Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-26

daily attendance and will answer all Ques-
tions the Commissioners may see mt 10
ask YOU
Mr. Brennan told the Commissioners
that he desired to explain the letter to
Sidney Bieber concerning the removal or
earth from the House Office building,
which was offered In evidence by Com
missioner Morrow yesterday
Explains Bieber Letter.
.'Bieber wrote me letter saying he was
apprised of the fact that we were the
lowest bidders on the contract for the re-
moval of this earth" Mr.. Brennan SAID.
He wanted TO know how much II would
be worth TO US TO dump the earth on MS
land on the Anacostia river. Bieoer sus,
sested that We should give him $l."D. ana
/ agreed to this. He asked me to put IL
In writing and did So there ana tnen.
ATTORNEY Baker told Mr.. Brennan Una.
the inference was drawn yesterday llal
he did not expect pay for removing edl.1i
from the House office site to the plaza
and that when he had formerly nEaue
the statement he did so in error MI
Brennan replied that he had not mace
an error In reply to a question ny vi :.
Baker as to the probable saving ~ VIC
Brennan Company had the Belher propo-
sttson been accepted Mr.. Brennan de-
clared that his company would have MADE
n profit of S20.GD or $4,000 more IMAM
he would have received had ne received
pay from the District for the earth DUMP
ed by him in the plaza
Control of Railroad.
Mai Morrow asked Mr.. Brennan II ne
could have paid the freight charges. paid
dumpmen and have given Bieher $1,000
and then cleared $4,000 by moving the
dirt to the latter's property. Brennan
replied there would have been no freight
charges
Il understood from Bieber that he had
sufficient control over the Pennsylvania
railroad to build a through service TO his
property without cost to me- Mr.. Bren-
nan added
Commissioner Morrow asked Mr.. Bren-
nan what m.ression the statement by
Fernaid that the Brennan company would
receive no more work because ii was
'too chinchy' made on him. Mr.. Bren-
nan said he considered the elimination
Of grade-crossing work the yellow dog
fund. and everybody was trying to get
hand in it
Attorney Flannery. representing the
Crawford company. then asked Mr.. Bren-
the Cranfords. Mr.. Brennan replied that
he simply charged that they had been
favored by the officials of the engineer
department. Nothing else.
Question Ruled Out.
Attorney Flannery then asked: DO you
think that any one can receive favors in
creasing contracts without doing some
thing to get these favors?"
This question was ruled out by the Com
nissioners after an objection by Attorney
Douglas.
Mr.. Brennan then said he blamed c. NJ.
Hunt, engineer of highways. for the d.
vision Of the resurfacing contract last
year between the Brennan and Crawford
companies. Mr.. Brennan then ma ned a
number Of specific instances of street
work in which he claimed he was dis
eliminated against and the Crawford COM
pany was favored. He declared that he
believes Hunt to be absolutely honest.
but that he is warped in favor OF the
Cranfords.
and was resumed a. o:30 o'clock.
The wheat market became strong in the
latter half of the day because Of the
bulge in corn. July sold up to 921s The
close was strong. with July up 1asc at
92h
Corn-Sentiment became extremely bull
ish In the latter part of the session. The
bull leader who has been represented as
having conner on the MAY, delivery
was credited with statement to the eff
feet that corn is going much higher"
The price of the May option advanced SC
to 1sb while July sold up to 6S7s The
close was strong. with Maj 4Isc higher at
1sK. and July up 2a21sc at 6sl4a6sss.
Letter Causes a Surprise.
p. ]. Brennan. president of the Brennan
Construction Company. was on the wit
ness stand for more than an hour late
yesterday afternoon. While he was be-
ing cross-examined by Maj Jay j. Nor
row. Engineer Commissioner. the most
sensational event Of the day occurred
After questioning Brennan as to whether
or not he expected pay from the Dis
trict for dumping earth in the Union sta
ton plaza. which earth was excavated by
Brennan jointly with the Stewart-Wil-
muth Company from the House office
building site Brennan admitted he was
under the impression they would be paid.
whereupon Commissioner Morrow pro-
duced a letter. purporting TO have been
written by Brennan to Sidney -Bieber, the
former offering to pay $1,000 for the priv
iieee Of dumping earth on Bieber's land
fronting on Anacostia river.
The letter was a surprise. Major Nor
row tossed il over to Brennan. who sat
on the opposite side of the table from him.
and asked. Did you write this?"
Brennan read every word carefully and
when he concluded he said. That's my
signature"
Sent by Bieber.
Brennan asked where Maj Morrow OBJ
tanned the letter. Capt. Edwin Markha M
assistant engineer commissioner replied
that II had been sent to the engineer de-
pa-tment by Bieber OF his own voition
He added that no one asked Rieher for II
and that no one in the engineer depart
mert prior to receipt of it knew il existed
The letter follows:
Mr. Sidney Bieher: If YOU can arrange
with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
10 run its tracks so that can take the
earth from square SN-the House Office
huilding-we will pay the cost OF hauling
and will run cars 10 the square of ground
owned by YOU. 1131; and If you will grant
us the privilege of dumping the dirt taken
from square gao upon said square we will
pay YOU the sum of $1,000 for the priv
Lege. p. J BRENNAN"
Expected to Be Paid.
Prior TO the introduction Of the letter
and in answer TO Commissioner Morrow 5
question as to whether he and Contra actor
Stewart expected TO be paid for dumping
IN the plaza. Mr.. Brennan said that
Charles Fernald. while assistant engine or
Of highways. had given them to under
stand they would be paid something
Before Commissioner Morrow began in
tsrroga1fng the witness Attorney Douglas
OF counsel for the Brennan company had
the witness explain number Of oues-
tons that had arisen since Mr. Brennan
was on the stand more than week ago
In answer 10 the statement ny Sidney
Bieber last Friday that he had offered
the Brennan company a25Rn for its
equity In the asphalt plant. Mr. Brennan
said he did not understand the offer in
that way.
Mr.. Brennan said: "Bieber came to me
ard offered me Soo Opo II I WOULD ,I;c,,o.o