
been placed in position all the material for
the iron tanks was received as called for eX-
cept in the matter of angle iron for the use
of the tanks. Band iron was sent instead of
angle iron. A change was made i'll the num-
Der of tubes in the boilers in order to allow
space in the boilers for tho manholes.
Ninety-seven tubes were sent for each boiler,
but only nincty-tOur were used because there
was not room for more tubes. The tubes
which were not used were still in Chicago
he supposed. On crOss-eXaminatiOn witness
said he was 81 wears old about week after
ha frnI tln nitntn Ia, h,ill
ing received So day under the govern
ment before that he received $3.50 day
under Bartlett, Robbins Il Co.; when he
returned to them he got - day and expenses;
at Chicago he inspected the heating
material as it came; the foreman of Bartlett,
Robbins Il Co. unloaded the material and
placed it in the building there were 16
boilers, IL hot water and steam boilers; tho
boilers and the tubes came separately; there
were 81 tubes to each boiler three tubes
were taken out each boiler to make room for
manhOle; when tho coils came the foreman
told him they were made six inches short so
as to fit the place intended to receive them
measured the space at the time and found it
short; before he left Bartlett, Robbins Il Co.
had talked with his father about going to
Chicago to work for the governments; his
father was then in the employ of BARTLETT,
Robbins Il Co.
A lively alteration occurred between Mr.
Coleman and Mr.. TOtten as to the relevancy
of certain testimony, in the course of which
each impugned the motives Of the clients of
the other and which debate only stopped
when Chairman New requested the counsel
TO let up"
MrnStincmetz was recalled by Mr.. Coleman
and testified in regard to the statement mado
by Mr.. Malone as to his intention to ''cean
out the supervising architects office" He said
that he and Mr.. Thompson had conversation
in regard to some business transactions
in connection with the claim of Mr.. Miller
against the government, in which the witness
was interested. Ho complained Of Mr.
HilPs actions in that matter and he did say
to Mr. Thompson that they ought to clear out
q department which did not do its business
properly, and didn't keep records of its trans
actions when the officers We're paid high sal
aries for that purpose. He made no threats
against anybody, aud had simply criticised
the manner in which the records in the su-
pervsiug architects Office were kept
Mr.. Zegler, q machinst in the employ of
Bartlett, Hayward & Co., was examined by
Mr., Iotten in regard to the heating apparatus
at the Chicago custom house. Ho was fore.
man of their work on that building. The
changes in the work in the building We're
made by him upon verbal instructions from
Superintendent Mcdowell. The construction
OF the windows was such chat the recesses un-
der the windows were not sufficient TO ad-
nit coils of the length called for by the speoi-
tlcations He noticed this before the coils
had arrived and reported the fact TO Super