Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-07-09


and told him should ALLOW IL, whenever ne thouxbt
proper 10 present his vouchers 1t turns out that
the stone was never received by the United States
On The contrary, it was found. on Inspection TO be
wholly unfit for the designed, was condemned il,
September last and was, long before ths last pre.ena-
ton oil the claim, II not before the first delivered over
10 the disposition OF MIR. King. All thfs Mr. King
must have known, when he took the advice OF counse
when he urged his claim upon the President; and
when he lately assigned TO the Cashier Of the
Bank at Norfolk; but all this he concealed from the ac
counting officers, and others who called on 10 pass
upon HE claims in this city Indeed il now apnears,
that neither Mr. King. nor the Bank, paid the money
was paid 10y the Cashier II included in list o,
accounts paid in similar way, which handed over
70 the present Navy Agent, his entrance into Office.
he called tor and received money to nav IT, but Il
never presented because only the approval of the
commanding officer could not be obtained but the a.
gent knew the facts. When, on account of these cir
cumstances, payment was to be expected al Nor
iolk, The claim brought 70 Washngton and through
Of the true state OF the case, might have
oeen allowed IL was not until few days ago that the
truth was known Now, the true facts OF this case
as 'hey might have been reported with much more ael
curacy are Just these: On the 18th of June 1890 io
pursuance OF the power and direc ions given 10 mo b
the Board OF Navy Commissioners entered into con.
tract with lchaboi L. Scranton, of Come cicu for him
10 furnish the coping stone required Tor certain wall
which was then being built in the rear of the NAVY
fard' at the price OF twenty Eve cents foot, running
measures the stone to be delivered here, aud i60s ?
written engagement from him accordingly. On the
same day, addressed letter to him. recurring him 10
SEND on 1000 feet of the stone contracted for TO be de-
hvered at the Navy Yard and be subject TO the in
speciion OF the Yard and another letter TO Comodor.
Barron, the Commandant of the Yard enclosing a go.
Py OF the contract 10 him. On the sh OF August there
alter Scranton delivered ihe 1000 feet of coping STONE
at Iaylor's wharf (Which was rented by the u Sales
as landing place to the Navy Yard) to Jrfres VIII
hnson, VINO had been called upon by the Commodore
himself TO inspect it, and to receive IT, IL it were found
10 be according to the contract The said Wilkinson
accordingly took the stone as it was handed out Of M
vessel and inspected aud measured IT, piece by peces
and ascettaoing that it according the contract
"a copy OF which had been put into his hands bv Corr,
ndrIoh hlmse.0 receUed it, and thereupon reported
what he had done to the proper officer. At the same
ume' me carters OF the Yard took the stone ii was
received into their carts, aud carried il round 10 The
or Which was Intended; but neglecting il seems
me directions oil wilkinson, 20 take it out again by
hand' and choosing rather TO shoot i, of their carts
TO save time and trouble they broke and otbeewias
damaged good deal OF IT, very badly, in the act. Al.
ter THIS, as the stone inspected and receped
paid the freight OF it. by Scrantcn's order TO K eum
me skipper OF the craft which brought it, amounting TO
i, a 90 Inuen on account Tor which took his
ceP' scranton himself afterwards presented nae his
account On duplcae,) in which he charged the exact
quantity oil stone delivered, 1000 feet at % cents 0he
price hXed by the cOntract,) amounting TO $500 and
asked me for the money. 1t was but right of course
lat should pay il but having none IN hand al the
me' applicable to the case, and being yet unwilling Ia
keep MIN waiting here, far from his home and al daily
expense, until could receive the sum from Wasbing
ton, subioned TO each of his duplicate accounts nro
per receipt Tor the $780, received from me and suos
gested to him that the Bank OF The United States here
would probably advance him the money uuou his ex 90
Suung these receipts and leaving the papers in their
hands 10 aid him in this and at the same tina n,
guard the Bank against advancing the whole ann nan
toned in The receipts, part of which had already
Pd, he SOL tor the freight) endorsed upon each Of
chem memorandum that Si39 only Che balance NJ
the SoOO) was due; and which { would nav az soon al
received 1t from the DEPARTING t--Scran,ou went acs
eoransy 10 the Bank where the Cashier readily paid
nun the Tour hundred and thirty nine dolIars ruon
his signing the duplicate receipts for 500 dolIars
which had subj ned - his accounts; at the same
ume erasng my from one of the recein,s 10
shew that the Bank had paid the money and lsaYinS
the other 70 stand il serve as vopcbsr foT
me mus lar, at least, all plain and Straight
I npk AL "a.
