Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-07-18
HILL INVESTIGATION.

sf"s''SS VI the Trial --Icshmony Tor IN .
Defense.
Washington. July l7.---gn the Hu,
Investigation, Howe OF the arcllitectis
office, testified that there was ns
draughtsman In the office in 1878 abls
to prepare plans for the heating appar.
atus for the Chicago building. The
! afchitects office did not undertake the
plans for heating apparatus for large
buildings, because they were necessa.
riiy complex and required much time
in preparations.
Coleman proposed to show the rela.
tons existing between Hill and the
american safe Co. The United States
tIre Proof Shutter Co., snd Geo. II.
Damon are all one and the same per-
son, as he said.
Contracts for furnishing iron shut
tiers Tor public buildings made with the
Fire Proof Shutter Co., Were put in rs
evidence. Coleman called attention
to the fact that they were signed by
Damon, as superintendent and
was asked II the defense would con
cede they Were all of the contracts
made for simply fire proof shutters
since August first 1876.
Hill acknowledged such was the
fact.
Next In evidence were contracts
made with George l.. Damon for sup
plying safes and vaults for public
buildings. Coleman asked If the de-
Tense would concede that Damon was
the only contractor for safes and vaults
since 1916.
HUI could not say, but thought it
probabla.
Next in order were a number of con-
tracts Tor safes and vaults, which Cole
man said had been made with Damon
on verbal authority and without adj
vertisement. He also read Damonis
card. wherein he described himself us
builder of safes for the treasury de-
partment.
He has had that upon his letter
heads for fifteen years, " said Totten.
"Then it's time il was some one
else's chance replied Coleman.
Hill said he could go into the sub
lect of elevators. of plumbing or of
any branch and show that there was
always one man, as in the case Of Bart
lett. Robbins d Co., with whom the
supervising architect did business in
such manner that divide was psssi-
bic without any one else knowing ii.
The committee decided to allow
Coleman to prepare an abstract of
vouchers TO be used in evidence.
The chairman then read the follow
ing letter:
MAGSoLlA, MASS, July u.
Hon. Jno. G. New, Chairman:
i have the honor 10 acknowledge the |
receipt at this place last evening of
your telegram, saying the committee |
desired my presence in Washington
early this week. This summons is
based, assume. upon belief or sup
position on the part of the cominittee |
that l am able to give testimony relat- |
ing to charges against the superv is ny |
architect now being investigated, and |
such impression, | venture to assume |
further arises out OF an article pub |
lished in the st. Louis Post Dispatch |
of what purports to be an interview
with me; which i supposed had been
disposed 81 to your committees salts
faction. | beg now to repeat what |
said to you while in Washington. In
reply to your verbal request or sugges-
ton that should appear as " witness
before your committee, viz That | |
had no knowledge or information
touching the subject matter
Of your investigation, and ii WAS TO
to appear before your committee, such
would he my statement. / hav. no
iesire TO appear in contempt of your
and have not hing toavoid in
this matter except useless and expen-
sive journey. / trust under the cir
your commissioner will
kindly relieve me from the attend
ance demanded.
Signed] WIN. II. Bliss.
Coleman read in reply an editorial
article published, in tho St. Louis
Post Daspdtch Of July 18th which
stated that the trustworthy and guile
less reporter who interviewed Bliss is
willing to make affidavit TO its accu-
racy. The editorial also remarks up
Oh Bliss failure to point out
any defects in the report during
his stay in st. Louis, and
charges him with attempting to I'M
load upon the reporter. Coleman
added that this article was entitled to
credence equally with Bliss letter.
An attempt was made by the prose
cution to take up the charges of corrup-
ton in connection with the construc-
ton of slate roofs for public buildings,
but no progress mas made and the COM
mittee adjourned.
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