Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1860-06-29
de C6vODE INVESTIGATION.
PrsS iden 1osae S.sa F.is~pha.tIy W.
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1nd. w kEN wISslow.
FrofSsA. slVAori.y of thsAGommitt.e, BY spec,s,
leave Of the House, reports as follows
CoNTISUKD.
That this arrangement was made by
Wepdel for his own advantage {; that he
pretended it was done BY the authority
Of the President, and that the President
mad nothing 1T all to do with IT, Is con,
clus,vely shown BY the testimony OF
Mr.. Baker, BY the account stated ~
Wendell, aud by Wcndeirs own confess
on. Mr.. Baker testifics as follows:
Aoswer-In January, 1859, Mr. Rice
was quite violent and indignant about
not getting from Wendell what he sup
posed WAS justly due to him; this con-
versston hsppcaed while ! was here in
January, 1859 Mr.. Rice said, when he
was appointed the printer to print the
post office blanks, that be had made an
arrangement or contract With Mr.. Wen
dell to do the work for tifty per centu'n
the gross receipts, aud he commended
that under that arrangement there was
quite large balance due to him; | was
yeuy DESTROYS that Mr.. Wendell should
pay Mr.. Rice, as l knew that he vas !"
moncyed difficulties, the amount ne
(WcndelD owed Rice, and to a>certan
that amount called upon Mr.. Wendell;
Mr.. Wendell said that Rice was not to
&c, fifty per centum, but forty-three per
ccntum OF the gross receipts; Wendell
also stated at that time that the money
was appropr i:.tcd to other purposes, and
that be did not owe him anything, that
the Philadelphia "Argns' had received a
portion Of the forty three per centum.
Question-Did Mr.. Wendell tell You
at that time by whom this was appro-
p,iated otherwise than to the publisher
Of the "Pcnnsylvanian."
Answer-Ae said he had directions
from the Administration, or from high
official source l do not .recollect his ex'
act words.
Ques,ion-What did you understand
by the administration ?"
Answer-I understood the President.
Question-You spoke of conversiug
with the President about this; what
was that conversation
Answer understood, in the fall OF
1861 do not know from whom o.
how-that the "DaiIy Argus" was te
receive 10 "a per centum from aud al
ter the lst OF August, 1858, aud ! i'll.
CURED of the President whether he had
given any directions for portion Of
ltice's money, or what was due to Rice
as printer OF post Office blanks, to be
paid to the sd ally Argus" lie said ht
had given no directions; but report SAID
the net profits from the printing of these
blanks amounted to about $4,000 pei
anmum; and if such was the case, he
supposed that Mr.. Rice could afford to
pay the "Argus" out OF his own profit:
or ont OF this sum. When Mr.. Rice wa'
first appointed printer it was though
the net proceeds would not amount t.
over $4,000 or $4,000, and when i
was ascertained that it amounted to
$50, 900, as the ARGUS" was hard up, al
it always is, it was given without any
directions from him. 1t was supposed
under Mr.. Wcndeli's understanding o
t, that there had been a subdivision o
it. 1t then became necessary to learl
how much was received for tho blank
f ON July l, 1858, to July 81, Of tn
same year, and from August l, to De
ccmbcr 10. l learned this at the Pos
Office Depa'tme The amount tina
Mr.. Wendell received on account of tn
blanks during the first period mentioned
was *2O,50l.24, and for the latter pei io(
STAT SO.
Question you procure that in
formation from the Postmaster Gen
eral
Answer-This document | received
fro m the Auditor, Mr.. Offut he is tn
proper officer Of the department.
Amount. paid for printing blanks used ostsid
of,he c'tyot Washington from January Is
1859.
February 5, 1858, to VIM. Rice. ..... .$4,74S.7
March Ii, 1858, to c. Wendell, assignee
OF VIM. Rice. .................... 81
April ID, 1858. to SAME. .4,4Ol s.
May IA, 1858, to same. .l,243. 81
June IN, 1858, to q. Wendell, attorney of
WIN. A. Harris .....................4.l2 Is 8.
July IL, 1853, atty Of same.... ...1.sll l.
2o,5ol.2
August 81, 1858, tee. Wendell, atty Of
September S.tO q. Wendell, atty Of same .2,264
October %. 1858, to atty Of same .2.33s. @
November 10, ls5s.to" atty of same :. $685., 4
December 9, 1850 atty of same. :. :. 2.677.5
l4,7ss.s
From this testimony it is plain tina
while these parties were annoying tn
President in respect to the shares tha
should be received bv themselves from
the post Office blanks, the Presidcn
made no order aud gave no direction
concerning it. This is afterwards con
fessed by Wendell himself, contradict
ing all his previous assertions on tn,
subject
"Gentlemen, about Septcmber-so,n,
time in the month Of September
suggested the stoppagc Of the pay men
10 the "Pennsylvanian," OH my own vol
ltlon, believing that the money wa
thrownawsv thcrc. Istopped it, | hal
two reasons for it. One was. l wantet
some # the profits myself, for / was run
ming into difficulties, and thought
was entitled to some of The profits.
suggested II to the President, aud with
out his direction ! stopped it. lie did
not direct this stoppage. He did no,
direct 1t to be done, nor dissent. HI