Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-28
THE AQUEDUCT FRAUDS.
What r. said By Meusbers 81 Congress.
THERE WILL BIZ a THOROUGH INVESTIGATION AND rHe
PARTIES RESPONSIBLE WILL BR HELD ACCOUNTABLE
-vfEwo OF yARrous NrrR.RS

rHERR WILL BIZ THOROUGH INVESTIGATION AND rHe
PARTIES RESPONSIBLE WILL n Held ACCOUNTANTS
VIEWS OF VARIOUS MEMBsRa
Members Of the House OF Representatives are
fully alive TO the Importance OF the disclosures as
10 the aqueduct frauds. Those in charge OF The
appropriations for this work and others who take
an interest In affairs here are determined that
there sh II be thorough investigation OF the
matter and that there shall be no respecting OF
persons The responsible parties they are deter.
mined shall be held accountable for neglect
OF duty, II that is the worse they
are chargeable with; and that those
FOUND guilty or fraud and conspiracy shall be pun.
isned TO the extrnt or the law.
Inc conferees on the deficiency bill have already
agreed upon a r solution authorizing a Joint con-
eressonal investigator, as stated elsewhere, an
soen as action has Oeen had upon II Sy me
pointed, the work viii be begun.
NO wHrTE-wAsHINa.
MI. Sayers, OF the House appropriations CON-
mlttee, said to STAR reporter this morning that
there would be no white-w ASKING In this invesga-
tion They were he said, In earnest in the matter.
they Will have authority to summons witnesses
and TO SIT during recess should one occur. The
investigation, he declared, would be thorough
Iloin Geginning TO end, and that the ofiicers
account ror their trust. The whole thing viii be
turned upside down and looked into
TEE GUILTY PARTIES SHOULD BE GOT INTO THE PKNr.
Mr.. Foran said he thought that the guilty par
ties should be got into the penitentiary as quickly
as possible. The oficers In charge OF the work, he
thought, should be dismissed at once for lncom-
potency anyhow. They were directly responsible
for the work, and 10 say that they did not know
anything about 1t does not appear TO relieve them
fron responsibility.
Mr.. Ryan said that there would be thorough
Investigation by Congress- The men who are re.
sponslole for the work will not be permitted to
make the Investigation. II arrive at my judy
ton derive from the newspapers l DO not see
now SUCH tremendous frauds could be perpetrated
II the engineer omcers In charge had performed
their duty"
THE OFFICERS IN CHARGE NOT RELIEVED OF REsroS-
MIR. Clements thought that II the engineer ON
GERS reported that they had been imposed upon
that would be accepted as So 1t would be in the
nature OF a confession. But they would not he re.
1eved from the responsibility Tor neglect OF duty
Mr.. Pays n said: "You cannot quote me too
strongly in the matter. 1t looks to Inc as II there
WORST SORT OF CORRUPTION,
conspiracy and acknowledgements You may de-
pend upon 1t the officers In charge Of the work will
not escape the responsibility 1t is good excuse
to say that they have neglected their work. The
whole matter will be thoroughly investigated by
Congress But those men should be relieved from
duty at once. They should not be permitted to
Investigate themselves. The fact OF their at
tempting to make the investt CATION In secret
should have led at once to their being relieved and
disinterested parties suould have been put in 10
make the lists II is bad piece or business for
them at the best They were placed there 10 look
after the work, and see that 1t was properly DONE
do not believe that, II they had ATTENDED TO tueir
duty faithfully, they could have been deceived by
a conspiracy OF subOrdinateS. The inspectors or
contractors. or whoever may be In conspiracy TO
deiraud The government should be landed l.. the
penltentary."
WHEN CAPT. HoxIE WAS IN CHARGE.
81 know from current talk at the time," he
| added, shat when Capt. Hoxie was In charge he
used 10 put on ruooer boots and old clothes and
60 down into the tunnel As understand, he was
there at all times and attended to his duty. II
tn Sc men had done this think they could not
have been deceived as TO the character OF the
work. THIS sort OF work cannot be su perlntended
successfully from cuOroom. This thing Is CAL
culated TO make Congress dtsIruStrul OF the Army
engineers"
Mr. BURNEs' INDIGNATION.
