Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-11-20
MORE OF THE FREMONT CASE.

gressional Investigating Committee has
brought forth, through the columns of the St.
Louis Democrat, number of direct answers to
some of the charges of ssFraud in the Western
Department" Mr.. John NJ. Krum quotes from
the Report the following paragraph:
''The Arst act of fraud was the presentation
to Mrs. Brig. Gen. McKinstry, on the Goth of
September, of a complete set of silver service
OF the Jenny Lind pattern, which service cost
$4,000 and upward, and being the finest ever
made IN the West, took the premium at the
State Agricultural Fair held in ST. Louis.
This service was presented by parties exclu-
sively interested in Government contracts,
among whom were Major Selover, Leonidas
Haskell, John NJ. Crum, E. l.. Beard, of. Cali
fornia, and others. General M'Kinstry was
Quartermaster General of the Western Depart
ment by appointment of Major General John
C.Fremont, and as such Quartermaster General
controlled the horse and mule contracts, build
ing of barracks, and all supplies and purchases
pertaining to that Department.
To which Mr.. Krum replies:
ssThe paragraph in which my name is men,
toned above, SO far as it relates to me, is an
unmitigated falsehood. l never applied for
any government contract, and have never been
interested in one, either directly or indirectly.
And as to the presentation of service of sill
YER plate to Mrs. M'Kinstry, never had any
thing to do with it, and in fact never heard
that such an occurrence took place until read
it this morning, In the publication mentioned
above. l have no acquaintance with Messrs.
Maskell and Beard, and never, to my knowl-
edge, saw either of them. I have slight ac-
quaintance with Major Selover, but never ex-
changed dozen words with him in my life.''
Mr.. Thomas Kennedy, ssAgent and Attor-
ney for Mrs. S. B. Brant," quotes the follow
portion of the same report
ssThe fourth act of fraud is the house rent
first in the palatial mansion of Mrs. Brant
cousin of Mrs. Jessie Fremont, rented to Gen.
Fremont for headquarters of Major General,
his Private Secretary, and Chief of Staff, at
the rate of $4,000 per annum.''
To which Mr.. Kennedy.replies:
"The Committee have omitted some names
and some facts belonging to the Headquarters
on Chouteau Avenue, which will supply to
them now, and should most willingly have
done SO before had been applied to. The
house was offered and used at first as family
residence. When Gen. Fremont found the
unceasing demands on his time required work
to be carried on by night as well as day, it
was necessary, in order TO economise time, to
have some of the officers under the same roof.
The two lower stories are fire-proof, and are
occupied as follows'-Basement-ro to left,
four desks and tables, used by Col. Fiala,
Lieut.. S. W. Savage, Mr.. Gillin, - Camp,
Mullenhardt. Room to right, five desks and
tables, used by E. n. Davis, A. @. NJ. NJ. A.
Buchanan, clerk Mr.. Dudly, clerk Mr..
Bray, B. R. Plumley. Second to left, one
desk used, by Major Dorsheimer. Second
room to right, telegraph office, eight desks,
operators or clerks at each; the operators also
have this for sleeping room. Hall-One long
desk, for use of officerslvsiting Headquarters,
to write upon. First Floor-One room to left
four desks, Col. Eaton, Military Secretary !;
Mr.. Edward White, Mr.. Phelan. Second room
to left, two tables, Gen. Asboth and clerks,
Col. Albert and clerks. Large room to right,
one long table for maps and charts, one long
table for arranging papers, two tables for sec
retaries. This room is occupied by General
Fremont.as his office. On the two upper floors
are the quarters of General Fremont, General
Asboth. Col. Woods, Capt. Davis, Capt. How
ard. One room is used for Quarterwaster's
stores, and kept guarded. There is also sta
bling on the lot for eight horses, and accom-
modations for the necessary persons having
care of these and of the house.
ssI have confined myself to giving only the
the names of persons officially occupying the
house. Of their duties 1 will only say, that
the daily average of persons coming to head
quarters was certainly one hundred and fifty,
many times from two to I've hundred, Sundays
excepted. There are other points and other
81
which are not necessary to intrude on the pub
lie. but which would reflect no discredit on
either the owner or the occupants. What is
told is enough to disprove the statements of
the committee, that it was rented for the use
of three persons. The lease was made be-
tween the quartermaster and myself, and
based on the army regulations governing such
leaSe.'
In regard to Benton Barracks, Mr.. A. B.
Ogden, sArchitect and Superintendent of Ben
ton Barracks says:
ssThere appears in the columns of the DEM
oCrot this morning, under the head of sImpor-
tant Document series of mis-statements
and lies in relation to Benton Barracks, and
the building of the same which it is my pur-
pose to examine in a detailed report upon said
barracks. therefore ask that public opinion
may be suspended in relation thereto until
said report can be prepared from bills and
vouchers now in my possession"
In regard to the Notifications, Franz Knapp
ner, ssMajor Commanding Engineer Corps,'
says:
ssAllow me to correct some statements
contained in the Report Of the Congressional
Committee, re-published in your paper OF yes
terday, from the Cincinnati Enquirer. The
Report states, under the heading of the sthird
act of fraud,' sUnder Major H.'s superinten-
dence.' This Major Fl. must be myself, since
these five specified forts were built under my
sup erintendence. 'The wages of the laborers
were sixty cents each per day, and the cost of
each fortifcation not to exceed 100000 Two
lies in one breath. The laborers received
seventy five cents each per day, and ninety
cents each per night; one fifth of these wages
has been paid, four-fifths are still unpaid, and
the laborers are suffering in consequences of
their we'll earned pay being withheld from
them and there was no amount specified as
to what the cost should exceed. sOn the 25th
of September, when General Fremont knew