Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-06-27
HILL ON THE OFFENSIVE.
CHARGES OF MALICIOUS MIS-
REPRESENTATIO MADE.

The Prosecution Hurting in New
Charges of Curruption-Gen. Tyler De-
nies that Mr.. Damon Attempted to
BFibe ManIey and Cooper-A Tilt with
Coleman.
WASHINGTON, June 26.-In the Hill
investigation to-day Secretary Folger tes-
titled that Mr.. Hill had not shown him
any papers in reference to the offer to
bribe the Manley & Cooper Company to
withdraw their bids, but had verbally
informed him of the fact without naming
the amount offered as a bribe, but
at that time the contract had not
been awarded and no investigation was
deemed necessary, as Manly and Cooper
had not withdrawn their bid. The prose-
cutting counsel then said that owing to the
failure of cooperation On-the part of the
Treasury officials, they had not been able
to prepare their case in reference to the
Bartlett and Robbins contracts on the
New York custom house.
They then read as specifications under
the general charge of fraud and corrup-
tion that Mr.. Hill as supervising archi-
tect of the Treasury, in March. 1877.
promised and agreed with James NJ. Will
bur, then having a claim against the
government to the amount of $4,000 for
LllluA IJI I1H
New York post office, to pass said claim
if he (Wilbur) would allow him HID
10 per cent. of said claim.
Mr.. Wilbur was about to take the stand
when Mr.. HilPs counsel asked and was
permitted to put in the answers of Bart
lett, Robbins Il Co. to the charges pre-
ferred in that case. The answers were
then read. Mr.. HilPs statement shows
that this contract was made with A. b.
Mullett as supervising architect, and al
most wholly executed while Mr.. Mullett
and his successor, Mr.. Potter, were in
office, and that all the work under
1t was done upon the orders
of Mr.. Mullett, Mr.. Potter or General
Steinemetz, who is one of the experts tes-
tifying against Mr.. Hill in the present
investigation. Mr.. Hill then analyzes
the exhibit of the prosecution in connec-
tion with the Bartlett 4 Robbins contract,
and says that comparison of this eX-
hibit with the accounts of the disbursing
officer shows that items amounting to
$43, 10 in the exhibition are Implications
of items appearing elsewhere or were not
paid at all, and deducting these amounts
from the exhibit the remainder is the cor
rect amount paid under the contract.
Mr.. Hill charges that these duplica-
tiOns and errors are due to the malice or
ignorance of the parties making up the
exhibit. He concludes with a denial of
any corrupt act or intent in connection
with these contracts.
Bartlett and Robbins answer cOrrob-
crates Mr.. HIPS, makes like disclaimer
of any wrongful act or intent, and says
that j. NJ. Wilbur, who makes the charges
against Mr.. Hill, was a sub-contractor
under themselves and his claim is now in
litigation in the Baltimore courts.
Gen. Tyler who was in company
with Mr.. Damon, the alleged briber of
Manley and Cooper when the offer of $4, 500
was made them, took the stand and de-
MED in toto having ever made or heard
made any offer to bribe. He was present
at the interview described by President
Manley of the Manly and Cooper company,
and by Mr.. Allison, counsel for that COM
pany, but he denied utterly that
any offers of the'kind described by them
were made. He also denied everything
to which Messrs. Allison and Manley
had testified, excepting the fact of his
presence at the time stated. His pres
ence was for the purpose of hearing offers
from the Manley g. Cooper
Company instead of to them.
On concluding his statement, the
witness, turning to Mr.. Coleman, said:
II trust that you are satisfied"
To which the counsel replid: "Oh, yes,
| am satisfied that the lawyers have every
reason to be most suspicious of mOrtals
when one man will swear to one thing,
and another of equally good standing will
swear point blank to the opposite"