Mr.. Burnes, chairman OF the subcommittee on
appropriations having the AQueduct matter in
charge, said this afternoon to q STAR re-
porter that members OF both House and
Senate were thoroughly disguised with the
the management or the Washington aQur duct ex-
have d iull and com, lete Investigation. "They
propose TO Investigate, he said, from the Secre-
tary or War down, and make the responsibility
rest heavily upon all Implicated In the frauds,
wneth w ne elect or Otherwise" He said, Iur-
ther, that he was astonisned at the assurance OF
the engineer omcers In assuming TO be perfectly
Innocent and declaring that they are going to nnd
| the guilty parties.
Opinions on the senate Side.
| ACTION OF THE CoNFKRREs ON THE DEFICIENCY BILL.
The developments OF yesterdays investigation
| OF the tunnel lining, as published In The STAR,
constituted the chief topic OF conversation at the
Capitol to-day. The Indignation among Senators
and Representatives was more outspoken than
ever. 1t is practically setted that thorough in
| vestigation shall be made by Congress.
Yesterday afternoon tue cOnIei ees on the the de-
| hnl n he A IF no rnp
rerees are SENATORS Allison ana Cockrell and Rep
resentatlves Burnes, Sayers ana Ryan The bill
contains provision extending the ume for COM
plelion OF the tunnel until the rst or next June
The existing law requires that the WORK shall De
completed BY The nrsL OF next November. 1t Is
manirestly impossible to finish IN that Time On
the showing or The Officers In charge the con-
| tractors the Srnate decided TO extend the time.
This provision brought The matter up for consiuer-
ation In The coulter, nee and II was decided that
Congress ought to inquire into the character OF The
WORK and ascertain the amount OF defective lining
before granting any further legislation.
AN IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION TO BE ORDERED.
The conIerees were unanimous In the opinion
that an immediate Investigation should be had,
and senator Hale was authorized 10 prepare an
amendment to be Incorporated in the bill The
provision extending the time for completion OF the
work was stricken out, and senator Hale's amend
menL is 10 be substituted for IT,
Mr. HALE's AMENDMENT.
STAR reporter sought Senator Hale to-day and
inquired II he had prepared his amendment or
substitute. He replied that he had. and when
asked II The STAR could have 1t he promptly re-
piled In the Affirmative saying that every phase
OF this enlre subject should be laid before the
public.
The Hale amendment to be Incorporated in the
deficiency bill provides that all wOrA In The WASH
tnglon aQueduct tunnel and all contracts relating
10 the same shall be fully Investigated by =
| Joint committee OF Congress, 70 consist OF
three Senator'S, 10 be appointed BY the Presi.
| deut or the Senate, ana three Representatives,,
TO be appointed Dy tine speaker OF the House; that
the committee may hold sessions either dur1ng the
session OF Congress or the recess and In Washing
ton city, Or elsewhere, as may be deemed adviS-
| able; That II may employ clerks, stenographers,
| and experts may administer oaLhs send Tor per-
sons and papers, and must report 10 Congress not
later than the l5th OF next December.
An appropriation OF $ OOO Is provided to defray
| the expenses OF The Investigation.
SOMEBODY TO BLAME.
Senator Hale said 10 the STAR reporter: ut il
intended that this investigation shall be complete
| The provisions OF ali contracts will be examined
and the whole course or The transaction Will b.,
| laid open 10 Congress and 70 the pubic that we
may know where the fault lies.
| somebody has been grossly direlct,
greatly to blame, and we intend 70 know " no Is
responsible" Tue senator added that conferees
| were unanimous In the opinion that there should
| be an immediate investigation, and q thorough
| one.
| SOMEBODY OUGHT 10 BE HUNG.
Senator Harris, who was an interchangeable worker
In getting the original appropriation Tor the water
| works extension through Congress, said to STAR
| reporter to-day, that In his opinion somebody
| ought 10 be hung lie could not express his In
dignation In miider terms. He was chairman VI
ths Commit lee I'M of