New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-16
the disturbance was arrested and he and the officer
held to await the result Of the wounded mans In
ttrio
DEFRA UDING THE GOVERNMENT.


CHARGES AGAINST TREASURY EMPLOYEES.
TESTIMONY SAID TO HAVE BEEN PLACED BEFORE
SECRETARY FoLGER IN CONNECTION WITH THE
BUILDING OF THE BOSTON POST OFFICE EXTEN-
SION.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
BosTON April 15.-Tke Herald publishes long
story about frauds perpetraed in the construction
of the extension to the Boston Poet Office. The
extension has already cost much more than the
original estimates, while its construction has
dragged slowly. When the extension was supposed
to be on the eve of completion information reached
Secretary Folger to the effect that gross corruption
and dishonesty were being practised on the Govern
ment by some of those engaged in the construction
of the building. Secretary Folgers attention was
first called to the alle ged irregularities last fall
The exposure originated i'll quarrel
between John c. Fennelly who had
the contract to furnish the plumbing.
and Dennis A. 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 a similar char
acter affecting others were made to the Secretary,
who decided at to sft the matter to the bottom
Special Agents Bingham and Kimball, of the Secret
Service were detailed to investigate the matter.
Horgan charges that Fennelly carried men or the
payroll at SO 80 per day as mechanics who were
common laborers employed at $6 and SIS per
week At the same time Fennelly also car
RED on the payroll number of helpers
at So day. but actually paid each only So week
He placed his foreman on the payroll as plumber
at SO 25 per day, after having carried him on the
roll as boss gas-ftter for year and a half at
$4 so per day. The man was John Powers who
was not plumber and knew less about the busl-
ness than the greenest helper. Fennelly had
man named O'Neill on the payroll as
gas-iitter at SO so per day. ONeili was
common laborer, and paid by Fennelly
only So per week. Gorgan also testified that Fen
nelly had feathered his nest in furnishing stock
supposed to be used In the building, and had made
q clear profit of about 20 per cent through the as
sistance 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 sus-
picously from the post office just prior to the OPEN
ing of the investigation. James Miller testified that
several loads of costly timber purchased for use in
the building, were sent to ParsOns's residence
In 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 by one of the special agents laid as sidewalk
about Parsonss residence in Maiden.
Charles T. Cahil foreman of laborers, 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 a half per day was charged for each cart en-
ployed. Cahill further testified that large quanti-
ties of lumber were sent from the Post Office Exten
sion to the residence of Mr.. Hill, the father of
Supervising Architect Hill, in Maiden. Mr.. Hill
held the position of foreman of painters employed
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 81 so per
day as foreman. Mr.. Kennard, the assistant treas
urer and disbursing agent for the Extension, was
present and saw the timber taken TO Parsons.
Cahill told Kennard at the time where the timber
Thomas Houghton another employe on the Ex-
tension testified in effect that the timber sent TO
Parsons was picked timber and that ne helped rTs paG
Off and that altogether be ~, knew that
h0ughoqM & anS @ sqat udes sdes
of the building, the earth was found to consist OF
blue boxing clay worth 81 90 a load. This clay,
which Is considered one of the best OF natural
foundations was dug out the entire length of the
building under the sidewalks, in some places TO
depth of six feet, and was Garted on to various
points where it was sold; Reardonl as usual did
the hauling, and was paid for the work by the Gov
ernment The excavation caused by the taking out
of this clay was filed with tho crushed
and broken brick, which had cost the Government
between four and five dollars per cubic yard and TO
hide its presence thick layer of cement was laid
on top of It, 1t took six weeks to cart off the clay,
and sometimes six teams were employed daily at
SO 90 each per day.
1t was shown to the satisfaction of the inspectors
that much of the work was very sha6bily
and imperfectly done; and while the Gov
ernment paid for trst-class work and first
class materials, it obained in many instances
the poorest 1t also charged that
Mr. Folsam who is paid So so as assistant superin-
tendent on the buildings, gives only an hour day
to the buildings. although he is supposed to give
ten hours a day; instead he gives most of his time
to experimenting the construction of numerous
other buildings; notably residence for Lieutenant
Governor Ames.