The Washington herald., 1908-05-13
BRENNAN CHARGES
AIRED At HEARING
Continued from Page One.

A0AA&AAEA AEVs&A n CAAEs
member which, in which you told me that
Fernald had told you that he and other
men in the engineer department were in
the habit Of taking money or receiving
favors from contractors"
Instantly Brennan, who had been
loungiag back in his chair, fumbling a
pamphlet, sat up straight, and, looking
hard at Commissioner Morrow, said:
i refuse to answer that question.
When / do answer it I want my word
substantiated, as ] do not care to be
called a liar again.
This reflection resulted from a state
ment made some time ago, and accredited
to Commissioner Morrow. in which he
said he did not believe Brennan. and lid
not think Brennan believed himself
Talk Of a Tramp Card.
That the Brennan faction had some
trump card up their sleeve was evidenced
early in the afternoon, when Attorney
Douglas. representing the complainant,
called Maj. Morrow to task for the man.
ner In which he was handling one OF the
witnesses. and, following on the heels
OF this. he said
IF the Commissioners VIII subpoena
witnesses. a list Of whom we will fur
nish, We will prove distinctly and TO your
complete satisfaction corruption on the
part of Mr. Fernald'
The statement caused a furry. and
Commissioner Macfarland announced that
il was within the province OF the Commits
sioners to compel witnesses 10 attend the
hearing under oath, but that he could not
so y rrrrtd
be taken or not
Later. after the assertion OF Brennan
as to the words of Fernald In regard to
the company being "chinchy and would
get no work because they did not put
up" and the intimation OF the talk in
which Fernald referred 10 himself and
others as receiving favors, the Commits
stoners announced they would summon
the witnesses desired by Brennan and
compel them to testify urder oath.
By far the most important witness Of
the day was p, ). Brennan, head OF the
Brennan company. He was called to the
stand few minutes before o'clock. He
said his company had been organized in
1900. and at that time there were two
other companies engaged in asphalt paw
Ing work in this city. He cited one in
stance where he had made a bid on the
substructure and superstructure, the
specifications requiring that the items be
bid on separately. tie averred that his
bid on the substTucture was the lowest by
SO, 600. but that the entire contract was
awarded to the A 3. Stannard Company,
the explanation being given at the time
that one contractor could do the work
much better than two. which would un-
doubtedly cause confiction. and the diff
| ference ts2s. eco was small!
What Brennan Understood.
He said that later, when contracts were
being awarded TO the Crawford Com
pany. he was given to understand that
If he wanted any work from the District
/ he would have 10 put up for il. he then
told Of an instance where he said that
the bid OF the Brennan Company was
lowest, but that despite the fact. the
award was made 20 the Crawford Com
pany.
He said that on another occasion he
/ had called on MAJ. Morrow IN the lat
4 ter's office, and that the latter had told
/ him there would only be 1900 yards of
work let. that the Brennan Company
would get 4eoo Yards Of II. and the Gran
ford Company 500 yards. Since then,
I Brennan said. the Crawford Company
had received 5000 yards Of work the
/ estimated value OF which was between
sl75,030 and $4,000, and the Brennan Com
| pany was not given a chance to bid, OF
as Brennan expressed it:
I'VE didn't even get look in"
He appealed to Mai Morrow regarding
the statement about the conversation in
which Morrow, Brennan claimed. In
formed him no large amount Of work
( would be let, but MAJ. Morrow shook
bis head IN denial,
The question Of his dealings with Fer
nald was then taken up. He explained
that Fernald had approached him on sew
erai occasions and used the expression:
You are too chinchy." Brennan said
this first occurred on a morning when he
read IN the newspapers that an award of
eco worth Of work had been made to
the Crawford company. He said he went
TO Fernald, and the latter used the ex-
preston referred 10. and used il on sew
eral subsequent occasions when asked
why Brennan was net getting any work.
Meaning of ''Chfnchy."
He was asked what the word ''chinchy"
meant. and he said Il was 'niggardly. j"
Later, when Commissioner Macfsrland
asked him about the word "chinchy. f"
Brennan said the definition "niggardly. -
| as given by him. had been taken from
the dictionary.
When asked what his reasons were for
bringing about the investigation. he said
it was his desire to stop conditions which
were not according to law. and that as
he was being greatly Disseminated
against, he thought an Investigation might
right matters lie said he had invested
s200,000 in his plant in this city, and had
from time TO time made such repairs as
was necessary to keep up with the re-
| quirements Of the work.
He then took the reins in his hands. and
said: I think the Commissioners should
cancel the contracts that have been let
in this manner. / think if these con-
tracts had been advertised as they should
have been, the District would have saved
sleO0'
He then referred to the statement of
Maj. Morrow regarding Brennan's verac-
| ity. and said that was another reason he
had preferred the charges, as he wanted
to be vindicated.
Returning then TO his relations with
| Fernald, when he found that the brick
work of a contract was 10 be given to
another, he said he went to Fernald, and
1 the latter informed him that the Dis
1 trict would put brick where 1t pleased.
and that Crawford would get the work,
| and Brennan none of il. Brennan said
| he then pressed Fernald for a reason for
this apparent discrimination, and the lat
| Ter said. "You are too chinchy and don't