Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-04-24
DEFRAUDING THE GOVERN
AIENT.
Charges Against Treasury Employee
Testimony Said to Have Been Placed
Before Secretary FOlger in Connection
with the Building of the Boston Post
Office Extension.

Office Extension.
Boston Cor. of the Netr York 7tiJunc
The Herald publishes long story abou
frauds perpetrated in the construction O
the extension TO the Boston Post Office
The extension has already cost mucl
more than the original estimates, while
the construction has dragged slowly
When the extension was on the eve O
completion, informatiod reached Secre.
tary Folger TO the effect that gross cor
ruptlon and dishonesty were being prac.
tlced on the government bv some of those
engaged i'll the construction of the build
ing. Secretary FOlger's attention was
hrst called to the alleged irregularities
last fall.
The exposure originated in Il quarrel
between John c. Fennclly, who had the
contract to furnish the plumbing. and
Dennis y. HOrgan, who was appointed
by the government to Superintend the
work. Horgan furnished evidence to
show that Fennelly was CROOKED" and
later ON charges of similar character
affecting others were made to the Secre-
tary, who decided at once to sift the mat
ter to the bottom. Special Agent Hing
ham and kimball, of the Secret Service,
were detailed to investigate the matter.
HorSan charges that FennelIy carried
men on the pay roll at S. 30 per day as
mechanics who were common laborcrs
employed at 50 and S. per week.
At the same time Fennelly also
carried on the pay roll number of
helpers at ~ per day, but actually paid
each only 81 per week He placed his
foreman on the pay roll as Il plumber at
S3 % per day, after having carried him on
the roll as boss gastitter for year and Il
half at 81 % per day. The man was John
Powers, who was not plumber and knew
less about the business than the greenest
helper. Fcnnelly had man named
ONelll on the pay roll as iiasttter at
So 30 per day. O'Neill was "A common
laborer and was paid by Fennelly only $S
per week. GOrgan also testified that Fen
nelly had 'feathered his nest" in furnish
ing stock, supposed to be used i'm the
building, and had made a clear profit of
about 20 per cent. through the assistance
of Chief Clerk Parsons.
\ portion of the evidence put in tended
to Indicate that some of the books used in
connection with the construction of the
extension were taken away suSpiciOuslv
from the post Office lust prior
to the opening of the investigation.
James Miller testified that several loads
Of costly timber, purchased for use in the
building, was sent to Parsons residence
i'll Maiden. This timber was loaded by
government employees during working
hours, and the teaming was charged to
and paid by the government. Some of
this lumber was afterward found bv one
of the special agents laid as sidewalk
about Parsons residence in Maiden.
Charles +. Cahill, foreman of IabOrers,
testified TO the selling of large quantities
of sand to vessels for ballast. This cost
the government 81 81 per load in addition
to the loss of the sand Three dollars and
Il half per day was charged for each cart
employed. Cahill further testified that
large quantities of lumber were sent from
the Post Office Extension to the residence
of Mr.. Hill, the father Of Supervising
Architect Hill, in Maiden. Mr.. Hill held
the position of foreman of painters EN-
plOyed on the extension, and got timber
sent to his house at the expense Of the
government, with no cost to himself
ReardOn's teams did the hauling. and
were paid for it by the government Hill
was paid S4 30 per day as foreman. Mr..
keHnard, the Assistant Treasurer and
Disbursing Agent for the Extension. was
present and saw the timber taken to Par
sons. Cahill told kennard ut the time
where the timber was going.
Thomas HOughton, another empl0Je ON
the Extension, testified in effect that the
timber sent to Parsons was packed tim
Der, and that he helped load the cars in
which the sand was carried off, and that
he knew that over 800 loads
were carried off. The sand was service
able. HOughton further testified that un-
der the sidewalks on the Water and Milk
street sides of the building the earth was
found to consist of blue boxing clav
worth 81 30 load. This CLAY, which
is considered one OF the best of natural
was dug ont the entire
length of the building under the
sidewalks, in some places to
depth of six feet, and was carted off to
various points where it was sold. Rear
don, as usual, did the hauling and was
paid for the work by the government.
The excavation caused by the taking out
of this clay was filled with the crushed
and broken brick which had cost the
government between 81 and So per cubic
yard, and to hide its presence thick
layer of cement was laid on top of it. 1t
took six weeks to cart of the clay, and
sometimes six teams We're employed
daily at So 30 each per day.
1t was shown to the satisfaction of the
inspectors that much of the work was
very shabbily and imperfectly done; and
while the government paid for tirst-class
work and tirSt-clasS materials. it OBJ
tanned i'll many instances the poorest. 1t
was also charged that Mr. FOlsam, WhOis
paid 50 % as assistant superintendent on
the buildings, giyes only an hour dav to
the buildings, although he is supposed to
give ten hours a day; instead he gives
most of his time to superintending the
construction Of numerous other build
ings, notably residence for Lieutenant
Governor Ames.