The Washington herald., 1908-04-22
STATEMENT BY FERNALD.


goat fer another end.
"My friends know / am not guilty
of any wr0ngdOing, and what does
1t matter to me what others thinks
IL am the victim of an uRwar-
raBted piece of tFeachery by a man
who has always been my friend.
'Tn accepting this s1,OOO, l did so
because it was pressed on me.
II accepted the $500 from Mr.
brennan without once giving
thought to the fact that he was a
member of a company doing busi-
NESS with the District.
II have nothing to say about
Mai. 5IOFroyy's decision. I feel that
he knows ] mennt no harm.
Il have been advised TO tell all 1
know about these charges against
me. / shall not do so.
"Tbe only thing / feel sorry for
IS wrong Interpretation that viii
he taken of NIr. WainWTIght's
gift"
Charles Fernald, assistant engineer il
the surface division OF the highway de
partment OF the District government. wa
dismissed yesterday by Engineer Com
missioner Jay J. MORROW. following
charges preferred by P. J. Brennan, OF
the Brennan Construction Company.
The dismissal came in a formal demand
from Commissioner Morrow for Fernald'
resignation. The latter Immediately com
piled with his superior's request, and
completed his duties yesterday afternoon
Startling as was Mr.. Fernald's dismissal
remarks attributed to COMMISSIONS
Morrow have intensified the situation
lie is reported 10 have said YESTERDAY
that as a result of the investigation nov
being conducted into the engineering de
partment. other dismlssals must neces
sarily follow.
Mr.. FeTnald's dismissal is the result o
an investigation that has been in prog
ress for the past three weeks In thi
time, not only have the books of tn
department been examined. but investiga
tions have been conducted in New York
Philadelphia. and other cities where con
tractors doing work for the District ar
located.
The Result of a Gift.
Mr. Fernald's dismissal is the result 0
his having accepted a gift OF $1,000 from
man doing business with the District, ant
receiving a loan of $500 from a local con
tractor who bids for District contracts.
On December "a 1906. Mr.. FernaId ac
cepted 81 ,00O from a Mr.. Wainwright. su
perintendent Of the Drake & Stratto,
Company. This firm was engaged in tn
construction Of the Virginia avenue tun
nel The $500 was received from p. J
Brennan, of the Brennan Constructor
Company, and was in the nature of
loan, bearing per cent interest. The not
has not yet matured.
On March 81 the r. J. BeaH Construc
tion Company protested against a certai
bid being awarded to another company
alleging the bid was received too late
It was then intimated that the latest bid
der might have received knowledge as {
what the other bids were.
The company that did not send its bi
until late was the Crawford company
It bid Sl36l5. while the BeaH concern bi
sl3.620-S5 more than the Crawford bid.
The protest resulted in Fernald bein
exonerated of any wrongdoing. althoug
# was shown he had asked Percy Gran
ford. OF the Crawford concern. at Ia
o'clock in the afternoon. why he had no
submitted his bid
Dismissal of FernaId.
1t was then the Investigation wa
started that resulted yesterday in MI
Fernald's dismissal, and is rumored tn
affair may develop into one Of the big
gest scandals in the local government Il
years.
For three weeks the charges agains
Fernald have been in progress of fnvesti
cation. Meetings behind closed door
have been held daily Prominent con
tractors have been questioned relative t
their knowledge OF the conduct of on
cials in the engineering department.
MT Fernald yesterday morning wa
called into Commissioner MOrrow's office
He was told he had erred in accepting
gift, Notwithstanding the gift could hav
been called retainer for advice. II
was informed that his accepting a Ioa-
from a man doing business with his dj
vision was injudieious. Such action. n
was informed, could not be tolerated
Therefore. it was deemed advisable h
sever his connection with the govern
ment
This Nj Fernald did, and later in tn
day. when certain contractors called a
Engineer Commissioner MOTTOWs Office
they were told that Mr.. Fernald ha
been dismissed. They had come TO IN