The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-29
STONE CONTRACTS AND BIDS.
w. III. VENABLE's EXPERIENCE
WITH GREEN AND GAYNOR.

hoWeNer-D0ubtfuI Nature OF Yes
terday's TestimOny-James Foley
said He Was Refused the specifici-
cations Because He Was Sup
posed Cuban FfIibuster-Bet the
Drinks He Could Get Them-COurt
Declines to Go ON n Junket.
The officers of the court martial viii not
go down the river to-day with the con-
! gressional river and harbor committee
Perhaps they do not think it appropriate
for the officers of such a court to 20 on
what some might look upon as a junket-
ing trip, but should they live in Savannah
long enough they will learn that every
body goes on junkets. whenever the oppoa
tunity presents itself; that the junket is
quite fad.
The court will assemble again at II
o'clock and proceed with the examination
of government witnesses. The examina-
ton of the witnesses yesterday developed
very little. II might have been a mat
ter of doubt in the mind of a stranger
not posted on the proceedings whether
the witnesses sworn were for the pros
ecution or the defense
Mr.. f. A. D. Hancock seemed to have
had some trouble in getting specifca tons,
and said Capt Garter told him ne would
have to have a 500. 900 plant TO begin work
under the contracts of 1886 Solicitor Gen
eral Osborne gave some testimony with
regard to efforts to get some specidca-
tons for Venable Bros. Mr. w H. Ven
able testified with regard to his intentions
as to bidding. and entering into con-
tract TO furnish the Atlantic Contracting
! Company SO much stone. Mr.. James Fo-
ley testified to having applied for speci-
fcations on wager he had made that he
could get them
Mr.. Hancock, the first witness. said he
was at present In the employ of the Ven
able Construction Company of Atlanta.
Ga. He was interested in the improve
ments of Cumberland sound and Savan-
nah harbor under the contracts of 1886.
He was member then of the firm of Nc
| Alpin G. Schley. Mr.. Venable came down
and they decided to join with him in en-
deavoring to secure the work.
He called at Capt. Carriers office, went
into his private Office, and asked for the
| specifications.
He asked me If 1 was an agent and
told him no, l was one of the principals.
He said that was all right that they were
not giving them out to agents l told him
l was not familiar with the work. and
he then began to warn me Of it's difficult
character, especially OF that at Cumber
| land sound, saying a large trestle work
would nave to be built, and that 1t would
require plant costing about 100000 He
ana not give me the specifications then,
but said he would send them to me as
was customary. The AUTHORIZATION would
not be available for some time he told
me, and it would require some money to
carry on the work. He then sent me soon
after two letters. each containing one
copy OF the specifications for each of the
works."
Mr.. Hancock said he did not get the
other two copies necessary for mallina
bld. lie did not apply for them. FH@ad
asked Tor only one copy of the speci6ca
lions and got what he asked for. He did
not make any bid The defense asked
hr. hancock no questions, apparently
much TO the surprise of the Judge Advo-
cate.
Mr.. W. w. Osborne. Solicitor General.
was next sworn. AS attorney for w ~
Nenable, he had written to Capt. Garter
asking FOR copies of the specifications. and
they We're for.
What did you do then?" was asked
Il wrote back at Mr.. Nenable's SUCCESS
ton, stating they were wanted by r.. A.
Johnson of Augusta, Ga" was the Ie-
ply.
did you get them them" was asked
mo, sir. l received a reply back stat-
ing they would be mailed" Mr.. Oshnrne
said.
Did you ever get them?' was asked
Mr.. Venable himself then went TO The
office of Capt. Carter and got them lie
"a hay I..o,
cd them several days in advance of the
other contractors knowing it," was the
reply.
Mr.. Osborne said Mr.. Venable wanted
to make bid. He qualified on a bond.
but he did not know about the bid. ON
the cross-examina ton Mr.. Osborne sid
he had since learned that r. A. johnson
was a fictitious name. The letter had
been written from his Office just across
the street from that of Capt. Carter.
Mr. w. II. Nenable, the granite man. |
told of his having sought the specifca- !
tons through Mr.. Osborne, his friend and |
his attorney, and being unable 10 Obtain !
them. He spoke of having given the dc- |
titious name, because, he said as a mat |
ter of prudence, he did not want it known
what he was going to do until he had |
made up his mind whether he would bid |
or not.
Il then went to the Office of Cant. Car |
ter" he said ''and he went over his charts |
with me, showing me what work was to be |
done and where He spoke of the three |
styles of mattresses in the specifications, |
and said they were to be built as described |
He told me it would require large |
amount of money to take up the work and |
l am not certain, but thinks he said il |
would require a plant costing about 500. !
coo. He gave me Information which might I
aid me in making an intelligent bid and |
that was the way | took IT,"
did Capt Carter tell YOU which stvle
of mattresses would be used most?" was |
asked.
No. sir" was the reply. Il don't think
he did / knew nothing about the con-
structon of mattresses, never having had |
anything in that line 70 do"
did you make a bid?" was asked
Il made out a bid he replied. but did
not put il in because of the fact that I |
knew so little about mattresses and could
get no information about them For that /
however did not apply to Capt. Carter :"
Mr.. Venable said he was primarily in
the stone business and came here more
particularly for the purpose of selling
stone. That object he accomplished in
making contract with Capt b. d. Green
which was afterwards SIGNED b,, H.. ~