Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-21
The ChazEee Agaanse AReAasees INN.
fc0ntiBued from fAe FSr~ E1fsson.l
THE SCOPE or TIE uyyIsTI0 Arfou

1HB SCOPE or TIE NvI0T10AIIoN
Nj. New submitted the Views OF the committee
as 70 the scope OF the investigation and said: In
determining the question submitted at the last
meeting OF the committee as to the importance
and relevancy OF the testimony then offered to be
submitted, viz, In regard to the St Louis Cincln-
nat. Hartford and other public buildings and
woaa q ta e nov fS at Suncy
the inquiry this committee IL called upon 70 make.
The foundation Of this inquiry was laid in q speech
Representatives, In which he stated that the ONCE
OF the supervising architect OF the Treasury was
asem TOP 70 m s led 70 certain
Treasury and Mr.. Murch, and culminated in the
designation OF this commit1ee to Investigate the
for this committee, nor did the secretary in or
gan5ing II intend % inquire into the acts Of for
mittee ia IS the ONCE Of the supervising architect
now corrupt or has the supervising architect
The investigation 50 far has BEEN S directed TO the
modined Is per cent contracts, and the prosecu-
lion sss5 TO SHOW that 1.-THE prices paid under the
lowest market rates" This the supsW y sing Ing
architect expressly admits BY his answer, and
tact is not contested BY anybody" This Admission
covers all the work done under the 10 per cent con-
e. NOT %o on .. 81 tnS SJg
lie buildings erected under such me moulded Con
Witnesses have been called and have sworn to
s me prices paio lot work upon the Philadelphia
vei as what would have been ' 'I fair value ios
labor and profit to contractors, have been elabor-
ately shown by the calculations ana testimony OF
this committee that the same ratio OF excess
e es Prices paid over What was the low
all these buildings 30 erected under the modif1ed
10 per cent contracts, and that the same ratio OF
buildings over and above what would have been a
dair profit exists In such other buildings as is
SHOWN i9' by Gen Stinemetz and admissions OF Mr..
this state Of facts TO exist It devolves upon the
prosecution to show by other evidence or argument
or Corruption making such modea Sa
FOR the present, therefore the committee will not
take up the other buildings, nor WIN they go to
quincy TO take the testimony OF the workmen, re-
serving the right to do either or both, as may be
determined after the submission OF evidence tend
Hill, II such testimony can be adduced II the
prosecution claim that there Is any matter OF q
fraudulent character In any OF the other buildings,
In the Philadelphia house, such matters can be
shown, without going over the same tedious pro-
cess as We have had in that house,
II there be such gIaring frauds as charged in
this matter they should be so patent that evidence
OF them could be adduced within q reasonable
time and without prolong1ng the investigation all
summer. This committee was formed to investi-
gate certain charges that are filed with 1t, and we
SAihA Tue COumltC60 SuOuiQ COQQl6 lCSelI 10 the
work assigned 1t. The other charges on file will
pc Investigated, but the examination must pro-
ceed without delay.
Mr. JACOBS WITNESS
MI. Jacobs, chief clerk OF the supervising archi-
tect's Office, was sworn. Witness In July, 1876
was responsible for the conduct Of the oce in the
absence OF the supervising architect Oncially
he Uacobs) was next to him, and In his absence
was responsible for matters affecting the execu.
ton of contracts. MIR. Hill was at that time as
sstant architect.
At 1880 recess was taken till pm.
AFTER THk RECESS
witness was shown letter dated June 8, 1875,
and contained in the letter book Of the architects
office and was asked ii he wrote or dictated It, He
replied: signed 1t, but did not write or dictate It
Mr.. Hill wrote the letter. Portions Of
the letter were read referring to the
plans for the Philadelphia building, and
witness replied that OF his own knowledge he
knew nothing as to the statement therein made
by the writer OF the letter.
The purpose OF introducing this testimony was
10 snow That Mr.. Hill was personally responsible
for certain changes in the plan for the Philadel.
phla building, by which the government was SUBJ
1ected-as charged by the prosecution-to an ad-
oltiOnal and unnecessary expense OF $244 COO
This closed the case OF the Philadelphia public
building, and Mr.. Coleman announced that he was
ready to present the complaint of Manley, Cooper
Co.. OF Philadelphia, and stated the circum-
stances connected with the case.