New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-11-29
THE MISSOURI NVESTIGATECN'
TESTIMONY BEFORE THE COMMITTEE
Evidence Concerning con'fac'S'
GEN rarMoNTs ADMINISTRATION

taken by The missouri ihNCa"S"'I"S
a. Louis only part OF ia already printed and the
report of the Committee upon tho case is not yet
made public; ~, &c voc,
Giles F. Filey, being daily sworn, was examined
rs follows:
abe Committee your residence aud the character OF
your business. ,
manufacture OF stoves.
q. Have you had any contrac. with the Govern
ment for furnishing articles Of any Kind Tor the
army
stoves; not under regular contract, out thr"sgh
orders Of the Quarternasier. We are also furnish
ing stoves for various Experimentation the Hospital
and for oler barracks.
q. Arc ihAse articles fnTnished by you direc'N 10
the Quarlermuste or hroUgh another party
A. Directly through the Quauermsser
@ How recently nave you been engaged 10 this matter Of
ng fori.it them now also fprnil Cd stoves i'T
sbc and for the daereni hoisis through the sum
O. Have you furnished stoves. sny other aItcles which
gone the the Government through tLd parties
Yes Sir We have contract w..h hld PARTIES for
eang-ketce aud plns-bs l. We have orders To- he
sbo,i isso mouths siuce should think. the house o.
Child Pratt Fox came to me for the Pu5pos- Of itns
rawp Kettles and mesSpans articles WLi,h e m'ss.,
tnTed by Us Fox cane to ne and ei,' ,sa' clsso T,
directly 10 the Goyenmen ii1 'ne. soo e1 e. ',I'
as veil charge them tho Government Finally he 'a''
ss tho Goyeinm-n' oLteihs the't I s, j'
whist they charged for them We made them wit 1oe. cha
ine in1ch profit supposins s they chsfs.o he
only what NC CHARGED them.
q. state at whss II,ce you msde them
A We mad, them by h. pontd while they charged them
10 the Government by The piece.
q. How much die you charge them ,,.,
A. We hsretd clut "a cents per pound for The kettle =
sna a. H. k.es and III eeDts each for the
oenspsos on an aye5sre undessisnd that this house
charges the Government q cents foF the oanr kettles aud -
she department, Of whish tie following ia
copy: ~ q, - - ,oe,
"DEAR SE l-arncd this mouns that you would shortiy
sus s1s sud weirbt IS those now made or
army, eh are Of the best quality f charco9 sheern-
provided the od given ioI say 1000 cenPke'ues AID
Camp tsrtties. at 42l cents each.
"Messplns 81 ~ cen each. - - ~
Respectfully Souf'' p, H H1LLs T. fILLhf'
seen j. McKISsrRY"
To that letter received reply Of which the following is
'OTFrcG A. Q. NJ. GrsERAL, WESTERN DEP4ETsESr,}
"SIR: In reply to your otter to ainisn camp fees md
mess-Pass this department is n.s IN want OF any At this
NsE Il s ciFAfS}5. 9 osl:f 5i,..
"Mr GIIas r. FIIIRI. ST. Louis, Mo"
Since a eeTespondenee took place Rave tpPPSS to The
pans and have aher from Tie same house for $500
% iqen spgoe il ooys tbs this house had its contract
with the Govsneat 10 furnish those articles Previous 10 Jour
H. ] ulders;au5 they did have special contract, but
they he'd an open ofdef TO Furnish eysIytm &. e,
g. wss tbs. hOuss esayed in the msauActufe Of those
articlesi
O. Then waat reason 81 any can you give why they should
have been De ed to faIni ,hsm s o,.,,.,ro.,o,
A. Wen sir sarPo.e , rpaI o eax to s1vody
q many icies have you iunihea to Cbid
a. In omoaot to over - 600 worth
@ Upon you hsye furnished whist j. the df renee IN
cost 10 The between what you proposed 70 furnish
them r and what yo1 undvrSsHS they actually ior 'he
A. Taking into consideration the difference between h-
Missouri money which received end Tfeasoy nees whcf
would be over 50 per eent-sbout IS per cent
ready ~ ai GI why Res articles should have been flchs
of tue house Of Chid fra Fox instead OF directly from
A No, Sir; excop, tbs; Mf Fox Las been very intimate
ssi or has Il not been net oss to the Government Of
thsi difference in price
G. sio whether you were prepared to do and could bsve
done be work which you proposed snd e! the prices you
A. We actually done It foI Mossrs Child Frat Fox
- Do you know Ct any other contract whoh this house has
made with any her p les Tor other articles.
A. They have SMILE! arrangement with 10y brother, In
ssiercnee 70 at elro which he manufactures.
q. nat articles tteyf
chi. sTs of cl PI Pa foI What the business Of
a General hardware business
s hs O s1 iOU an1sssS OF the value the
O Wa, your hou.e the only house in st. Louis which fur
rished such sIticlcsl
q Wore there many such hoosesi
A There several. That house got great many
f1Ds made beyond wbst iu1nshed.
O. v oud your offer to the QnatsImsster vary much
from what those articles could have been obtained Tor from
They could have obtained Of other houses at about
chs same pfce.
q Wsi matter Of suy difficulty for tho Government to
ss:srtsin 40 make; vsiae OF those ar;iclesi
@ Could enybcay Of ordinary business cspscy employed
% purchase the army those goods hsve found out
dh9y Tie lowest price tney eoad have been purchased for!
@ Woui there have been any practical difficulty in the
Government eesling directly with TIE manufacturer, and
thero9y obisnii Inc articles a. the lowest price
A None wssyeI. OF there good deal OF feel
Eng about sic Caofnsns coaDg into the city snd getting
rsusIsets FOX came to one morning and esked II
she!s Tor hr Government. lie stated that iherc
who lad the means OF the contract om
the Ooyeranentsl uUde stood, from Gen. Fremont told
ho eOnd make tssn but that would not make them for
eay third ply tbs the Government wanted s10 aud rhe
eeess.o1 4 ,s or duty 20 contract with nanuisc-
tafei oI sn t1ss had already made pToposi;on TO ts
tovefsmspt 70 give them the OF my foundry II tn
wanted IT, q .iat werd myself make sbee' ell
unde those circumstances conld ucr lake them for
third party lie said itdd eny difference with
how got she ooutrsct provided only got H. replied that
did tavs since understood that the hes been
made and a has gone to tie Ohio hyei whore end to
O. TO whom did you make the offer to furnish your foun.
deTy1
A. 1 sent ro.e Sl-ectly to Gan Fremont
q What wss the Substance OF the motel
A. Ibe substance of&te offer that If tho Oovernmen
wanted my fouL3ey make and shell |. " At hs ser
vice. ifihey uisbsd e 70 make shot and sb for II ne
wond make them for ssA advance above c cover
So6tinssIt expenses.
- Dla yo1 get srylepiJf
HOw long ss, th did Fox come 10 you with the propo
sij, you bevc last sist.dq
A. should Judge it@ls two or three weats
@ og log va .ier Fox made the pcfosfion to yeui
@rh %GIe you heard that tie contract had soewhe
A. al osd ssppess hs also wastwo or tlro weeks That
fp ssd upon the street bot know hing sboq!
me tbat "a By tue OF bn,n. H. "a 49, 20 hn, Tor