Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-18

1888.
LIBRARY BUILDING MATERIAL.
The Cross-examSnasiou Of Architect
Smithmeyer To-day.
SITTING HIS rRsTnoNY-AN xxrLANArpoy AND A
coRREcrIoN-rHE HlARMo ADJOURNED 10 NEXT
FRIDAY, WHEN Nh vooRHHB WILL N KxAMnKp.
The stahinecker Investigating committee got
together slowly this morning. Ten O'Clock is
rather an unusual hour for members OF Congress
TO reach the Capitol Five minutes before that
hour Judge Taylor was the only member In the
committee-room The chairman, Mr.. Rice, ar.
nved promptly at ten, and Justice Lamar who Is
20 be the next witness, came In . few minutes
later. Ar. Lamar has been called In from his
vacation ten days sooner than he had calculated.
DIT he MADE no complaint Before the committee
proceeded with the investigation Mr.. Coleman,
the attorney for Judge Kelly said that he desired
that the reports OF the proceedings for the news
papers be taken from the ofnciai report OF the
mand that the newspaper reporters be put under
oath The committee were not ali present and
thls question was postponed.
- THE cRoss-ExAxNATIoN OF Mr.. sNrrHMEYRR
was proceeded with Judge Wilson pressed the
him and MI. Stahlnecker during witness visit
to New York and Yonkers Witness stated that
the conversation was very general, and nothing
important was said at that SINE as TO marble.
Witness was asked about the visit later In the
year, OF Mr.. Stahlnecker and Mr.. Cardozo, In CON-
pany with him to look at the samples OF iime, and
what was said on that occasion. Witness said
that both gentlemA on that occasion spoke In
high praise OF the Tuckahoe stone.
Judge Wilson asked witness to state specifically
what was said by Mr.. Stahlnecker on that occa-
witness replied that it was not any particular
thing that was said, but the general chain OF
circumstances; the fact that Mr.. Stahlnecker had
OF the quarry, had praised the stone, and mad
showed marked attention TO him (the wttness).
All these things
AROUSED HIS SUSPICION.
Then, said Mr.. Wilson, IL was the fact that he
came there with Mr.. Cardozo that added q link TO
your chain OF circumstances. Judge Wilson then
went over the links OF the chain In the form OF
questions First that Mr. Stahlnecker had met
him in the Capitol and congratulated him on the
passage OF the library bill; then tnat Mr.. Stahl-
necker had told him that there was suitable
marble for the building In his district; that he
afterward spoke OF the good quality or this stone
sney shS the stone be s
merits.
Witness would not agree that Mr. stahlnecker
had asked for the stone to be accepted ION Its
Judge Wilson Insisted that the shorthand notes
OF tne stenographer would show that Mr.. smith,
meyer had stated In direct testimony that Mr..
Stahlnecker had asked for 1t TO be accepted on Its
merits
Witness was asked If the statement of the chain
correct
at is your version of it." replied the witness.
"Have not stated the facts7" asked Judge VII.
"Yes, In your way" replied the witness "There
are different ways OF stating thing"
direction.
THE NEWSPAPER REPORTS OF THE INVESTIGATION
Mr.. Coleman interrupted further proceedings to
again call the attention OF the committee to his
objection TO the newspaper reports. He said that
the report In this mornings paper was as II 1t
might have been written BY the stenographer OF
editor OF the Post and the stenographer for the de-
tense as TO the preparation OF the report
Members or the committee said that they had
not complete, but that they had noticed no evi-
dence OF unfairness. 1t was decided that there
was nothing TO be done in this matter.
CONCERNING CEMENT.
Judge Wilson then questioned witness as to what
MI. Stahlnecker had said to him concerning cement
witness said that at an interview between them in
october (before mentionedD Mr.. Stahlnecker had
said that, OF course he knew nothing OF it but he
thought 1t would be to Mr.. Smithmeyer's advan-
tage TO accept the cement There was some little
confusion as to dates, and Mr.. Smithmeyer made q
correction as to one date
witness QuOCe0 MI. SlanlneCker as Say1nR1tO him
at an interview in November that the cement was
good. there was nothing the matter with II, and
he would earnestly advise him TO accept it. as the
parties had great influence with Congress- and it
would be to his advantage to accept the Cement.
Witness said he replied that his duty required that
he should get none but good cement; that II 1t
required OF him 10 be rascal the sooner he knew
it the better. At this Mr.. stahlnecEer got mad,
witness said.
Judge wilson asked witness IT, as q matter of
fact, he did not know that Mr.. Stahlnecker never
spoke to him OF cement until December and that
no interviews, as described had occurred In OcUo-
Der and November; II witness did not know that
Mr.. Stahlnecker was In New York in connection
with the political campaign and did not get TO
Washington until the last OF october, and that he
cember Witness insisted that Mr. StaLlnecker
had, during two interviews before December
urged upon him the acceptance OF the cement.
ARCHITECT sNrrBNEYER EXPLAINS.
Witness explained, In answer to question by Mr..
Coleman, that the reason he had addressed GER
tain samples OF cement sent out OF the city to be
tested to himself, and had followed them where
they were sent, was that he did not know Just
how to address them and he was advised to this
course.
WEST CHESTER OR EAST CHESTER
He explained further that the quarry Mr.. Stahl-
necker had spoken to him about was the East
Chester, In West Chester County. He had before
testified that Mr.. SJahlnecker had told him that
the stone he spoke OF was the West Chester, in
contradistlnction with the e ,st Chester.
tiOn for this correction.
Witness replied that he had got 1t from the
label on the stone.
Judge Wilson asked II this label could correct
the statement as TO what Mr.. Stahlnecker had
said TO witness. Witness had testified that Mr..
Stahlnecker had called his attention to the West
Chester In contradistinctiOn TO the East Chester
Did he wish to say now that Mr.. Stahlnecker had
not said th1sf Witness said there was Q misap-
prehenson, he supposed. He was convinced now
that Mr.. Stahlnecker could not have said this
since the label shows that the quarry is the East
Chester, In West chester County.
"If you made this mistake as TO what Mr. Stahl-
necker said, may you not have made others7"
Judge Wilson asked.
One OF the committee thought comparative recol-
lection did not show much.
AN ADJOURNMENT 10 FRlDAY.
At the conclusion OF the examination OF Mr.
Smithmeyer, Mr. Coleman stated that Senator
voorhees, was the next witness he proposed to put
on the stand and that he could not be here before
Friday. He said that the senator wanted to tes-
tify, and that they expected TO prove by aim that
Mr.. Stahlnecker had told him that Mr.. Stahl.
necKer's father was interested In the Tuckahoe
quarry. He thought there was other light Mr.
voorhees, would throw on the case. He did not
know exactly what he would testify TO.
After some discussion It was decided that moth
ing else could be done, and an adjournment was
taken at q quarter 70 II, until IL O'Clock on
Friday.