The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03
The Man Who Supplies .:Lum Der for the Schools
 Testifies.
Says He Sorted Shingles Fur
 ntshed the Department =: by Hand.
TWO HOURS ON THE GRILL
Positive Ho Delivered Only the Best
 Quality and That He Gave - Full Measure

Edward Swift, son of P. Swift, who has the lumber contract for the School De-
 partment, was put through the sweating process last night. It wasn't Hammam
 bath. but it was just as effective He was closeted with the Grand Jury for a couple of hours. trying not to tell what he knew about short measure fire wood, which he charged as No. ] lumber. Swift
 transacts most of his fathers business, and consequently was supposed to know
 considerable about the frauds in the School Department
 But while kept under fire for two hours, Swift managed to keep most of his Knowledge to himself, and in order to do ESQ he had to scramble pretty lively.
 Awaiting their turn to be grilled, sev- : eraI figures familiar to the public were gathered in the waiting room. First there was Inspector O'Bren-same old John
 everybody has read about, but who is
 remembered particularly because of his
 being Director Ragan's brother-in-law
 Then there were Directors Burns and ...Drucker, Secretary Welch, Contractor F. :: Swift. and Storekeeper Ryan, all present in response to the usual invitation of the jury.
 ..: Swift was the first witness called and it
 was five minutes to 10 o'clock when he was released from the inquisition cham :-ber; his features bearing no trace of en- 'joyment. If he had passed a pleasant
 time he was careful to conceal 1t.
 Some of MT. Swift's statements were . ingenious, others absurd, and all were framed with palpable intention of con -cealing the facts from his inquisitors. He
 was examined at length as to the quail
 ity of the lumber and shingles furnished : the School Department, and was confi-
 dent all the material was the best qual- :ity.
 1t was observed that MT. Swift made no reference to memoranda of any descrip- .-tlon,' but depended entirely on his mem 'orE, so one of the jurors asked him if
 he did not keep set of books. His reply :was ingenious if not wholly satisfactory to the member of the Grand Jury. Swift said he did keep set of books, but they had become used up, and last February .. Gust about the time the Grand Jury was beginning to make matters interesting for the departmenD he got a new set and fstQred the old books in a paint shop ! books, but they had disappeared and he | had not been able to find any trace of then. .: ~ Finding it was hopeless to endeavor to get a sight of the books, the jurymen began to tax MT. Swift's brain for an- sWeEs to their exceedingly pointed queS- .tions- Sometimes this wad of gray mat ter showed signs of incipient paresis, as, for instance, when Swift was asked why lie. charged S1 90 a thousand for shingles any time for $1 70. when his contract called for fancy shingles at that price.
 SwiftS reply was that the department detnanded special quality of shingles, six inches or more in width, and in order to obtain them he had to open the punches as he bought them and select those that would pass inspection. MT. Swift must have sorted his shingles in the dark, for the members of the Grand Jury and their experts who inspected the school buildings last week that have been repaired recently, found many and many shingles three and four inches wide.
 Swift was positive that all his lumber was of the best quality and that he de- ] liyered every foot he charged for. As his books have vanished the Grand Jury can | take his word for that not as they see | fit; the blanks in the school yards speak for themselves as to quality.
 After Mir. Swift had been allowed to | escape, Storekeeper Ryan was sum- .moned. He told how he checked up all ! the supplies for the department and was sure everything was straight in the lum- Der furnished. The jury adjourned fur | ther hearing of the school scandal to next Monday night while Ryan was still on f be carnet.