New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-21
THE HILL INVESTIGATION.
THE INQUIRY CONFINED FOX HE 'HNA'
PHILADELPHIA BUILDINGS.


PHILADELPHIA BUILDINGS.
WASHINGTON, June 20.-Betore the mn III
xsstieatiug Committee yesterday Generai SVei'noN
of Kew-York was cross-examined at great ehgn' Will
ont any apparent advantage to the ueiehce' no was
tn reeaed and asked be had seen the contracts Tor
,n nnblic buildings at Boston, ST. Louis and Cincinnati
Mr. Thomas for the defence, objected TO gong mo
nv other branch OF the Investigation until the Phlla
aenMa bnlding was disposed of. This led to argument
mfr Coleman counsel for Mr.. Murch, SAID u woud hOV
be fair to take the Philadelphia contract as criterion
for the Others for they totally different he haa
looked over the contracts for the ST. LOUIS ana Nc
natl buildings and. lawyer, he must aunt no hau
never seen SO much check displayed except IN the
amount of fees taken by the Government counsel III inc
star Route cases. The prosecution proposed 10 snow
not one fraud but scores, and systematic punderng o
,ne Government in the erection of the public buildings
he said that I'm tho case the ST. Louis contracts 1t can
be shown that the contractors were already getting
greater price the rough stone than its market Vane
and stu In making the modified contracts the same ex
cessiye allowances made for dressing the stone
He proposed show that there was nothing IN tue op
ion Of the Attorney General or In the decision Oh 'he
Secretary OF the Treasury that warranted the execu
ton OF these contracts in the manner III wmcn lhe'
were executed The prosecution expected to prove tha
$4,000 was raised and used in Washington 10 Tx
these contracts in the nerT OF the eontsetols
aer considerable reelection bad decided for the present
70 eo9ne tae inquiry S 10 1 mot believe that should in
xes,ea the rulings of former Secretaries of the Treas
shSu,d eadeavor to find out whether not Mt Hill had
been guilty OF fraud or corruption III once.
Kenneth RayROr, solicitor or the treasury, was next
called by The prosecution He testified in effect that
there is statute which authorizes the supervising
beSalf of the Government; that no money can be ex
pended upon public building until tae plans ana ts S
Treasury. The power TO make contracts could not DC
Mr. Coleman then preferred specific charges against
Mr.. Hill of making extrayagant contracts VIA ~,
hnslarr and asked the Committee to order Hill
produce ali the papers bearing upon the mater Inc
AZ the meeting OF the committee to-day Mr.. Coleman
said al noticed that am rePorted IN some news
81 this defence In askLg the Commission TO limit this
Investigation TO the frand in the p9st O S
the counsel IN the Star Route case what
SUPPOSED s na, Sf 10 soSnse by the Government in
those cases. And my aluslon to this iact at ali was
onIy 20 show how much energetcaly this Admins
traitor prosecuted the alleged frauds in the Post once
Department, than they do the frauds connected WIZ
Counsel 10 he obtained were ployed by the
mont and in the other the Government does not pay
dollar 1t shows how differently the Administration IN.
vesiigate in where they are anxious TO 90
something and in a case where they are not"
Mr.. Thomas iu reply charged that the gentemans
remarks Intended for influence and effect outside
the ROOM MIR Murch was sworn ana Nj. coleman asReo
Shave you been member OF CODgresst henleInDeI,
you obliged 70 answer fit VIII eliminate your
self" Witness admitted that he had been member OF
Congress Witness worked both aiourneyman stone
cutter and foreman dressing granite Tor the Ph
there per contract was in force with the
Dix Island Granite Company The men were INSTRUCTED
as 20 the length Of time they should occupy
In cutting each stone. The superintendent made the
estimates and II finished particular stone IN
less time he kept jobbng until the estimated time
expired witness worked about lao days upon one sone
and believed ne could have done the wSrA m i9rty OF
ffty DAYS Witness believed the work under the 10 per
cent contract much better performed than un0er
the modified cont Witness reced several instances
coming under his observation where men were car
red on the pay rolls and paid by the Government when
they were performing service witness believed
that mod1ed contracts yielded 20 the contractors
from 200 OF profit, and were grossly un
fair 10 the Government based they were upon the
prices paid for dressing stone under the 10
fenu fraet