the Commodore had fallen out with the stone and an
pointed surveyors TO examine it, who had condemned
90 10, me purpose gor which il had been bought
uu thdt ne had thereupon il back 10 In wharf 10
he returned to the Cashier, or to me- Still il was not
IN TACT returned TO either of us; but remained ON bs
wharf rented by the Government; and for nv ,s.t ~
IL nad been once Inspected and received and paid for
ana moreover broken by the carriers as already stated
determinedt to have nothing to do with it, (athoupb
may add, That II ilhad been sent over to me i'm pro
/ per manner, would willingly have disposed NJ Il Goy
the benefit Of the United States and conJ readily have
s''1 IT, oeeVe, broken az 1t was, for more than il
/ had cost) Some time afterwards again the Cosbiar
presented The claim for the stone TO NV successor in
/ We navy Agency here, who, very properly declined
paying without the approval Of the commandno oGi
Ger OF the yard IL was sent over to the commandne
officer accordingly, for his approval but was returned
without IT,. In this state Of things, being about to 90
up 70 Warrington IN October following the Cashier
NE me papers, with request tina, would urge
the claim, and obtain the money for him On NV ar
VaI IN me city, accordingly, wrote letter to tho
board OF Commissioners OF the Navy, under whom (
had made the contract for the stone dated Nov g. 1929
encosHg the papers to them requesting then, IN
approve the claim II they found IL correct as me cG,
""ndd ~ The IdTd had refused to do So Two davs RI
erwards received the papers back from the Board vim
helr approval OF the account, 10 these Words IL an
pearng mat the slope, contained in the ANNEXED b
was inspected, and received by order of Com Barron
reason can be discovered, why il ought not 10 have
poen Pdlu lOf IL being obvious, that If the Stone in
qudy had not been according The provisions speci
hed IN the contract that Com. Barron would not have
permitted II TO have been received (Sgned inn
nouger+; dated Navy Commissioners Office Nov r.
I a. pylf 4 ff,es,. IL.
70 'ne President informing him again. that the Com
nouoTe mad refused 10 approve the account which tho
Doatd ad mus certified; and reque sting him TO dispo,
/ VI as ne might mink proper. The President here-
upon referred the papers 10 the Secretary who nsde
/ ne report upon them, under date of the 18Th Jan .
lo5O, ~ which he states: " IL appears from the . y
animation Of the documents presented INT Scrnnfo,,
SoVUi dHdJTOm ms receipts, that he has been maid
TIC says also, " II does not appear that Mr. King has
received any credit in the settlement of his account
with the Fourth Auditor, Tor Ibis sum"
! Looking, however, Gas must presume toucI,
more deeply Into the subject than the Navy Commis-
sioners had done he the difference i'm the two re
ceipis, (the 10 the Bank aud the other 10 me- al
ready mentioned, and adds in his cbnyacfeyysfic o.
~ is 70 be noted, that The original recent s,aes tSs
money 10 have been paid by the Branch Bank of the
OhIsd states Norfolk the duplicate bv Mr. King az
Nd.y agent ms mysterious Transaction requires
e@P,"dH0H As the subject thus suspended
again, my friend and counsel" (but who was not
= my counsel" except az he was a Senator frore nv
own Slate) wrote the opinion which appears atnonS,
ransacion 30 clearly, that the Secretary, be-
heVe found II quite " satisfactory AZ last Al Jeast
was Afterwards told by Auditor what he has him
sell stated That The claim would be allowed without