Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-19

a <, i
l could. We then discussed the plan
the secret service would probably fol-
low in ascertaining the facts on data
given by US.
Later Bradley came to me. and said
Freddie Smith. you may think l am a
ouitter, but l am not. These proceedings
must stop, If they don't, and get to the
President. you can't stop them then, and
they will probably put two Of my bes,
friends in the penitentiary.
Mention Of Raw Deal"
Bradley later told me that Joseph and
Percy Crawford. in conversation with him
termed Hunt an honest man. In CONVEX
sation with Brennan. Bra dley asked him
If he had anything on Hunt. and Bren-
nan replied: No. only that he has given
me a raw deal every time the division
of the asphalt work has been made. IL
was stated in the converse ton ne.Weei,
Bradley and the Cranfords that BEAN ana
/ wanted the resignation Of Fernald. and
that Brennan wanted that of Hunt" ;,
Mai Morrow asked the witness i,
Brennan had ever said that ternald
had told him he was too chlnchy anu
wouldn't get work unless ne palo Iol -
TO which Smith replied that Brennan
had said so many times and tha1 Breh,
nan impressed him as believing Fernaio
was after money. =.
In reply to further questioning by
Morrow. Mr.. Smith referred 10 lec-
ture' given him by Maj Morrow IN the
latter's office. =
we were talking about conditions IN
YOUR department" the witness declared,
and after I made a statement you gave
me a nice little lecture about olarn st .
Hunt. Fernald, McComb and others. !
said 70 YOU that ! was ever seven ano
consider myself capable OF thinking anu
acting for myself. and that look pro-,
in my character and reputation ana hau
never blackened any one
Not a Mischief Maker.
commissioner mcfarland asked Smith
- at any time during the many con-
versations mentioned by him ne hearo
charges of insinuations of bribery or
graft among officials of the engineer De
rartment. Smith smiled, and answered
II don't know any more. l have SAID az
can, and don't propose TO get INTO ,h,s
thing any deeper. Besides. II l snouL.
answer you, or furnish names IL h,s ~
h, taken as true what Brennan SAID MAJ
MORROW said about my being q mlschiel
maker and / assure you 1t is not true.
Mai. Morrow asked: IF you have any
names of persons suspected OF grait VIII
YOU tell them to me conndentiaiiS
NO" Smith answered, and ne lett the
stand.
The next witness called was Harold
Davis chief engineer OF the Brennan
company. Mr.. Davis told of MI Bradley
visiting him and entreating him 10 ge'
brennan TO drop the matter and not to
% To the President, saying that it would
get two of his best friends In the penl-
Tertiary.
As to "Too Chinchy.'
Commissioner Morrow then questioned
Davis about the expression too chinchy.
The Commissioner asked: Don't you hon.
estly believe that Fernald meant when he
used that expression that your company
was a little too close in its work and was
chipping of corners in the interest OF
economy"
NO. 1 do not" Davis replied. That That
expression could have meant good many
things If you choose to consider II
but | don't propose 10
consider it that way
During Commissioner Morow's question
ing of Davis about the expression Attor-
ney Douglas again took exception OF me me
Commissioners methods. Addressing the
board the attorney said: Gentlemen. l
want to say right here. and it is with re-
greet that the Engineer Commissioner Is
openly defending Fernald and endeavorlng
to make our task difficult. 1t should not
tigation, without sympathy. cooperation.
help. compensation or thanks. We nave
finished our case as 1t relates to the
charges of favoritism. and what we are
doing now Is to simply help you gentle
men to probe this matter IL you so desire.
I think we have proven the charges mace
by U.s."
No Defense Of Ferpald.
MY position is not in defense Of Fer
nald." Commissioner Morrow replied. mo
one would be quicker to determine upon
his wrongdoines than I. / am here
though. to defend the engineer depart
nent. over which l have personal super
vision, from unfair criticism and insinua-
ton
a new feature of the investigation was
developed when o. H. Perry Johnson. sec
rotary Of the Brennan Company, declared
that a short time before the award OF
contracts which are now being investl-
gated Joseph and Percy Crawford had en-
deavored TO induce the Brennan Company
10 enter into a combination to hold up
the prices for the work. Mr.. Johnson
stated that at the first conference, at
which were present Joseph and Percy
Crawford, P. j. Brennan and himself. call
ed at the instance of Brennan. the Gran
fords declared it to be foolish to "cut and
slash prices while it was possible to keep
them up.
The Cranfords stated that there were
but two bidders in the local fields" MIR
johnson said and requested that the
Brennan Company not throw away its
chances of securing high pay for District
government work. The Cranfords sug-
gested a combination OF the asphalt In
dustries Of the District.
Offer to Sell Plant.
I'VE emphatically refused to enter upon
this combination he continued. 1--WE
offered to sell our asphalt plant, how
ever. and no other encouragement except
the sale was ever given the Cranfords rel
alive to this matter.
"A short time after that, Sidney Bieber
called at my Office and intimated that II
the Brennan Company would hold aloof
from this contract in question and refuse
to offer bids. he would give us $4,000"
Mr. Johnson afterward testified that
Bieber offered the money to him
In response TO this Offer Mr.. John
son said. II replied No l also told him
that We would sell our plant. but would
not consider his proposition or the COM
bination proposition. 1 was led to be-
lieve then. as now. that Bieber repre-
scented the Crawford Paving Compare"
j. S. Flannery. counsel for the Gran
ford Paving Company. asked Johnson If
he was acting as the representative of
the Crawford company. Johnson an
swered that he did not, but that he so
considered him. and that ne did not think
documentary evidence should be neces-
sary.
Mr.. mcfarland Explains
During the early part of the session to-
day Commissioner Mcfarland said: 1T
does not seem to be clearly understood
that the contracts with the Crawford Paw
ing Company and the Brennan Construc-
ton Company. involved in the present
controversy, provide for doing whatever