The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-06-30
THE HILL INQUIRY.


WASHINGTON, June 29.-m the Hill in
vestigation Mr.. Coleman called for the
vouchers for money paid George L. Da-
mon since August, 1876, for iron safes and
ffre-proof shutters Also, for all vouchers for
money paid Bartlett, Robbins & Co, or Hay
ward, Robbins & Co., the present firm, for
work done or materials furnished by them to
the government since August 1876
Objection was made by Mr.. Thomas that
such wholesale exposure of the business of
Bartlett, Robbins & Co would be unfair to
the present firm, In that it would disclose
their business to those who may be competing
against them
Coleman-How can that be, when they
have monopoly of the business
Protracted arguments ensued, during which
counsel for the prosecution charged that Bart
lett, Robbins & Co. had secured nearly all
the contracts for tiling since the advent of
Hill as supervising architect, and had been
enabled to do so through corrupt influences in
the architects office, although not the lowest
bidders.
Thomas texcitedly)-If the gentleman
| charges that Bartlett, Robbins & Co cor
ruptly obtained contracts, denounce it as
SANDER.
! Coleman-Let us see the documents show
| ing the amounts of money which these gen.
tlemen have received, and we win be able to
| tell something about it.
| The committee, after consultation, ruled
that counsel should be permitted to inspect all
papers included in his call, and should sub
nit them to thecommittee.
General Stinemetz then took the stand In
| 1874 witness held the position of assistant su-
perintendent Of construction of the New York
postoffice, and had charge of all work Bart
| lett, Robbins & Co had the contract for the
iron work, stairs, gratings, illuminated tiling
etc They furnished material under the i'm
mediate direction of the witness The bills
rendered by Bartlett, Robbins g. Co were
then put in evidence
| Witness read over the items charged for
extra work and testified that one pair Of
stairs, for which Bartlett, Robbins & Co
charged $500, never were put into the build
| ing, and that other charges for extra work
appeared on the bills for which he tStinemetzl
never gave any orders.
General Stinemetz as a witness in the Bart
lett Robbins & Co. case. He testified that
the latter firm charged s37, 900 for extra work
upon the New York post Office, He read from
itemized bills, and pointed out what he al
legged to be unauthorized and illegal charges
| In one instance, witness said, extra was
charged when Mullett had simply ordered the
! Arm to repair imperfections in their own
| work
Chairman New inquired; 'What has all
| this to do with Hill.n
Coleman replied Simply this; we are
this sS7, 900 charged for extra work was ever
authorized, and Hill knew il when be paid
| the bills 50
Witness stated that Bartlett, Robbins &
Co, stipulated under their contract to fur
nish mon screens at certain price per pound,
whereas they charged by lineal foot, and
were 30 paid by Hill, which greatly increased
the compensation of the firm to CORE
spending loss to the government. Ad
iourned
QUARTERMAsTER GENERAL INGALLS,
has requested to be placed upon the retired
list of the army from the 1st of July. He
will then be forty years in the service. There
is considerable speculation as to his successor.
Generals Holabirsl Saxton and Perry are the
. most prominent candidates for the position.
WASSON'S CASE.
An official order has been issued by Adju.
tant- General Drum, promulgatfng the find
ings of the court-martial, and announcing
President Arthur's confirmation of the sen
tence in the case of Paymaster James R. Was
son, and continuing as follows: BY the di
rection of the secretary of war the sentence in
the case of Major James R. Wasson paymas
ter United States army, will take effect July
8, 1888, from which date he will cease to b
an army officer. The Kansas state peniten
tiary, at Lansing, is designated as the plaet
for the execution of so much of the sentencs
, as relates to confinement, where the prisoner
| will he sent under direction Of the command