The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-14
MAYOR ". N. DRENNEN TESTIFIES
 RELATIVE TO BROTHERS CLAIM
Continued from Fifth Pase)

OOHhiIuCQ iIOiii ihh aANl
 
 questions that lead me to believe that he knew very little about the sewer work.
 "None of the Drennen's ever attempt ed to influence me about the awarding of the contract"
 This concluded the testimony of En- gneer Kendrick and he left the stand at 1920 o'clock
 Mr. Jemlson Called.
 Robert Jemson was then called and sworn. He testified T am q member of the sanitary commission. MT. Drennen came to my office one afternoon in June, 1902, and told me that he was figuring with people on furnishing material and supplies to the contractors and hoped that l would use my influence towards seeing the three firms got the contract. l told him that the law must be adhered to strictly, and that the only thing 1 could say to him would be that I would hold out for local contractors in preference to outside firms.
 kendrick Sees Him.
 MT. Kendrick came to my office and told me that he had been Informed that MT Drennen said that he could get the l contract for certains firms for $10.000. He ! stated that he did not believe that 1t was so, but that if it was the commission cer- ] tainly had very little confidence in his ability as an engineer. I told him that | rumors of this kind, 1 thought were with | out foundation, and that the commission had utter confidence in his ability. I had | some experience along this line of work 1 and told MT. Kendrick his figures and | estimates had been confirmed over and 1 over again by the engineering depart ment of the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company, which was at that time spending several million dollars in ] construction work
 MT. Motion told me later that he had heard that he could be controlled for s2500. This proposition was so ridiculous that I paid no attention to It. Mir. Ken driok said to me that he did not believe i the commission could. be influenced with s10,oOo. The commission was determined from the start to the finish to abide by | the figures of the engineer
 On the examination by Commissioner Weatherly, MT. Jemison testified: "I fol- | lowed the advice I gave MT. Kendrich about talking of this matter"
 Cross examinations 'I have known D. | M. Drennen for twenty years. I do not believe that Mir Drennen would agree to ] buy the votes of certain members of the coTnHlSSlOn
 | Redirect examination: T do not think that 1t would be worth s100OO to get the ] contract"
 l Re-cross examination; ''I think that it l would be worth $10.000 to the contractors for Mir. Drennen to furnish material and supplies at low figures. handle the fin- ances and advise them about the matter. Knowing the contractors as do I would not have financed them for $10.000. They would have to be better financiers for me to take the job in hand. Think MT. Dren- nen was able to furnish them the neces- sary financial backing. This of course Is only an opinion"
 James WeatherIy Called. Commissioner James Weatherly was called to the stand by Captain White. He testified: "Mr. Drennen never approached me on the subject of the awarding of the contract. Did not know of any connection he had with the contractors until about the close of the last municipal campaign. when l heard a rumor of the agreement. Never saw the original agreement until 1t was presented in court. In my opinion the members of the commission wanted to accept the bids only on their intrinsic merits At one meeting I recall, the opin- ion was expressed by some members of the commission that we were being held up. I never contemplated at any time to award the contract at figures above the figures of the engineer I was present at a meeting of the commission when MT. Motion made reference to the rumors of the agreement, in an informal way. This