Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-06-21
MIR. MURCH TALKS.
The Methods OF the Supervising Arci,i-
tect Further Ventilated Before the
Investigating Committee.
Contracts That Paid from 200 to 300
Per Cent. PrOfit-A Lively Tilt
Between Counsel

WAsHLSoTos, June 2O.-When the Hill
Investigation Committee assembled to-day
before regular proceedings began, Coleman
called attention 10 the published reports oil
his remarks yesterday, IN which he is quoted
as having said that ''the cheek displayed by
this detens. in asking the Com nittee TO limit
the investigation to The fraud in the Phiis-
delphis postofice bulldog is only equslsd
BY the amount OF fees taken by government
counsel in the Star-rouIe case" "What
suppose said was that il was only GquaIed
by the amount of fees paid to counsel by the
government in those cases, and my allusion
to'this fact at all was only TO show how much
more energetically the administration prose.
cuted the alleged frauds in the Postofice Ds.
partment Than they do the frauds connected
with these building contracts. IL shows how
differently the administration investigate in
a case where they are anxious 10 do some
thing and in a case where they are NOT"
Thomas, in reply, charged that the gentle
mems remarks were intended for influence
and effect outside of the room where this
investigation is being carried Oh.
Coleman called attention to the requisition
10 AIDE some days since by the prosecution for
all papers in the case Of BIrtlett, Robbins &
Co, and said: "This rtquisition has not yet
been fully complied win, nor have We any
u eans of knowing TO what extent"
Three clerks 10 the Supervising Architects
Office were sworn, ard testified to having
looked through the files Of the Office for It e
purpose of obtaining the papers called for
by Coleman, aud said that all the papers
bearing upon the subject had been produced.
Murch was then sworn and answered the
usual questions as to residence, occupation,
ctr. Witness had been a stone cutter from
1859 to within SIX year.. Witness worked
both as a ioufneyman slone-cutter and "a
foreman in dressing granite Tor the Pnils-
delphia building. During the time he
worked there the fifteen per cent. contract
was ia force with the Dix Islaud Granite
Company. The men were instructed as To
the length of time they should occupy in
cutting each stone. The euperinlen tent
m sde the estimates, and if a man finished a
particular stone in les time he was kept
jobbing until the estimated lime expired.
The witness worked about l40 days upon one
stone, and believed lie could have done the
work ip forty or 6fiy days.
Ques!ion-Why did you work 140 days
upon one stone?
struc,ions.
Witness believed the work under fifteen
per cent. contracts was much better per-
rned than under the modified contract.
Witness reciled several instances coming
under his own ob,erv alton, where men were
carried on the pay-rolls and paid oy the gov.
eminent where they we're not peri Jrming any
service. Witness believed that the modified
contracts yielded TO the con FACTORS from 200
to 800 per cent. OF profit, ADD WIS grossly un
fair to the government, based as they we're
upon exlravagaat prices paid for dressing
stone under fifteen per cent. CONTRACTS. Wit
ness appeared before the Cjmmission, Of
which Assistant Secretary French aud Mr..
Hall were members, and Testified to si the
facts az ju.t related by him, and called Hills
attention to the unfarness of the modified
contracts, which he (HilI then proposed
m4king.
Counsel for defense wished to postpone the
cross-sxamination OF Murch unit, to- IN orrow,
to which the prosecution assented. iner al
letters and other documentary evidenc, re-
lalipg 10 the Pniisdvlphia buildius we're
then offered, alter which G,n. S.eiune'z was
recalled and questioned as an expert relative
to certain alterations in the plans Tor the
building, when the Committee adjourned ua-
fill t0-mnrr0w