New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-18
THE HILL INVESTIGATION.

WASHINGTON, April 1.-THE committee
appointed 10 investigate tine charges against Supervising
Architect Hill. met this morning and decided to conduct
the IN investigation with open doors The taking OF test
mony will probably begin on Monday. The charges
preferred against Mr.. Hill by xRepresentatiye Murch
are made public to-day. They substantially fol-
lows:
l. General charges OF corruption. fraud and extraya-
eance against ring in Architects Office composed
of Assistant Secretary French Architect HILL Assistant
Architect Jacobs. A. @. Thomson. D. II. Powers b. l.
Little Cannon, Church. JOrdon, and Bartlett Robbins
d Co., and others.
charge that Hill corruptly administers the patron
age Of his office against interests of the United States
g. charge that contractors known to be guilty OF
fraud are especially favored by the Supervising Areh
tect having largely overpaid by many thousands
Of dollars, and otherwise corruptly benefited.
A. charge that unskilled and incompetent persons
are knowingly employed IN the Architects Office and
paid at rates due the competent persons paid who
hold sinecures and do other work for which they
paid.
g. Charges that contracts have been let In violation
of law persons the lowest bidders and that prices
have been paid for labor and material known to have
beenextortIonate and excessive that vouchers have
been paid for labor and materials furnished and
that vouchers bids and contracts have been uDlawfuy
and corrupty altered to the advantage and benefit OF
contractors.
Among the contractors alleged to have improp-
Company, the Dix Island Granite Company, Bodwel
Granite Company, Hurricane Island Granite Company
Old Dominion Granite Company, the westham Granite
Company Collins Granite Company, Clarke Island
Granite Company and Bartlett, Robbins Co.
One of the specifications alleges that the persons
named I'm the "rng" and their associates
have exaced fees commissions, percentages presents
shares &c. from contractors Another specification is
that employees the office used Governneu time
and maj eraIs the designing and construction Of PR
yate Among the witnesses AIMED are Secretary
Folger Senator Dawes, A. B. Millett W. G. steinmctz
T. H. oaksbott, ). NJ wilbur. Joseph Worms, j. W. Bar
ton Michael Giblin T. L. James and T. III. Murcn.
The charges preferred by Whitall, Tatum Co., OF
Philadelphia relate contract for furnishing iron
shutters for the Custom House at Cincinnati. They
allege as fOOwB BIDS for this work were opened on
December IL, 1882. There were four bidders. The
Phlladelphia The next lowest was S146640, made by
the United states FreproofShuter Company OF Boston
The agent the latter company demanded hre test,
yising Architect Pending the test, tne Phla-
depnia company was approached by me agent
OF the Boston company aud offered bfioe OF S4ooOto
ing In the supervising Architects ONCE by SO dong Ihe
Supervising Architect subsequently ohicialy IN
formed OF this Transaction The contract was
was 81 900 in Of thai Of the Philadelphia COM
pany. The Philadelphia company further states tnht ~
has credible M that te;t Of any my ta wss
description either Of the specifications the superys
upon Eleven charges preferred against Mr. Hi by A.
b. Mullett, formerly supervising Architect have also
been referred the Special Committee These charges
connection with the Post Once Philadelphia aud the
Custom House. Chicago. Mr. Mulletps allegations
period OF time dating back TO his own admins-