New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-29
and the witness, not able TO remember the date he
had last given, was Obliged TO admit that he had
forgotten what he had said q moment previously
PUZZLED BY SIMPLE "sUMs."

PUZZLED BY SIMPLE "sUMs."
After looking at the examination papers again
he swore they were his, in his writing, and that
unassisted he had solved the problems contained
therein. A paper and pencil were gwen to him,
and Mr.. Roosevelt, reading from the examination
papers the witness had Just identified, asked him
TO writc this sum l-3 plus Ia minus l-2.
The witness wrote 7l-s times la and stopped.
Whats the matter ?" asked Mr. Roosevelt
:" / can't write it." replied the witness, sullcnly,
I've forgotten how lie could not even tell
what were the plus, minus, multiplication and
equality signs although ali were used in the eX-
animation papers which he said he had written.
Commissioner Thompson showed 70 the witness
some groups of figures in what he had identified
as his own writing. One was the decimal .ol 7;
Being asked what IL was, the witness replied
"aught seventeen, that's plain enough That,
said Mr.. Thompson, is seventeen tho9sanathS
Another group, .O0O5 was shown, and the witness
said: That's just the same as the other lhc
group ,20S, ,0S2. .039 was shown and the witness
said it was twelve thousand, aught, three aught,
eight, two, aught, three, nine. Being asked TO
numerate the group, he said he didn't know what
The group means twelve hundred and three
millions, eighty-two thousand ana thlrtV-h nine,
That's what said it was,0 declared the wit
ness, without blush. After looking NJ some
the witness said don't understand 'em the
way. you say 'cm. l uscd TO- but I've iofgot'e"
EN-"
The witness wrote something on u PdItE lrou
dictston, taken from the examination papers
The handwriting proved 10 be entirely different
and the spelling was eXecrable, while the wriunG
and spelling IN to the tm fp Wnc %ers eonTa
dcted himself, and when he was finally excused,
stood in the half-open doorway, and in pathet
ically earnest voice, said hope Gentlemen, gentlemen
that you will give me an opportunity TO Vindlcate
my honor, which is very dear to me.
DENYING PREVIOUS TESTIMONY.
When the. sides OF the Commissioners had ceased
aching somewhat Charles F. Terhune was called
to the stand. lie testified that he was hquidator
in the seventh division OF the Custom House,
and had been in the service since April 27, 1885
He denied in detail all that Jordan and Fowler
had testified to, excepting that he admitted an.
swering the questions for his friend, Jordan.
" Don't you think you were suity OF an I'M
propriety in doing thst?' asked Mr. Lyman.
The improperly on my part was the reply,
:" was not great as was the lnHity on the
part of the examiners 20 make such thing pos
sible. The same questions were used on each day
Of the examination, and after tie first day any.
body in New-York could have gone through the
examination with the answers. The witness
denied that he had conspired with Davis, and said
he could not recollect having given the answers
10 anybody but Jordan.
Frank B. Davis, a clerk in Class g. at the
Custom House, also denied the stories Of Jordan
and Fowler. He said that no one had come to
him with cCuntcrNen Of Terry, Terry or
any other signal lie knew OF no rregulaTity
IN the eHhmlhauohS' OF IN he nhnuHng, OF IN,
lived in the same house with Terhune, but Ind
never conspired with him tc have Fowler copy
the questions for Jordan.
At o'clock the investigation WIS adjourned
until IA. M. to-day. Surveyor Beattic issued
| statement YESTERDAY, saying that the only case
Of violation OF the Civil Service regulations that
he had ever been made aware OF was that of
Robert Arnold OF Brooklyn. who had been con.
victed Of perjury and dismissed full report
OF this case, the Surveyor says. furnished by
him to the Commissioners in July 1883 and they
had commended him for his full report of the
facts