Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-02-06
Another g Fort snelIing steele. \,

Another So Fort Smelling SteeIe.', e
The New York Tribune of Friday, 29th ult.,
gives us the history Of swindle upon amag-
nifcent scale, in the purchase, by the War De-
partment, Of part Of Willett's farm, opposite
Throg's Neck, for the site Of fertilization. A
Mr. Wissman sold sixteen acres of this farm,
not long since, for SIS, 900, and retained twenty
acres for himself; the residue, one hundred
and fifteen acres, has been sold to the United
States during the last summer, for $200,000l
and the twenty acres reserved by Mr.. Wiss-
man, are, it is stated, absolutely necessary to
make the hundred and. fifteen acres useful
The Tribune calls upon Congress to inst
tute an examination into this gigantic Steele y
and gives the names of John @. Mather, Au-
gustus Schell, Richard Schell, Prosper M. Wet
moro and George L. Irving, as persons who
may be able, If they choose to do it, to throw
much light on this dark subject The Secre-
tary Of War, Gov Floyd, it thinks an impor-
tant witness also. The persons named are all
first-ratc Democrats, and most of them, if not
all, belong to the "pickings and stealings,
1spoils" or "plunder" class of Democrats.
The Secretary of War, whether in buying or
selling property for the Government, seems to
have the good fortune to make himself a very
valuable friend to those with whom he deals
for, whether they sell or whether they buy,
large sums Of money pass into their pockets
iat the expense of Uncle Sam. The Tribune
says: @ f2s4 g6
''Mr. George T. Irving can then be examined
with advantage. He resides in Queens county,
in this State, and conveyed the property to the
United States. Let him answer if he knows
Mr. Prosper M. Wetmorc, or Mr.. Richard Schell
ofthis city, and what business relations he had
with either of these persons in connection>with
the sale Of Willett's Point What was the
amount Of money paid to Mrs. Wissman's
trustee before May IL, 1857, for Willett's
Point2 Was anything paid beyond $4,000?
Did Mr.. Irving go to Washington in June or
July, 1867, with Mr. William G. Wetmore, to
get the title passed through the Attorney Gen
erals Office, and if SO, who was in their COM
pany? Was Treasury Warrant made out to
him in July, 1857, for $4,000, or any other
sunni Did he pay off the mortgage for
$15,5o2 81, which was cancelled of record
July 10, 1857, if not day or two before, i'm
mediately after the title was passed by the At
torney GENERALLY If not, who did2 Let him
also answer ifhe received any and what amount
Of money on this speculation after July Z,
1857, and from whom2 and particularly let us
hear from him, who, to his knowledge, received
any rtion of the money beyond that paid to
Wissmans tI latt
"Mr Attorney General Black can probably
also tell us whether Mr.. VIM. @. Wetmore did
or did not call on him with regard to passing
the title, and can say why the title was passed
with mortgage for So, 900 on the land. Or,
If it was not Mr.. Wetmore, who was it that
called on the Attorney General to get the title
through bis Officer
"Mr. Prosper NJ. Wetmore can also answer
what arrangements he made with Messrs. Schell
and Irving in relation to the matter. Did OF
not call on gentlemen here to certify that the
land was worth over $500 per acre? AID
did he pay some Of the parties certifying, or
know that they were paid, for their trouble?
Let him answer as to his agency in the affair,
and tell us with whom he was cooperating.
"Mr. Richard Shell will also be useful
witness Let him answer what interest he had
in the speculation, and what part of the bust
ness was transacted by him. Let him tell us
whether draft for $4,000 on the Subj
sury Of this city was not endorsed by him and
paid to him. and If SO, how he expended that
sum. How much was paid to Wissman, to
Irving, to Wetmore, and to others, and how
much was retained by himselfg
"Mr. Augustus Schell can inform us whether
he made inquiries as to the value of the land
per acre, and rs informed by at least one
gentleman, that he could not say II was worth
$500 per acre; and did Mr.. Schell inform
the Department at Washington what he had
heard of the value of the land, as not wertl
$1,000 per acref He may also answer that HI
had certificates Of highly respectable men "a.
he bad) as to the value, but did he not know
that some parties said the price was exorbitanti
Did he not know that his brother, Richar,
Schell, had an interest in the speculation? d
had he any interest in it HIMSELF
"Let the Committee next send for Mr. An
thony J. Blocker, Mr.. I. b. Blocker, and TO
respectable men in the immediate neighbor
hood Of the size, and they can learn that tn
price paid was cxor bitant The land is no
worth more than one-half the amount paid 70
IT, Indeed, we have reason to believe tina
Wissman's most sanguine expectations, in cas-
\ ofa sale to the Government, never went abov
100000 before he fell in with these Gal
phinists. slfy q fap3s7 81 aef
"we hope the Committee win thoroughly
sin this matter. Let the people know who th
men are that thus prowl about the FEEDERS
Treasury. Let not cent devoted by Cor
gress to pay off this $4,000 mortgage unit
we learn who have thus carried of $4,000
Is Mr.. Secretary Floyd asleep, that be allow
such things to pass under his eyess VIII
does Mr.. Attorney General Black take propert