M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-08-07

/ have received from Don Euloiio de Celia
one hundred and ninteen head Of cattle, on
account Of Mr.. ]. G. Fremont Lieute nant
Colonel Of the army of the United States,
and said cattle remain in my possession &C.
cording to agreement.
ABLE SrRARSs. 4
ANeELrs, July 2, IeiT.
We come now to the fna, denouement Of
this matter Fremont left California il June,
iS47, nothing was heard of the cattle by the
commissay nor by Colonel Mason, until
was made by the holder of the
agreement, 10 know whether the amount
would be paid at maturity. This excited an
inquiry into the character of the transaction.
Col. j. d. Stephenson addressed two letters
to Abel Stearns, the recipient of the cattle
inquiring how he held them, and to whom
they belonged. The following are his an
swers
No. a.
ANGELES, August 90 lS47.
DEAR SIR; in reply TO your official letter
Of yesterday, l would observe that hold in
my possession six hundred head of CATTLE the
major part breeding cows.) received from
Don Eulojio de Cells, on account of Lieut..
Colonel J. g, Fremont. hold these cattle
by agreement, and for the term Of three years !;
to return the same number and class at the
end CT the term, with one half the increase
excepting such as may be lost in any way
whatever, and not for'wantofcare on my part
| consider the cattle as the private property
Of Col. ]. 9. Fremont, not being instructed
by him to the contrary.
| have the honor to be, &c.,
ABLE STEAREs.
Col. ]. D. STEVENSON,
Commanding Southern Military District
California.
No. 10.
ANGELES, Sept. 90, lS47.
SIR 81 have the honor 10 acknowledge
the receipt Of your official note Of the nth
inst, with an extract of an official letter to
you from w. s. Sherman, acting assistant ad-
jutaht general, requiring from me further iIfor
nation relative to contract by which
hold certain lot Of cattle received from Don
E. Cells, for account Of Lieutenant Colonel
John G. Fremont. and whether have writ
ten contract or verbal one il the latter, to-
furnish you with the evidence 10 prove my
right to the trust. In answer to which,
have to observe that hold the cattle by YER
bal contract; witnesses to the same, Mr..
Samuel Hensly, captain in the late California
battalion, TO whom refer yon particularly.
He resides near Nueva Helvetia also, to
Midshipman John X. Wilson and Lieuten-
ant A. H. Gillespie, United States marines.
Both, think, were present and knowing to
the contract. As the above named gentle.
men are not here, l cannot furnish you with
their certificates relative 10 the contract.
Very respectfully
ABLE SrEARNs.
To Coll. D. STEVENSON,
Commanding Southern Military District.
Can there be any rational doubt on the
perusal Of the above official papers, that Ere.
mont intended TO make speculation for his
own benefit? The fact that on the 18th OF
April, lS47, he executed the obligation
marked number 2, in which the sum Of S975
is added to the price agreed to be paid, being
compensation for the hides of the cattle
and this too before a solitary COW had beer
delivered, shows that it was not then the in.
tention of Fremont that the cattle should be
used for the army. 1t shows, that the idea
Of leasing out the cattle on the shares was
not merely an after thought, but part Of his
original design. But why resort to such in
.erences when we have the damning fact, that
instead"of cattle "suitable for beet" as nam
ed in the original, contract, breeding cows"
were delivered and that too with the evident
49,. ,,,.-o,oo oc E.an,Ont -, tho fraud0
We need do no more than aid the letter of
Col. Mason, which was sent to the War
Department, accompanied by the foregoing
documents. 1t is unnecessary to add, that,
at the time this information was sent, Col
Mason, being Governor of California, was
the proper person 10 make report ofsuch
misconduct. 1t arrived at Washington city
after he court martial on Col. Fremont bad
commenced its sittings. 1t is impossible 10
read this letter and the collateral proof with
out coming to the conclusion that Col. Fre-
mont was guilty Of deliberate attempt to
defraud the Government which he represent.
ed.
HEADeuAR RTERs TENTH MILITARY DEP'MT,
Monterey, California, Oct. 8, i947.
SlR.-I have the honor herewith to enclose
TO you the papers relatingto contract enter
ed into on the Sd day of March, l847, by
Lieut.. Col -FromOnt, mounted riaemen
with Don Eulogio de Cells, resI9eur-Ui
Cindad de los Angeles, California. The pa.
per marked A isa copy of this contract
with Lieut.. Col. Fremont's certificate, beat
ing date April &c, l847, that the contract
had been complied with on the part Of Dor
Eulogio de Cells, and thai he, Fremont, had
executed to him in payment anote for the
sum Of six thousand nine hundred and seven
ty-fve dollars.
Lieut.. Col Fremont left California in TIL
month ofJune. l847, giving no notice Il
Gen. .Kearney ofthe existence Of such con
tract, or that he had pledged the faith Of hi
government for the redemption OF It by tn
payment of the sum of $3.50. Nor had
the least idea of this obligation, until uppli
ed to by Col. Stevenson whether Iwould rec
oguize the contract, and redeem the bond a
maturity. This letter was accompanied 3.
Others, which show that in fact, notwith
lstanding the certificats Of Lieut.. Col. Ere
mont, Mr.. Cells never delivered to the com
lmissary of the California battalion one sin
gle headof beef cattle under this contract
and not onethat was slaughtered forshe use o
that battalion; but, on the contrary, that the
have been delivered to a Mr.. Steams, OF Lo
Il Angeles, in two parcels; one Vt four hund
red and eighty-one on the ffst day OF May
and another Of one hundred and nineteen OF