New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-06-09


ten entertain ed George Ifvngs offer o. saH Oh '1s
property TO the Government tor SsoO
Ths; me knowledge OF che Secretary oi wy 'uas
cher rersnns than George Irving Iuterest i IN
n f.r ia shown in the fact that IN me eteI sd
9ressed 70 Augustus Sebel, April H. lS', ne Secfe-
arr stated ths. negotiation tsd been rehnss LOT
sore time between the unrec States en.noIls'S Sle
"<,me parties" IN Nsw-YcIk FOR ihe purchase OF q
Tb.t the Secretary of War paid grossiy e1 orb
i.sa price for the property known a. ikius fOiat'
Tbet mad been the custom Of the Engineer buIeau,
fer the past 20 year, 10 arrange sno conclude a. ne
gotstois for e purchase Ct sites end fort hcatoos
and that If said Bureau under the ~se sea pia1en-
precautions OF Gen. To,ter. nid eseu Persht'eo ~
have negotiated ard concluded the purchase CT me
alta at Nilk .oss Point u would have been acquired
for {lOO OO0 les than the pr the Secretary psid
for II.
n,chase f t5s ORC perry fron the Engineer Br-esu,
was auusnel and nrjustfsbe, enabling, e. l. id Inc
Spec ua.ors Ia whom be ref RED TO succeed ID oo-
tsiorg from the Government sHV,cVo tor prop
erty which the prepoIdereres o. evidence eno"s vas
! not ntrlsicsly worth over St0,O0o.
! That The cOurse plrsusd by Gen. Totac am me
Epginee- Brreau L negotiating TINS purchase eltl
infeIered with by the Secretary Of War was cautious
ard prud,Lt. and would ia the option OF me under
eigped II concluded, hsye protected The Government
| Som these Specuislors
That the Secre,sry Of Wsr Fad no color Of rigat or
legsl suthoiiy purchasing this property, 20 asree
on bek alf o. the Government 10 take IT, subjee: ID
| mortgage offSj GOO.
That he had no legal r.yht authority 20 pay FOR 1t
arr:ce exceeding s5o,cC the appropriation MADE oy
Thst Re had no legal Glthorty or RICH. TO assume
The mortgage u So GOO behalf of the Government
ard agse 20 psy said mortgage, together With srear
ages Of ireres a2d interest eocrung a. the rate ot
uer cent for i've yssrs from the 18th OF April 1887
appropriation havizg been made by Congress Tor thst
purpose.
That the acceptance by the secretary OF War Of an
uer sell this property upon bat one communication
20 him in writing from an individual whom he had
never seen ard did no. know, SD TO take II subject
20 the mcrtgsge, WISE superindvced either oy some
friendship or fayortsm toward Richard ScheN, who
had been as broker AID banker from 1856 discount
ing and who al the time dscountng, his notes TO
tie extent of $4,000 or $50 900; toward John L;
Msther who, at the time, was OFT sally connected
with the War Depart nebt and toEsrd other psrties
occup, ing intimate ard close relations With him, Eho,
from the peculiar circumstances surrounding the tran
sactor, the Committee have been unable 70 connect
directly with It.
the purchase by Engineer Bureau of this property
on or before the st Of April 1884, when It could have
been acquired for 100000 from Mr.. Wissmaon, The
owner who willing and anxious 20 sell q the
Government, even after the "specustors had offered
him sl30,0OO for his property, committed grave
official error.
praised the value of the property over SlO0 ooo W as
kghl had such Jury been called under tue act pro-
ovie the Legislature of York by the direc
ton of Gen. Tottfn and the Secretary OF War.
That the undersigned sitting as aror and passing
upon tie value Of this property from the evidence sd
duce4 before the Committee, would lot he wiling 10
award over 10000, which IN his opinion is Its ia
value.
Tha. the quantity Of land purchased by the Govern
mep according 10 the testimony Of Cap.. Wright tsee
hs second examination was l0l acres.
That out Of the original farm at Wikinss Point,
containing lj2 acres, ar Wissmaon sod % 35.lO0
acres TO Mr.. Henry Day, end has reserved for himself
% acres and that the besnce only OF this farm could
have been sold to the Government by George Irving.
nlatt 81 c. Of in tha nf
sale Of George Irving, used the following language:
" If the within mentioned tract Of land which amount
upon actual surrey to about the quantity represent
ed wit from 100 TO 100 acres and the title thereto
shal prove to be as good ascertained by the At
torney of the United States At New- York. then ac
&" cept the within offer OF SALE
That no actual survey was made by the War De-
psrtment previous to the payment Of the purchase
money for the property, nor has any such survey
been completed since.
That the taking of the searching and passing of the
title TO this property from the United States District
Attorney for the Southern District OF NewYork, and
the expedition with which il passed at tne Ator-
ney Generals office between the 9th and 1th days OF
July, 1884, has 10 similar precedent in its Justification
coming to the knowledge OF the undersigned.
That in their haste to expedite this transaction, the
Attorney and his assistant, Mr.. Glstt, lost sight of
the important fact that the title to tbs property was
being passed with two mortgages upon it-one for
Ssj COO and one for slj,5O2-contrary to the usual
course Of business 10 that office.
That the deed 10 the Government from joan Irving
contains the following provision: Subject 70 mort
" gage made by the ssid George lrying to Cornelius
T. Van BankeLs tyn trustee of Ceine Frances WIS.,
man, to secure the principal sum OF $50 O0o with
interest, which principal sum and arrears OF interest
form part of the consideration of thi conveyance,
" and the payment thereof is assumed by the parties
- of the second part thereto
That while it appears in evidence that the Secretary
of Wsr assumed this mortgage and Contracted to
pay IT with tie arrearsges OF interest upon 1t and |
interest accruiDg at per cent tor i've years IRON
the time Of its date the Asssta Attorney General
testified that evidence was given him that IT hsd been |
satisfied.
title was pissed by the Attorney General nor has 1t
yet been satisfied and that if evidence of its sssfsc
tion given the Assistant AttorneyGeneral, as ne
testifes, it was given upon fraudulent papers. |
That the testimony Of Mr.. Attorney General Black |
and his assistant Mr. Gillet shows that the expedl-
ton with which this title was passed did not give |
them that time to examine it which the amount PAID |
and tie importance of the purchase demanded:
That it il matter Of doubt whether without the |
assistance Of the War Department rendered between
the 18th of April andhe 10th of July these "specua-
tors who were interested in the sale of the property
TO the Government, would have oeen aDie 10 nave
consun mated their purchase from Wissmsnn
That by the ese Of this property to the Government
by the parties interested, s7o,OoO net pToh' wac
realized.
Tha, this profit was realized by Richard Schell's |
advance of 600 for about 81 days 1900 for ss1ut
25 DAVIS ana SIS $50 odd for five days.
That this profit Of $4,000 went in.o his business |
with the exception OF $4,000 or Sl2 eoo Sncn ne
advanced to George Irving and some slO, 600 which
he loaned Prosper NJ. Wetmore subsequently, pTedi,
csted upon or nuenced by his Interest IN the sale OF
this property TO the Government.
That the fact the. Richard Schell did Lot demsrd
any eecurity for the money he soyanced George |
mony, was lot worth than s. $50 charging his
property with the membranes upon ~ and the tact
thai George Irving, immediately upon the receipt Of
the draft from Gilmore, ndoIsed 1t over 70 schei
,xN.r n wrtn