Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1827-02-20

n lie
yer from COL W. X. Armsead, dated March 24th, 1921.
On his second produced the letters from
Major vanieventer, dated August 3d. 1915 September
iSth 1873, and October l7t,, 1820-When it was per-
ceved that, in of the letters Of Major to
wit the dated the 7h OF August 1916 and to which
they here particularly refer, auson was made 10 mart
her III the contract whose name have been
crei' they felt it TO be their duty discover If they could
VINO TINS secret partner wa Or at any rate, push the
quy SO lar az TO leave for suspicion
sfesident was the person alluded This branch of tho
has eerrEse principal cause hsir SO
much tise IN the Investigations they found they
mere led into wider field than could first
tcpaet aud tina, ii necessary, order to get full
view OF the whole ground go thoroughly origin
ana history OF what is commonly called the Mix contract
he letters of Major Vanevener, above referred to- au-
pear to relate principally the private and confidential
transactions between him and E Mix i'm regard TO the con-
tract and there is believe prese thai ,b.
Vice President made acquainted with their con-
The letter from Col Arnstead written while h.
was at the head of the Engineer aI,houph il
wears the appearance of official paper md was mnro
perry Intended, as the Committee believe, tn bring the
weiSht oil Official Influence to bear the private trans
actions between Nandevener and Mix, was not written
with the sanction knowledge Of the Vice Resident and
no copy OF 1t was entered in the letter book of thu
Department. o
The committee will here remark that they place no
lance whatever on the testimony Of Elijah Mix From
e 'i.contradictions, the his es,o
ny, and which is unnecessary here Iecaptulae
from the nsamy attached his character commi,t.e
satisfied that he ought not to be believed m hs ,
The letters however referred produced bv hin,
during his examination, do their autyenc an
his testimony Those from Major Vandeventer excrn,;
such parts as bad been defaced oberated wo,a 49,.
knowedsed by Major Vandevener himself 10 he rc,,in
and ne was requested in every instance, state with M
letters before him what words had occ,niod Ill.,,
obterated places, when the letters written Tba D.,
ter from Col Armistead also bv ,, s
hcet 10 DC genuine But me 'hiee papers purportng be
copies of the substance of letter Nj aor
to Mr. Calhoun rest for their authenticity on the
ted testimony of L. Mix. and regarded hy the cor,
tee as having been fabricated by him. They are as
opinion that words dcfaccd from The ct,cr, IS
Major Vandeventer defaced by L. Mix and ,,
committee have been unable with certoin,
oil Inf, J,,
from any other what the words or names w.
which have been thus oblcrate1. '
The offer for the appears have been mad; b
f. Mix on the ED of July, 1873 and proposes to deliver
at Old Point Comfort, "fron to one hundred ,J e.
thousand perches of stone, at three delars per pec
The contract, furnished from the Wa t,
date the 25h of July, 1915 s,,puIaes for the dI;s,
Of hundred and fifty thousand perches nf Stone =,
three doars per perchis drawn M in the hand ,r;,;
of Major Vandeventer, and ~ iiu, aon. yvj,n. - =
sgnod by General Joseph u. yin, tncn CHIEF tuo;,.
by Elijah Mix Although Nix hc,e annea,s ' h
been the only contractor from the evidence ,boe e
reason to believe, that at che Ihe contract ~
after, and before the execution any valid bond G
the performance thereof it divdad into shares ,,
that fou IN belonged to Major Vaadeventer one fo
to Elijah Mix, one fourth TO r. c. Jennings and ,l 49,.
manning feuuh TO person whose name was not n la.
been mentioned. The title of Vanhrventcr IN his G,
ut the time above referred appears ave rested ON
vetba and confidential agreement between him and N1jx
and remained till the 24,h of April 1919 when Inc ~
ceived written bill Of sale of half of the who'll
tract. Howes Goldshorough & Co subsequently bec,n,.
the of fourth, by purchase f,om SanncI Cno
who had previously purchased from Major Vapdev,n,s
and they (Goldsborough g. Coz were RECOGNISED ., ,,
War Department. by the e e. Mix expressed il;
letter by him 20 tho Secretary War, and dated r
+, 18th of April, 1921.
The first bond received the Engineer Depar,nep, m
the contract is dated 5th of August, 1915 and drscho
the contract having been made by Elijah Mx al
George Cooper for the delivery Of hf1ed Nousgn
Pcrches OF stone being fifty thousand less Mix was
entitled to deliver. This bond is signed by E. Mix and
George Copper contractors; and 10y Samuel Coon.r and
James Oakley, surces: the suretcs were reruysr ,
proved by Il. Riker, Recorder Of the civ of No.
! liz
the signatures, and dated the bond ,wi no
perceived at hat there is obvious and f,,,1
variance between this bnud and the contract Tn AN oca
letter written om the Engineer Departments on the 1rt
day Of August 1915 to Lieut.. George Baney and conrd
the letter book Of that Department, the con,rart ia
described 100000 prrCIes Of The lanrroea
Of letter is follows: You will inform tine agent thai
contract has been made with Capt. Z. Nix ,n dcyer
as practicabe at the Rip Rars, 100000 percss
of stone"
In subscquen, letter, written to James Maurice also
copied book, pd ed the 81 d of
August 1873 the contract described being for 200 Don
pe,ches. The language of this letter as olcws "RI
f. Mix will deliver stone a; The Rim
hps under contract with this Department, for 100000
perch"
Some time after the delivery the Engineer Department
of the first bond but at what precise does not appear
new bond was gwen for the delivery of hundred
and fifty thousand perchCs, describing the contract AS mad
by f. Mix This Second bond is signed by E. Mis- c.s
tractor, and Sanl Cooper and James Oakley as snyotips
and it is ante-datcd 5h of August iGf8-h., mn
certificate in rcgardo the suiicency of the surees ,as
attached to this instrument. The Committee have been
unable ascertain when this bond was received a.
thc Engineer Departments though the impression Of General
Swift is, that twas received before IL the office uh,ch
OIL the lth of November, 1918 Major yandevenier
also expresses his belief that it delivered during ths
Eau OF 1913 How far his testimony conflicts if at ALL
with his letter to MiS, dated 9TH OF October 1920 in
which he upon the latter attend 'ihc bond " tho
Committee viii not undertake to determine.
The attention of Gen. Swift particularly directed
before the Committee, 10 the discrepancies in the bonds
and also to the two letters from the Engineer Department
IN which the contract is alluded to. The eEplapa;,rn
which he gives will DC found in his testimony TO which the
Committee refer.
During investigation relative 10 this contract by
Committee ri the House OF Representatives, in 1922
copy OF the bond was requested by that Committee In
answer 10 which, the Engineer Department furnished
copy Of tue second bond, which had substituted
Que first givcn-bu' there certificate Of tho
Recorder OF New York approving the suretrs the SEQ
cond bond, copy the certificate annexed the cancelled
bond made and attached 10 The copy of tho bond fur
uiShcd. Capt. Smith, Of the Engineer Department. who
atlesed these copies explained the rausr og his srt