The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-14
Says Heard No |ntimatIon That $lO,OOO Was to Go to
 Members of Commission
BUREHALTER REFUSES
 ID ANSWER QUESTIONS
Engineer Julian Kendrick Says Donel- son Informed Him of D. M. Dren- nen's Proposal to Enter
 Into the Agreement.

w. MelYlll6 1ItuOtflt Oi OI BllmlnR- ham, and brother of the claimant, tes- tlfied yesterday afternoon at the hearing of the claim of D. M. Drennen against the Donelson Construction company for S10, 00O. The amount is claimed by MT. Drennen on an agreement by which he was to receive for acting as adviser in securing for three contracting firms cer- tain contracts from the Jefferson county sanitary commission.
 Mayor Drennen testified that he never heard any intimation made that any part of the $10,000 was to go to the members of the sanitary commission to influence their votes. He denied the statement that he ever attended any conference between D. M. Drennen and the three contractors.
 G. B. Burkhalter was on the stand at length. His testimony was incoherent and disconnected.
 The witness refused to answer several questions propounded by Captain White. the attorney for the trustee. The referee in bankruptcy told the witness that he had no power to make him answer the question. He intimated, however, that if such power was vested in him that he would exercise 1t.
 Mir. Burkhalter declared that the mat ter was a joke He denied that MT Dren- nen told him the sl0,OCO to be paid by the contractors was to go to the members of the sanitary commission.
 Although summoned by the trustee this witness was introduced by the claimant.
 Almost every member of the sanitary commission testified yesterday.
 Julian Kendrick, engineer for the san itary commission, was on the stand yes terday morning. He testified that John E. Donelson told him MT. Drennen had said that certain members of the sanitary commission could be influenced with S1O, 000
 Seven hundred people attended the hear ing which is being conducted before Ref cree N. w. Trimble of the bankruptcy court. On account of another case being set for today in the bankruptcy court, the Drennen claim went over until tomor- row morning
 The hearing was resumed before Referee Trimble yesterday morning at 1O:2C o'clock. A. w. Smith, vice president of the Jefferson County Sanitary commission be- ing the first witness called by Captain White. representing Trustee Coffin.
 Vice President Smith Testifies.
 Mr Smith testified:
 q am member of the sanitary com mission and was in 1902 Attended most of the meetings when the matter of awarding the contracts for the sanitary sewer came up. The board was always unanimous in it's decision to turn the bids down. MT. Drennen never appeared before the com mission, that l can recall. I did not know that he had anything to do with the awarding of contracts or that he was in terested in the matter in any way"
 Examination by Commissioner James Weatherly: Between the time of the letting of the contracts sometime elapsed. Am the vice president of the commission. No one of the bids received, think cover ed the entire work. The determination of the commission was unanimous that no bids should be accepted that were higher than the estimates of the eng,neer. When the bids of June 20 were presented I made motion that the same be rejected. The commission was unanimous m the belief that they were being held up by con,bi- nation of contractors. MT. Smyer was very much in favor of the sanitary com missoion buying the necessary material and taking the work in hand.' On the cross examination of Attorney Miller of the claimant the commissioner testified:
 ;- hot lan nf three contractors were reduced each time they were presented. The commission had no knowledge of any false bid or bids being put in by the Donelson Construction company I regarded the bids of this and other firms as bona fide bids. l know of no act from the beginning to the end of MT. Drennen's that would reflect in any way upon him.
 "W. M. Drennen appeared before the finance committee of the sanitary com mission at one time relative to the bonds. '' M. V. Joseph Testifies. M V. Joseph was the next witness called. He testified: Am a member of the sanitary commission and have attend ed most all of the meetings. D. M. Dren- nen never dppTbdCHtu hhc oii thc SupJtSt of the letting of the contract for the sani- tary sewer. never knew or the agree ment between MT. Drennen and the con tractors
 Cross examination: Never knew of any false bid being presented by John Donelsop. In reply to a question asked by MT Weatherly, the witness testified that he had heard of the agreement be- tween MT. Drennen and the contractors during the last municipal campaign, but only heard of it as a rumor
 McAdory on the Stand. Chambers McAdory was called. He testi- fied 'I am a member of the sanitary commission and was in 1902. Was not present at all meetings of the commis- sion when the matter of awarding the contracts was discussed. Do not know whether or not I attended the meeting on June 20 1902. D. NJ. Drennen never saw me with reference to the awarding of the contracts for the sewer. few weeks ago I saw something about the Drennen claim in the newspapers. This was the first time I had ever heard of It. I was born in Jefferson county and have resided here nearly seventy years. Cross-examinatien: T regarded all of