Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-29
TRIAL OF MAJOR LYDECKER.
I Continued from first pdge.l

Continued from first page.I
an increase Of force, said Capt. Sears, which
had been approved.
The prosecution at this point rested ito case.
BRIa.-GES. NEWTON on TIE STAND.
Brig. Gen. John Newton, retired, was called
by the defense, and said that he recognized the
accused. He said in reply to Gov. Boutwell,
that he was one time chief of engineers and
that during this period the tunnelling on the
aqueduct extension had been begun.
"Will you state state what is the course Of con-
this2"
"He would generally have his assistants as.
signed to him. cannot tell az to the case Of
Major Lydecker. In case Of contract, with
the necessity Of strict supervision, you might
have inspectors and sub-inspectors and an en-
glneer officer or two. Such system should, if
faithfully executed, result in good work."
He went on to explain that in case Of an
officer in charge of a contract operation with
pected to give much personal supervision, and
could not himself be of any great benefit
against fraud.
HYPOTHETICAL CASE.
Gov. Boutwell, then described the tunnel as q
hypothetical case, and asked if Major Ly decker,
with the duties Of his office, could have per-
formed any effective personal service against
fraud.
81 think not"
eff he should visit the tunnel at all for what
purpose would this be, and what gain would re-
IF the work is of an ordinary character, not
requiring any special oversight, he might have
done no good in that respect. do not see,
when 1t comes to matter of practical moment,
what Major Lydecker could have done by a
personal inspection beyond satisfying himself
as to the progress Of the work."
THE NEW YORK AoUEDUcr.
"What has been your personal experience
with this kind of work2'
81 was one CT the commissioners Of the New
York aqueduct, and / notice that the
cheater got in there2 The work there was
under the charge of a number of inspectors,
and the fraud was discovered quite accident
allyr'
The judge-advocate asked how frequently an
engineer officer should visit his work.
That was matter of judgment" was the
answer.
Take the case of double work, one at the
surface and one below, which should he be ex-
pected to visit more frequently"
That would depend upon the nature Of the
work"
''How often do you think this tunnel should
have been visited by the officer in charger"
IF there were no danger Of any caving in
can't see the necessity of an officers visiting
the work frequently"
"Ought the increase Of vigilance be common
surate with the increase of a chance to de-
fraud?"
Certainly"
Sin the case Of this tunnel?"
Il should assume that the visits of the Off
Ger in charge would do little good. His per-
sonal presence would do no good, for the mo-
ment his back was turned
THE BAD WORK WOULD GO on"
GLOW often ought the supervising machinery
be supervised itself by the engineer in charger"
'He ought to have q man in the tunnel for that
purpose all the while, or he ought to do it him
self if he had no one in whom he has conf
fence"
The witness thought that with a system of
reports the engineer-in-charge might feel con-
hdent that the work was going on all right,
even If he went into the work very infre-
quently.
Would his presence do harm?''
II m not SO sure but that it might do HARM"
LAS an engineer officer, interested in the rep
utatlon OF the corps, would you like to see
work
CARRIED on IN THE NEW YORK wAY9'
asked the judge-advocate.
The witness was thinking this over when
Gov. Boutwell, interposed an objection. The
major withdrew the question, although Gen.
Newton said that he was willing to answer.
Col. Poe asked concerning the personnel on
the New York aqueduct, and was told that it
was, Iii the estimation of the witness, excellent
One other officer asked if the engineer in
charge of an important public work. near his
station, involving a large sum of money, should
not visit it frequently. The general said that
that depended on the satisfaction of the officer
with the system under him. He afterward vol
unteered the statement that in his opinion
PUBLIC WORK BY CONTRACT
was, if not impossible, dangerous. He had su-
perintended the blowing up of He'll Gate some
years ago, but that project was accomplished
by days labor. This system, he said, required
much less supervision, the men being willing
and anxious to do good work. inasmuch as the
work would thus last longer.
GEN. NEWTON WAS EXCUSED
from the stand shortly after o'clock, and MIR.
Swift, upon being introduced to Gen. Duane,
who was present, took him into the little ante
room on the east of the court room and had an
interview with him. The judge-advocate con-
tinued the reading of yesterdays proceedings
while this was in progress.
COURT NOTES.
THE STAR has received postal card contain
ing the following: In your Paper of to-day
saw in the tunnel investigation it stated that
the Packers were or might have been Lazzie
but it is a mistake 1 worked there awhile my
self know no Lazzie man could not stay
there"
One Of the colonies while going to lunch to-
day remarked to a STAR reporter that the court
was making entirely too much progress for him.
He did not want to leave Washington so soon
and go back to Madison barracks where, when
he left, the snow was three feet deep.
copy of To,nn Topics lay on the table this
morning on the blotter in front Of the chmr
occupied by one of the most venerable of the
colonies, and caused some jovial comment
among his colleagues.