The sun., 1889-03-09


to Defend His whitownshing Report
ALBANY, March S.-Superintendent An
drews took tho stand this afternoon before tho
| Fish investigating committee. His examna-
ton lasted for several hours. 1t will be con-
tinued next week. This is the first timo that
| Mr. Andrews has been examined with any care
! about his connection with tho ceiling scandal,
! and as he Is ono OF tho most important wit
| nesses perhaps the most important who has
not escaped. a large audience gathered TO hear
him testify. All OF tho members OF the COM
mittee were present, with their lawyers and
the accountant
Mr.. Andrews told OF his childhood and edu-
cation. He had been clerk In drug store.
had worked in II pork packery. and was
In the petroleum business In Brooklyn
He used to know Mr. Cleveland in Buffalo. and
when Mr. Cleveland was elected Governor he
went to Albany and asked him to appoint him
Superintendent OF Public Buildings at n salary
of 81, 500 ycar, which according to his testi
mony. Mr. Cleveland gladly did without any
further recommendation that he could recall
He was Superintendent OF Public Buildings
when the ceiling fright arose last year. Along
in February he got estimates OF tho cost OF a
new ceiling from John Snaith and Timothy j.
Sullivan. whom he had known for some time
and who afterward got the contract. He
thought that he ought to have charge Of the
construction OF the ceiling. and he spoke to
memb bers Of the Assembly about 1t, and after
some months they gave the Job to him. He had
previously drawn up plans and specifications
and found out from the future lowest bidders
the estimate Of the cost Then ne hired IN IN
Decem Der making plans.
Mr.. Seward inquired what was the use OF
making drawings and plans after the ceiling
architect was hired to make plans Just about
the time the contract was let.
had the rlans made as he went along. He did
not explain how any one could bid Intelligent
3 S se Ss NaR ners as e ssd at be be
been sublet 10 Mr.. sullivan. He said that he
should have IT, and he told the committee SO.
The c1nmitee ,D eo promptly voted to give GG 4 h to
self by drawing $3.50 for the expenses OF the
Com mission and by keeping s3,5OO OF It,.
intendent Andrews paid, az lar as there i M ,l6
doubted evidence. do not amount to over sl20.
The SUPERINTENDENT has turned In vouchers to
account for tho $500. but among those vouch-
ers are the items of pay for men who really
,worked for the contraet9rs / and who were paid
1t came out that Superintendent Andrews
had hired Architect James on his own responsi-
ana ,na m the %os os
the Ceiling Commission. Mr. Andrews tried to
neeoant for the ss5HU extra comnens,aion % Is, i he
to the Democratic State Committee rs
bis contribution to the campaign fund.
and $1,000 on the purchase OF somo land. The
rest OF the monet he was unable to account Tor.
This was part Of ths no sh529whdGh ne drew from ON
to account Tor which he turned in among other
things vouchers for the pay of some OF the con-
In answer to d careful cross examination Mr..
Andrews admitted that he was incompetent for
the work he undertook and that he should not
tried OSuDprlltnnd
testified that he did not know that MIR. Sullivan
bs sn eoud Il nos rees eS
than two or three foremen or workmen.
Do you not think you are more sinned
against than SHINING in this matter" asked
Mr. Andrews said he didn't
The counsel tried to mako him confess and
asked him what his object was in shielding
the contractors and the people behind him.
', Mr. Andrews said that he stlli believed that
MIR. Snaith WAS an honest man, notwlthstand-
Mr Creamer said that Mr. Andrews might
his contribution to the Snaith fund was much
larger. He asked Mr. Andrews to confess and
At this Mr. Countryman. Dir. Andrews's coun-
sci. arose and protested. He said that he I'D
vised b BIZ client to answer M no more 4uestiopTs
he allowed to interrupt tho proceedings. Mr..
GogntrymaT proceeded to talk Mr. HTsh OBJ b
make make speech. Mr. Fish said that Mr. Coun-
trynlnn must stop or the Sergeant at Arms
Mr, Andrews was, very nervous and during
this discussion he became 50 excited that he
was unable to proceed with his testimony
and adjourned until Monday afternoon.
There is a rumor that some one OF the soy.
fraud will tell all tho facts next week. There
several witnesses stiIl in the jurisd dicton OF
is WE tha with Mr.
Chairman Ainsw9rtb Of tie conmittsses oa
tried 70 explain, the reasons for hs conduct
the neglect, OF the committee Snaith was en-
ebied 10 take himself, his architect and his
e6os o TN 5ee Of b es
It showed to whom the cash sums were pad.
Mr.. Ainsw0rth said that he did not blame Mr..
would not allow him TO- appear by counsel Mr..
Fish called his. attention tQ the fact that Mr.;
days before his counsel applied for RECOGNITION.
Mr.. Ainsworth said that the CHARGE Of the
%rk s es 81 FGen fo
because Commissioner Perry would hire Demo.
cratic, workmen and so advance the election OF
three KepnbIicans M and iw" DEMOCRATS, Which
llcyed that both part les would be treated fairly,
MI CTeamer h asked NJ; .aM Answ;rMth M I ne dld
could pot be removed except, with tho consent
OF the senate to the nomination OF his SUCCESS
or. Mr.. Andrews might bo removed at any time.
and therefore would not be as free from paIIti;
asked whether Mr.. Ainsworth considered u
Commission OF three Rennblicans and two
Democrats u non partisan Commission.
Mr.. 4 nsworth replied that he did. As to Mr.
Perry, he WIS sorry that the work had not been
put in his charge.
The object Of Mr.. Creamer's question was to
show that there WAS no politics in the bill. but
that the Speaker and Mr.. Ainsworth had raised
the cry OF politics to got sympathy from NOM
bers Of their own party and to prevent ex-
posure OF their alleged wrong doing.
Mr., ,Ainsworth tried to explain how he camo
about bis books and how i bappened that he
while he permitted questions about the bank
accounts OF Mrs: Andrews and Mrs; Sullivan
AS it happened. Mrs. Andrews and Mrs sulli-
van had no hank ACCOUNTS. Mr. Ainsworth
said That he did not allow Mr Fish to ask these
mined TO harrass him and TO deprive him OF bis
Mr.. Bowers asked Mr.. Ainsworth whether he
ever Intended to examine the hooks and bank
account OF Mr.. aith, and he replied that he did
Ho then surprised the lawyers by saying that