San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-12-16
THE INVESTIGATION
Into the Courthouse MIDDLE now
Being Made.

house began yesterday AFTERNOON ato'oo
o'clock. Commissioner Dwyer presided.
Judge Callaghan was asked to preside,
hut declined. giving as his reason that he
was too busy in his office to attend.
The proceedings opened by the reading
of the charges, made by the grand jury,
by County Clerk Smith. Maj. Green
represented the county; Mr.. Tarleton
represented Mr.. Gordon, and Mr.. Frank
lin, the contractors At the table were
Commissioners Jos. Dryer, Jonas. UNI
scheid and Boerner, Attorney j. A.Green,
ST., Stenographer AndruS, County Clerk
smith and several reporters. Maj. Green
said there seemed to be no specific charges
except as to the granite work and to the
leaving off of the slate work and the ar
chitect drawing more money than he
should, and with reference to the con-
crete work.
Mr.. Henry PauIy was the first witness
sworn and testified as follows: Il was
one of the bidders on the concrete work.
That was my bid upon the specifications
furnished by Gordon & Laub''. Witness
was shown and recognized the Specifca-
tions Il made my bid upon these speciti-
cations. | remember the amount aprOXi-
mately. 1t was in the neighborhood OF So
600. My bid was not received and was in
formed that no bids would be accepted eX-
cept by the cubic foot. | withdrew my bid
and made another bid on the cubic foot. !
based my calculations on the plans and
specifications
Mr.. Tarleton took the witness and
received the following answers Il made
my bid on the plans and specifications. 1t
happens frequently that you have to go
deeper than calculated.
Witness was excused until tomorrow
when he will bring his calculations
Don Robb, who resides in Brentwood.
eXas, contractor and builder, was
n,,I Cd al n
been contractor for about eleven years
| am a stone mason by trade. | have
looked over the building and think IL a |
fine piece of work. | generally do my
own quarrying for public buildings and
find il more expensive to quarry large
stones than small ones never saw tht
Burnett quarry and it might be easier to
take out large stones in that quarry than |
Others"
Mr.. Tarleton took the witness and was
answered as follows: Taking every
thing into consideration | would rather |
build n in five courses than in three.
am on my way home from Hondo City. ! |
was in Hondo to bid on the Medina
county court house."
Francis Cushing was sworn and said:
Il am builder and contractor and reside |
at HOndO City. | have seen the stones re-
ferred to. 1t costs more money to cut
large stones than small ones. have had
I was superintendent of the city hall in
this city. / have inspected the work on
tue new courthouse and think it first
class"
E. 5. Mackin: Il reside in Austin. am
an architect. | am on my return from
Union City. | have been in this business
for five years. | have had considerable
experience in large buildings: not much |
in granite work. | saw the courthouse "a
far as it is completed. | consider the work /
first class
Anderson Cloud: Il reside in New
BraunfelS. ! am a stone and gravel con-
tractor. / have inspected this work you
sneak of and pronounce it first class.
The witnesses testimony was almost like
the above statement of the first witness
tried.
court then adjourned until 10 o'clock
this morning.
MORNING SESSION.
This morning. at II o'clock, the inveS-
tigation opened for business, with Com
missioner Dryer acting Judge, Judge
Callaghan refusing to act. The proceed
ings opened with the reading of the fol-
lowing resolution, which was adopted as
read:
Resolved, that in view of the impor-
lance of the investigation now being car
on in respect to the late report OF the
grand Jury To the district court of the
house building, that all persons having
any Information in relation to the subject
OF the report Of said grand jury, are re
QueSted TO come forward and give their
testimony: and all persons having imfor
nation of auy witness who has
knowledge OF any matter material
to the investigation are requested
to give such information to any
member of the commissioners court. or to
John \. Green. ST.. Esq, who is employed
by the commissioners court to conduct
said examination. in order that they NAV
be summoned as witnesses.
Resolved further. that this resolution
be published in all city papers,"
The sheriff was ordered to summon +.
Teich. Emil Niggli and Otto Kramer and
TO tender them their witness fees. This is
done that they may be attached if they do
not respond.
The first witness put on the stand was
Henry Pauly, who testified as follows:
The total quality of concrete contained
in fOotingS as per plans and details
amounts 10 23,27l cubic feet. at PAS cents
per cubic foot. which equals S5.6l4.l3.
That is the amount for the work accord
ing to the original plans
RELY Gordon was the next witness
sworn. He testified as follows: Il am
the architect of the new county court.
house building. | succeed Gordon &
Laub." Witness reorgan2ed the con
tract, which was read in court. This
was the contract for building the new
courthouse. | received 80 per cent on
iron, terre Gotta, roof and copper, = per
cent based upon the amount paid con
tractors; 319 per cent based on evocu-
ations and concrete; 5000 is vet
due me. which has not been paid.
| have not been paid a cent in advance
simply as the contract stipulates. The
first amount collected from the county
was a 81, COO, prize offered for the best
plans. For plans, specifications and
superintendent OF tearing down ola build
ings, | was to receive S29S, 81. The
way / arrived at the amount for eXcava-
tions. was from the accounts rendered to