Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-06
SIR HECTOR LANaEvIN's FALL.
A New York BoodIer Mixed Up In the
Canadian Crookedness.


OTTAWA, ONT, July 5.-For weeks
past public attention in the Dominion
has been centred on the disclosures
daily made before the parliamentary
committee of inquiry respecting the
alleged breach OF trust committed by
Sir Hector Langevin, Minister OF Public
| Works, and the trusted colleague for
twenty years of the late Sir John Mac
Donald.
Mr.. Tarte, a mugwump Conservative
member, preferred charges which, If
| finally sustained, will lead to the i'm
peachment and imprisonment of the
minister and his friend, Hon. Thomas
McGreevy, NJ. p.
Thus far the evidence has incrimi-
| mated both politicians.
Mr.. Tarte sought to prove by wit
nesses that Sir Hector committed a
breach of public trust in awarding big
contracts to political favorites, Carken,
Connolly & Go.
Hon. Thomas McGreevy, it trans
pired, chad the "pull" with the min
ister. Through his influence contracts
| for the naval docks on the Pacific coast
and the Quebec harbor works were Sc
cured for the firm.
BY process thus far unexplained,
lower tenderers were got out OF the way,
and the profits, aggregating over 81, ,0O0,-
600, were divided among The silent
partners, including Hon. Thomas Nc
Greevy, M. P, and Owen E. Murphy,
of Quebec.
A quarrel about the division Of the
spoils made public the present scandal.
Hon. Robert McGreevy, the third 81
lent partner, determined TO ruin his
brother. Hon. Thomas, and called to his
aid Murrhy and others: AT recent
sitting Murphy swore that he had per-
sonaily paid into Sir Hector'S hand S25,-
600 i'm cash.
Under examination he admitted he
could not recolect whether he made the
gift i'm the winter or summer.
Sir Hector asserts his innoceUce.
At Yesterdays meeting Mr.. Murphy,
under croSs-eXamnation, acknowledged
that he was a fugitive boodler from
New York. His testimony may alter
the entire case.
Mr.. b. B. Osler, criminal lawyer,
conducted the examination. Murphy
said be lived 27 or 2S years In New
York, prior to December, 1877, when he
left rather suddenly, leaving all his
property, real and personal, and family.
In New York ne had held two i'm
portant public offices, being one OF the
board of three excise commissioners and
a school trustee as well. He was treas
urer of the Excise Board, without
security.
As such he received large sums of
money, which remained at his personal
disposal. When he left New York on
the 99d OF December, 1877, he was still
holding Office.
After you left there was there some
fuss about your accounts?" asked Mr..
Olser
s,'Th.ra a,ae. ,, was tho raply.
II. OsleT-Wa5 rhere an a:idit?
WitneSs-Not while L was there.
Mr.. Osler-Ob, no: not while you
were there, of course. Laughter.
Mr. Murphy then proceeded to eX-
plain that he had obliged friend by
lending him $50, 900 of the board funds
for the election contest in which Kelly,
the Tammany boss, ran for the State
governorShip, and the friend had unfor-
tnnately failed to return the loan. He
had subsequently drawn $1,000 of the
same fund to help him to get back the
first $4,000, but was again unSuccess-
full, and left New York.
The facts had all been published, and
he did not care who knew them. He
intended yet TO pay back every cent
of it.
After leaving New York he had
moved about considerable, coming to
Canada and afterwards travelling to
Europe and to South America. until
June, 1880, he settled dawn at Quebec.
In New York, he was known geDer-
ally as Owen Murphy, though some
times as Owen e. Murphy. The E.
stood for Eugene. He did not remem-
Der that when he came to Canada he
was known as Eugene, dropping the
Owen, but If documents were produced
in his handwriting signed Eugene, he
supposed il would be so-that nc used
that name only.
A number of questions were then put
and declined, but the witness at length
admitted that true bill had been found
against him by the grand jury for per-
jury, that he had pleaded not guilty,
and that his trial had twice been put off
on application of his counsel, because
OF the absence Of witnesses.
They were still absent, some on the
Pacific coast and some Ia Texas.
The evidence has created a sensation
here.