Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-12
AT SAVANNAH, GA, TODAY
How Defendants Are Alleged to Have
Defrauded.
CLEVER SYSTEM OF DECEPTION
Additional Information About Mat
tress Purchases-A Remarkable
Advance in Cost to Uncle Sam.

SAVANNAH Ga, February i2.-On the
resumption of the Greene and Gaynor trial
today Major Gillette again occupied tho
stand as government witness. He testi-
fled that Greene and Gaynor had not trim
med the brush used IN making the fasInes
they employed In the harbor contracts they
procured under Captain Carter. The speci-
fications called for separate withes or rods
to make up the fascines, but these were
not complied with.
Major Gillette said that up to Septemben
10. 1892, when the Edward H. Gaynor con-
tract at Cumberland Sound was let, the
submission OF three designs of mattresses
by the bidders at the same price. with the
selecting of the kind left to the discretion
of the engineer officer had never been heard
OF. Heretofore the plan had been TO bid
on three designs at one price with the Sc
lection of the kind to be used at the con-
tractors option.
Razzle-Dazzled Contractors.
The change from contractors option to
engineers option was a radical one, re-
sultiRg in great disadvantage to those
contractors who did not know what de-
sign the engineer would choose and a eor,r
responding advantage to those contracts,
ors who did know. the device practically
cutting off competition.
Following these changes IN the specl-
fcations." said Major Gillette after exam
lining several contracts, THE price jumped
from $40 per square yard to $40 per
square yard. The price of log mattresses
more than doubled at Cumberland Sound
and each cubic yard OF faSclne cost the
government $40 whereas about the same
character of work was let at S.I0 under
Major Gilmore"
After comparing all of the contracts
Major Gillette said that square yard of
log mattresses would always cost twice as
much as square yard Of brush mattresses.
What Carter Allowed
The contention Of the government Is that
Carter always allowed Greene and Gaynor
to put In brush mattresses instead OF log
mattresses. paying the mattress price
for the far cheaper brush mattresses.
Prior to 1891. said Major Gillette. the mat
tresses had always been paid for by the
cubic yard, but Carter introduced the inno-
walton of paying for them by the square
yard. Three layers of the three square
yard measurements were required to make
up the old cubic-yard measurement.
A table was submitted to Major Gillette
showing contract prices covering a period
of years He said there had been ire
mendous advance in cost to the govern
ment. On contract let In 1884 under Colo
mel Gilmore the price of the brush ma;tresN
per cubic yard was A cents. In 1892 for thf
same style the Atlantic Contracting Com
pany Greene and Gaynor) was paid $3.50.
These were Savannah river contracts, and
at Cumberland sound decided advances
were also noted. running from S1-32 a cubic
yard In 1884 to $40 In 1892, when Edward J
Fl. Gaynor got the contract.
Gillette Gross Examined.
Cross-examnation of Maj. Gillette
begun by Mr.. Osborne. who brought out
that Col. Gilmore had authorized in 1854
the substitution of brush mattresses for
log mattresses on portion of certain
contract. the price of the log mattress be-
ing Sf.20 a cubic yard and of the brush
mattress "a cents.
Mr.. Osborne endeavored to secure the
opinion of the witness respecting an order
to Col. Gilmore permitting a substitution
of brush for log mattresses, but the court 4
overruled him, saying that Col Gilmore
was not on trial. Mr.. Osborne asked that
exception be noted to the courts ruling, to
which Judge Speer answered that he had
accorded general permission for the noting
of exceptions and that If he We're found
by higher court to be wrong II would af-
ford me much pleasure to be set right. It
may be, however. that this may not be
necessary. We cannot tell that the case
will ever get beyond this court
Mai. Gillette questioned relative to
the use of logs and brush specifications and
the duties of engineers in entering into con-
tracts.
Mr.. Osborne asked Mai. Gillette IL he
ever knew of any contract specifications
under which an engineer officer. If he were
corrupt and so desired. could not impose
upon a contractor and cause him embar-
rassment. The witness answered that he
thought he had drawn such specifications.
II am not referring to your specifications
major, but am leaving Maj. Gillette out of
it," said Mr.. Osborne. Have you ever
known of such specifications drawn by
others?"
81 have not" answered Maj. Gillette.
Adjournment was taken until tomorrow.