The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-06-28
The Hill Investigation.

WASHINGTON, June 26.-Hill asked
to correct his testimony of yesterday.
The chief clerk had told him last
night that the accounting officers in
the treasury do lot require articles of
association of corporation to iIe flied
with the bond, consequently his ties
i tim0ny yesterday, that articles of aSso-
Cation of the United States company
"rre being filed, was incorrect. They
/ were never filed.
QueStion-Don't you know that the
United States company Is Il myth ?
and that Damon takes contracts and
does work for the department which
he could not otherwise do?
Answer know Just the contrary;
that it is an incorporated company,
and has been doing business for years.
Question-What is the name of the
firm over the door where these shut
tiers are made?
Answer do not know.
QueStiOn-Ghen you have no evil
dence. bona tide, of such company or
its actual existence?
An Wer-There are extracts from
their meeting attached to some of
their contracts.
By New-Have you ever seen their
articles of Incorporation?
Answer-No sir.
Coleman-Will YOU show me the
certificate of the accounting officers
of the treasury of the responsibility
or reliability of this United States
consular.
Answer-It is probably attached to
their contracts.
misunderstanding bonds)-1f
these bonds require two sureties and
Damon is an officer of the company,
then they have but one surety and
the bonds intended to meet the law.
Secretary Folger was then sworn.
He fatty contradicted that part of
Hills testimony where he swore he
had shown a paper to the secretary
containing the story of an offer OF
$500 to the Manly Cooper company
to withdraw their bids He didn't
show witness any such paper, but
stated verbally that one of the bid
ders had made proposition for Man.
ly Cooper to withdraw their bid, as 1t
was reasonable to suppose the lowest
bidder would have the contract. In
vestigation of alleged bribery was
ordered. The amount of $4,000 was
not mentioned by Hill, nor was the
name OF the party making the offer
of bribery given. There VI as at that
time 10 question of rejecting the bid.
l certainly understand that if the
shutters OF the Manly Cooper COM
pany stood the test they were to have
the contract.
In reply to further questions he
s i'd: Il knew before the contract
was finally awarded that this Manly
Cooper compauy'S shutter did not
meet the requirements of the speciti-
cations in thickness. Hill made no
written report on the SUI ject, and l
would not undertake to say. He said
they pledged themselves to furnish
shutters as required within twenty
four hours, and that it should not in
Jerfere with the execution OF the l.
tract, nor do l remember that he told
ME the shutters of the next lowest
bidder were also thicker than called
for 10y the specifications"
Coleman then stated that owing to
the fact that no assistance Gas often
requested) had been furnished the
prosecution for the examination of
papers and accounts, Gen. Steinmetz
had been unable alone to prepare all
the evidence they wished to present
in the Barlett-Robbin case. The pro-
secution, however. were ready to go on
with another branch case which
would not require much time. The
counsel then read, as specifications
under the general charge of fraud and
corruption, that Hill, as supervising
architect of the treasury, in March,
1877, promised and agreed with Jas.
w. Wilbur, then having claims
againt the government to the amount
of $4,000, for furnishing illuminat-
ing tiling for the New York post
office, to pass said claim if Wilbur
would allow him (HilD ten per cent
of said claim; further, that Hill
knowing L. E. Cannon to be associ-
ated as co-partner in the firm Of Sim
mons, johnson & Co. in the transact
ing Of bushes relating to traffic in
building materials, refused to dismiss
G lnnon from his position in the arch
itect's office, but permitted him to re-
main and use his influence in secur-
ing contracts for his firm.