Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-06-20
WASHINGTON.

to-day appointed the following cadets at
large to the West Point Military academy:
Manning j. Logan, Ills, son of Senator
Logan, Andrew Curtin Quay, Pennsyl
vania, and Pierrepont Ishem, Illinois, with
Robert A. Emmett, New York, and Samuel
D. Hatch, INDIANA, alternates.
THE HILL INVESTIGATION.
The Investigating committee convened
this morning. General Steinmetz was
cross examined.
Question--If you should take one stone
in any one course and apply it to the
standard cost which rules under the con-
tract through the whole building and that
stone should be 2 very large one, with
great deal Of surface cutting, would it not
show, as compares with a smaller stone an
excessive cost which would rather be APP
parent than real?
Answer-It would not be possible to
compare twelve ton plaster, which re-
quired much labor to make it, and costs
SIS per foot, with small stone requiring
but little surface cutting and costing not
half so much.
Hill-But that is what the contract calls
for.
Witness-Then all 1 have to say is there
was not much seDse in such contract.
/ Thomas stated that one element in the
contract for cutting and dressing was the
extreme low price for which the rough
stone was obtained by the government.
The defense wished to show this was one
reason for a more liberal contract for cut
ting.
Coleman-While it may be a satisfaction
for the public to learn that the government
could recompense losing contractor by
making another contract with him through
which the government must be a loser. In
that case the original Indictment remain
ed, but, as he understood, it was nearly
identical with that recently disposed. He
thought it should be abandoned.
| Ker said the government did not pur-
pose trying that Indictment and if the
court thought it should be dismissed he
would not object; as Merrick was present,
| however, he asked that any action in that
matter be postponed till Saturday.
! Witness insisted that his estimates of
cost for cutting stone for the Philadelphia
! buildings were exceedingly liberal.
Coleman wished to extend the inquiry
to the contracts for the public buildings
at Boston, ST. Louis and Cincinnati, but
into another branch of investigation until
the Philadelphia building was disposed
of.
Coleman said it would not be fair 10
take the Philadelphia contract as q cTi-
terion for the others, for they we're totally
different lie had looked over the con-
tract for the ST. LOUIS and Cincinnati
buildings, and as lawyer he must admit
he had never seen so much cheek displaye ed
except in the amount of fees taken by the
counsel in star route cases. The prosecu-
ton proposed to show not one fraud, but
scores and a systematic plundering of the
government, IN the erection of public
buildings. He said in the case of the St.
| Louis contracts it can be shown
that the contractors were already getting
greater price for the rough stone than
its market value and still IN making modi-
fed contracts the same excessive allow
ances were made for dressing stone. The
prosecution expected to prove that $780,
600 had been raised and used in Washing
ten to fix these contracts in the interest of
contractors. 1t would be useless to prove
this fact unless the prosecution be first
permitted to show that the government
suffered by the execution of these contracts.
The chairman, New, stated to the com
mittee, after considerable reflection, that
he had decided for the present to confne
the inquiry to the Philadelphia public
building.
The committee did not believe they
should investigate the rulings of the for
mer secretary of the treasury or the for
mer supervising architect, but should en-
deavor to find out whether or not Hill had
been guilty of fraud or corruption in
Office, and Thomas put hypothetical
question, based on assumption that GER
tain number of days were required under
a Is per cent. contract to cut certain
stone, and elected reply, Il would not
take the word of any sculptor or stone cut
ter who had beeen working under 15 per
cent. contract. It would not be a safe
estimate to base contract on"
Thomas-Suppose he could not keep it.
CoIeman---Then 1 would not give the
buildings away and be done with it.
Coleman said he proposed to show there
was nothing in the opinion OF the attor-
ney general, or in the decision CT the Sec
rotary of the treasury that warranted the
| execution of these contracts IN the manner
in which they were executed.
Hon. Kenneth Raynor, solicitor OF the
treasury, was next called by the prosecu-
ton. He testified to the effect that there is
no statute which authorizes the supervis-
ing architect of the treasury to make
contracts for and on behalf
of the government, that no money can be
expended upon public buildings until the
plans and estimates have been approved
by the secretary of the treasury, and the
power to make contracts could not be
delegated to the supervising architect.
Coleman then preferred specific charges
against Hill of making cxtrayagant con-
tracts with Earl French, son of Assistant
Secretary of the Treasury French, for fur
nishing stationery for the Philadelphia
building, and asked the committee to order
him to produce the papers bearing upon
the matter.
The committee so ordered and adj
journed.
RETURNED TO WASHINGTON.
Postmaster General Gresham has return
ed and was at the department to-day. The
secretary was informed by Secretary Teller
that the military had taken all necessary
precautions to expel Capt. Paine in the
event of another raid of his party on the
Oklahoma land.
CABINET MEETING.