National Republican., 1883-06-21
NrUncn TAKES rnE STAND


MUHCH TAKES THE STAND
And Tells What lie Knows About "soi-
dicringo While working for the Gov
ernmcnt-nIr. Coleman Complains OF n
Lack OF Interest.
The Hill investigating committee met at
1890 yesterday morning. Before the regular
proceedings had been opened Mr.. Coleman
called attention to the remarks made by him
Tuesday and said: 81 notice that ] am re-
ported in some newspapers as having said yes
terday that the cheek displayed by this de-
Tense in asking the commission to limit this
Investigation to the fraud in the Philadelphia
postoftico building is only equaled by the
amount of fees taken by the government
counsel in the star route case. What | sup
posed said was that IL was only equaled by
the amount Of fees paid to counsel by the gov
ernment in those cases. And my allusion to
this fact at all was only to show how much
more energetically this administration prose-
cuted the alleged frauds in the Postof-
flee department than they do the frauds
connected with these building contracts
In the one case the ablest coun-
sci to be obtained were employed
crnment does not pay dollar. In the one
case the whole power of the administration
was employed ; detectives were employed; =;
more money expended in the effort to convict
than was alleged to have been taken by the
defendants, until the prosecution were talked
of as a greater conspiracy than the one on
trial. In this case access to papers are OBJ
tanned with the greatest difficulty, assistance
is denied in examining them, permission to
examine into fraud is limited to one contract
out of six, and the committee have already
given notice that they are anxious to have
the investigation closed. 1t shows how diff
ferently the administration investigate in a
case when they are anxious to do something
and in case where they are not.
Mr.. Thomas in reply charged that the gen.
tleman's remarks were intended for influence
and effect outside the room where this inves-
tgation is being carried on. He had sub
mitted to these daily scenes before the OPEN
ing of the court, and had refrained from re-
torting when remarks were made by counsel
rejecting upon his client (Hill), and annoy
ing to himself but now proposed to ask the
committee to protect both himself and his
client in all their rights. Some further dis
cussion ensued, in which Mr., Coleman dis
claimed any other feeling than the utmost
respect for counsel and his rights The sub
ject was then dropped.
Mr. Coleman called attention to the requi-
stion made some days since by the prosecu-
ton for all the papers in the case of Bartlett,
Robbins g. Co., ana said this requisition has
not yet been fully complied with, nor have
we any means of knowing to what extent.
John y. Patterson, Fred w. Flowers, and
Frank Milliken, clerks in the supervising ar
chitects office were sworn and testified to
having looked through the files of the office
Tor the purpose of obtaining the papers called
| for by Mr.. Coleman. They further testified
/ 4 hat, orin fta AMI had
been produced.
Mr.. Murch was then sworn and answered
the usual questions rs to residence, occupa-
| tion, &c. Witness had been q stonecutter
from 1859 to within six years
mir. Coleman. Since which time you have been
A. Well, hardly politician, though have been
| Mr. Coleman. Have you been member of con
gress ?. Remember you are not obliged to answer
If will crninate yourself [Laughterl
| Witness admitted that he had been mem
| Der of congress. Witness worked both as a
! journeyman stonecutter and as q foreman in
dressing granite for the Philadelphia public
building. During the time he worked there
the 15 per cent. contract was in force with the
Dix Island Granite company. The men were
instructed as to the length of time they
should occupy i'll cutting each stone. The
superintendent made the estimates, and If a
man finished a particular stone in u less
time he was kept iobbingsuntil the estimated
| time expired. Witness worked about lac
| days upon one stone, and believed he could
have done the work in forty or fifty days.
Q. Why did you work 140 days upon one
stone?
A. Because was working under instruc-
tiops.
Witness believed the work under the 15 pei
cent. contracts was much better performed
than under the modified contracts. Witness
recited several instances coming under his
own observation where men were carried on
the pay rolls and paid by the government
where they were not performing any service
Witness believed that the modified contracts
yielded to the contractors from two to three
hundred per cent. of profit, and were grossly
unfair to he government, based as they were
upon the extravagant prices paid for dressing
stone under the 10 per cent. contracts.
Witness appeared before a commission OF
which Assistant Secretary French aud Mr.
Hill were members, and testified to all tho
facts rs just related by him, and called Mr.
Hills attention to the unfairness of the modi
fled contracts which he (HilD then proposed
making. Counsel for defense wished to post
pone the cross-examnation of Mr.. Murch un'
til to-day, to which the prosecution assented
Several letters and other documentary evi
dence relating to the Philadelphia building
were then offered, after which Gen. Stine
metz was recalled and questioned as an exper
relative to certain alterations in the plans fo
the building. At 1:30 the committee ad
iourned till 1870 to-day.