New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-12
THE CEILING INQUIRY.
MORE LIGHT SHED ON THE FRAUDULENT
CONTRACT WORK.
WOODEN BEAMS USED WHERE IRON WAS IN
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. SULLIVAN AND
rrcpr1rrnp HAPPY on rrrrrr sur. Nh.

WOODEN BEAMS USED WHERE IRON WAS IN
TENDED-sUB-coNTRAcT SULLIVAN AND
INSPECTOR BARRY on THE STAND.
IBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE,
Albany, March 1.-THE Ceiling investigating Com
mtee returned 70 work this afternoon, but the even-
ing session was by far the more important. Then
Timothy J. sulivau, the contractor, who was asso-
ciatcd with snath in doing the work on the ceiling
and was the sub-contractor who repaired the As
semby staircase, was sworn John NJ. Bowors took him
In hand o. FIST His early testimony was confined
principally to eiteraton Of the evidence given by him
before the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.
The first interesting point brought out was when
Mr. BoWers asked the witness II he knew that Snaith
had no right to subct the work on the staircase Tho
witness did not know It, but Mr.. Bowers read to
him clause In the contract which said that no part
of the work should be subot unless by tho permission
OF tho Ceiling Commission. Following this. Sullivan
said that he would not have accepted the work II ne
had known this He had not read the original con-
tract Another fact elected was that the items in
the bills which Snalth had sent 10 the Controller.
were copied from bills which Sullivan sent to Snathi
Regarding tho deduction Of tho 90 per cent from these
bills bio did not consider that this existed IN HIS sub
contract, because he took Il for lump sum- On
this point Mr. Bowers spent some time but got no
satisfaction out Of II. The books which he had did
not show that he had presented bill to the amount
Of the staircase work, which was $4,000 His bill
for this was rendered about January /, tho work
not being completed until that time On his other
work he presented his first bill on September 10.
This sum was $4,000, which no got from snaith
Mr. Bowers went into sullivan's private account,
and the witness said that he also paid $500 TO tho
Democrats state Committee. besides buying $1,000
worth OF stock in The Albany Tines His entire
investments amounted to $4,000, including loans.
stock transactions, etc.
When Barry, the inspector, camo 20 him Sullivan
told him TO look around generally and find what he
could do. Although no came there as an inspector
he didn't inspect anything but he never set him to
work to inspect any Of his work. Rowe, the archi-
tect, he said, was moro competent to give in
strllotlon than Barry was as an Inspector.
The witness asked regarding the visits which
Andrews and Sullivan made TO Lake Champlain.
They had been there for three together
or less.
Frank W. sabold. manager OF the Western Union
Telegraph Office here, called this afternoon. but
he did have the kilograms which he had previously
been Instructed TO get He has telegram signed by
Dr. Eorvln Green, that he need not hand over the
dispatches unless IN effect directed by the courts 10
do So
John Barry, the inspector. who was appointed
through the influence Of AssemblymAn sheehan, was
about inspecting work OF this nature Andrews did
experimenting the work Of building. He had about
man. scar reporter tailed freight and kept
groccrystore IN Buffalo, Everything he did regarding
the getting OF this Job through seehan's lnStrc-
tIons- What he Inspected no did not know. bus no
simply kept tho time Of the for sullivan and
Snaith. for which work he paid by the State at
tho rate Of IS day, work that either Sullivan or
snaith should have paid for. During tho first thFeon
days OF work no did not know what no did: no was
only around On Friday last he had conversations
with both sullivan and Andrews. bat nothing OF a
material nature took place.
Orc important BIT OF evidence vas brought out,
however, and that was the putting OF wooden beams
across the northern and southern wall Of tho CAPITOL
Although this man was appointed as an inspector,
he never read the contract tho plans and spccca
lions. He was evidently here 30 draw his s5 a day
and he did II religiously Tho committee win meet
al noon tomorrow and continue tho examination OF
sullivan.