Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-07
M'KNIGHT'S CLAIM CASE.
Hastings Sat Down on Scheme TO Hire
Castle Garden ImmIgrants-The Facts
in the Boards Hands.

Hastings Sat Down on n Scheme to Hire
Castle Garden ImmIgrants-The Facts
in the Boards Hands.
The Mcknight suit against the State for
payment of work done at Johnstown was
brought to a close yesterday. The con-
cluding testimony was taken, the arguments
on both sides were made, and the case left
for settlement in the hands of the Board of
Arbitrators.
Mr.. O'Brien, former witness and State
time keeper, was recalled. and testified that
he had been foreman of from II to Is time
keepers. That the State kept no time record
on June IA and 10.
General D. f. Hastings was sworn, and
testified that he represented the State work
at Johnstown, and was under the orders of
Governor Beaver. He had charge of the
military and of the distribution of food,
clothing, etc. The uniformed officers of the
National Guard, received pay for their SER
vices. Exhibit 50,'' being a communica-
tion from the Governor to Generali Hastings,
containing instructions, was placed in evil
dence. The witness testified to having in
terviews with Governor Beaver, and receiv-
ing instructions to do all that was necessary
for relief of the sufferers and place the re-
said: Il relied almost entirely on James
Mcknight for many supplies and work.
The valley 1 divided in four districts,
and had four contractors. Mr.. McDon-
aid, contractor of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad came to me and stated
that he was to have complete charge of the
contracting work having received his au-
thority from the Governor He had no men,
but said he would get them from Castle
Garden. / told him that he could have
charge of nothing and as for men, there were
enough in Pennsylvania to do the work.
looked to Mr.. Mcknight to supply all
machinery for hoisting and placed him in
charge OF 200 log foaters. do not think
he was ordered to make out a detailed
statement of all the work done by him or
material used. Nearly all acquisitions were
made on him and the distinction to be kept
between State and relief work was too
difficult in the great emergency"
On cross-eKamination General Hastings
stated that at first all drafts drawn on the
Governor did not specify whether the pay
ment was for State or relief work but this
was afterward changed and the specifca-
tions had to be made. VI
Henry Brush, State timekeeper, testi-
fed that he did not remember having been
sent bv Mr.. Whitaker to hunt up IA gangs
of men, no records of which were on the
timebook.
The arguments in the case were next
made. Charles S. Mckee, attorney for the
plaintiff, argued that the State was duly
bound to pay Mr.. Mcknight in full At
torney General kirkpatrick claimed that
the State was responsible only for the |
State and not tor the relief work; that the |
time records of the State timekeepers did |
not correspond with that of Meningitis, |
and that, as the contract clearly held Nc |
knight to abide by the statement of the |
State timekeepers, Mr.. Mcknight could not |
hold the State responsible. The matter was
here given to the board, and will probably |
be decided in week or two.