The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-03-06
MARKEL TELLS HOW
 HE GOT CONTRACT
Did Not Need Political ln-
 fluenCe
TALIAFERR0 QUESTIONS
Submits Statement Showing That Mar kePs Contract Means Unnecessary Expenditure of $6et 200
 In Five Years.

Washington. March 5.-Jacob b. Market of Omaha. whose commssary contract with the Isthmian canal commission was cancelled was again before the Senate committee on interoceanic canals today
 He repeated denials previously made that he had had the benefit of sampies III the United States prepared by Hudglhs & Dumas in New York in making his bid for the commissary concession
 MT. Market admitted that he had seen Chairman Shonts of the canal commission and William Nelson Cromwell, counsel for the Panama Railroad company ana had discussed his testimony With these gentlemen, but only in a genrael way.
 MT TaHaferro put into the record a statement prepared by his clerk, show ing that under the Hudgins & Dumas contract the receipts for the first fiscal year would have been $S9,60O less than under the Market contract, and in live years s691, 200 less. It was shown further by MT. Taliaferro that if all the canal employees came under the comnilssary contracts the receipts under Hudgins S Dumas would be $552OO0 less than under the Market bid for the first year. Ihe figures of the Market statement had been based on the prospect of feeding 300 men on the gold roll and 1000 on the silver roll The figures submitted by MT. Talia- ferro were based on the same estimate. MT. Market declared that no man could guess the proportion of employees that would come under the food contract
 MT Taliaferro asked MT. Market to state how it was that he had received the contract in the face of the showing made. The witness said he had no knowl- edge of Hudgins X Dumas and MT. Iala- ferro read the names of several persons given by the firm as references. Among these were the President of the United States
 DO you not think this indicates the firm to be a reputable one?" asked MT. Talaferro.
 Tt indicates that 1t was after po- litical influence, anyway" retorted the witness.
 Mr Taliaferro asked Mir. Market if he meant to imply that because a firm gave | as a reference the President of the United States that it was seeking political in- 1 huence."
 q was asked what political influence | had aided me- and l replied absolutely none,' said the witness.
 MT Taliaferro did not pursue the ln- l quiry on that line.
 Do you not desire to change your tes- timony where you say that the men on the isthmus were fed like hogs, the only difference being that the food was passed on tin plates?' asked MT. Taliaferro.
 The witness said he was willing to let his statement stand as made on. Friday. The witness was then excused Senator Morgan had put on file for fu- ture disposition a resolution declaring that the contract with Markel was with out legal authority and the payment of $1O715 to him did not constitute a proper charge against the government of the United States.
 Mir Morgan moved to amend the pro- ceedings of the committee on Saturday to permit the recall of William Nelson Cromwell at the instance of any mem Der of the committee after the type of canal and other legislative matters have been disposed of. The committee ac- cepted the suggestion and the proceed ings were amended accordingly. The committee adjourned until tomorrow, when MT. Shonts will be heard.