New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-24
THE FARCE STILL GOES ON.
CANAL CONTRACTORS SAY THEY LOSE
MONEY.
AND YET THEY ARE READY TO TAKE THE
woRK-MoRE PROOF, IF ANY BE NEEDED
OF THE CHARACTER OF THE
INVESTIGATION.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rKJBUNE.l


Albany June 23-If there was anything needed in
the way OF proof that -. b. HIPS alleged canal in
vesgation arranged and operated simply TO BAN
boOzle the public today's session furnished 1t. The
morning session devoted to listening to Democratic
contractors, who swore that it losing game all
the way through to take State contracts that every
thing was fair and above board in the letting. but
somehow the inspection rigorous that they al
most always lost money. Not one of them made more
than a pretence at explaining how II was that con-
tractors made little nothing their canal contracts,
and not one could satisfactorily explain how 1t hap
pened that there lack of bidders for these
same contracts on which they were so sure to lose
James Hughes, of the firm of Hughes Brothers, OF
Syracuse, proved the star witness of the morning
session. for he asserted that the history Of canal and
other State contracts was marked and annotated wth
the failures OF contractors who had ruined themselves
by attempting TO work for the State. OF all the ap-
preparations made during the last five years." qnoth Mr.
Hughes so much less than per cent has found It's
way into the pockets of contractors as profits that it
is mere bagatelle, mere bagatelle."
1t may be said that the Hughes Brothers are still
ready to bid for these worthless contracts and have
already secured goodly number.
1t was reserved for the afternoon session to reveal
how hollow is the committees p?etcncc Of honest IN
vestgation. W. f. Churchill, formerly Editor Of The
Mohawk Independent" Democrat who stood high in
the estimation Of his party during the campaign OF
Warner Miller against Hill, had been summoned before
the Hill tribunal to answer for his sins I'm publishing
some plain facts about the way Section superintendent
Wood and his clerk. {. ID. Casey ran things in and
about HerkimeI County. He had stated that the esii
mates and pay rolls bore fictitious charges that Clerk
Casey besides doing clerical work for superintendent
Wood, was drawing pay as laborcr on the canals;
that relative OF Casey's who was habltual drunkad
had been employed Waterman, and made other
similar charges some OF which were read by senator
sheard during the deadlock discussions and to which
he called attention when on the stand some days ago.
Editor Churchill came down unattended nor old thls
fair and honorable committee see fit to subpoena
single resident Of Herlmer County who might be aolc
to help ferret the dong of these canal Democrats
on the contrary they brought down at the expense of
the State gang OF over twenty witnesses who were
ready to testify TO the immaculate purity OF Supern-
tendent Wood Casey and the canal administration In
general. Among them Was "Doc' Vedder, VINO,
Churchill said had once chased him through the streets
nourishing a revolver and threatening to kill him.
For this Vedder had been indicted Churchill privately
stated the afternoon that. While awaiting his call to
the stand Vedder had threatened to lick" him If he
could get him out in the corridor.
Such was the array which confronted Churchill all
the morning. and, though he had all his articles with
him and prepared in the morning to face the
musco which meant political osraclsm for him. and
had already lost him his place The Independent"
1t Is not surprising that he weakened and under the
careful manipulation OF Counsellor Mcmahon and others
took the stand in the afternoon simply feature In
the great farce.
Assemblyman Gould had quiet conversation with
Churchill in the morning and then went directly to
Mcmahon and spoke to him, presumably of plan TO
let Churchill down easy and gloss the charges.
At least Churchill understood the matter both then
and after his examination which had every appearance
of a prearranged affair. Churchill sterny inter
rogated TO the $50 expense item which Clerk Casey
had in his account Of April 1890; and then witnesses
were brought up in quick succession who swore the
charge was not excessive; that Casey had a right to
make 1t, and that 1t the usual thing for officials
of his grade to hire two horses and sometimes
driver TO take them along the canal. Not word
did Counsellor Mcmahon have to say about the
drunken relative the payroll not query
about the other charges; Churchill asked
by any member Of the committee 10 read his
articles or explain his charges. so anxious the
Young Rome attorney to get him Off the stand that
he excused him two or three times before the COM
mttee ready 20 let him go.
What's the USE" said Churchill, pathetically, after
he had left the stand half apologizng for his weak
ness for to have those thirty fellows all jumping
II was so much of fsre-ths examination OF
Chnrchl-that even Mcmahon could not restl ain a
d'etat which weak attempt to prove, by means
OF one Republican and half dozen Democrats living
all the way from Little Falls to Hon. and adjacent
Herkimer County villages, that Senator Sheafd tried
Ia Get his bill for $4,000 vertical wall through,
for the purpose Of giving friend named Russell q
sdiacent highway. This attempt occupied all tho
afternoon and afforded the young attorney who had
been down and inspected the place much satisfaction
The committee however, looked bored as usual.