The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1861-11-21
IMPORTANT DOCUMENT.
The Congressional Investigating
Committee.

session OF congress an investigating ccm
nittee was created, whose duties are pre-
scribed in the resolutions which we pub
lish below. This committee is composed
Of the following members
Hon. Charles Van Wick, of New York
Hon. Elihu B. Washourne. of Illinois
Hon. VIM. S. Holman, Of Iodiana; Hon
Reuben E. Fenton, Of New York; Hon
; Henry L. Lawes, Of Massachusetts; Hon
. VIM. G. Steele. Of New Jersey; Hon. j. S
Jackson. OF Kentucky; Hon. Edward NJ
Ball. Sergesnt-atAr Arms Of the House. ac-
companied the committee. and I. T.
Andrews Esq. Stenographer. rs chieI
clerk.
A part of the committee Wash.
burne. Holman. Davies and Steele, with
the Sergeant at-Arms and Cerk--repaired
TO St. Louis to inquire into the condition
Of affairs in the Department of the Wes,
They have been in session in that city
since the le!h OF October fourteen days.
working twelve hours each day. and ex
amining one hundred and twenty. three
Witnesses. The manuscript of evidence
on legal cap. numbers 2.480 pages.
In giving an abstract of the testimony
which is SO voluminous. we propose only
to give a part bearing OH the different heads
of fraud, as summed up in the committe' s
report. The entire testimony has been
s.nt to Washington to be laid before Con
gress at its next session. The synopsis
we publish is faithful abstract of the evi.
dence before the committee, although
many of the minor details have been omit
ted.
The first act of fraud WAS the presenta
ton to Mrs. Brigadier General McKinstry
on the Goth Of September. of complete
sett OF silver service, Of the Jenny Lind
pattern. which service cost SO. 900 and up
ward. 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 exclusive
ly interested in Government Contracts
among whom were Major Selover. Leoni-
das Haskell. John NJ Crum. Z. l.. Beard
of California, and others. Gen. McKin
stIy was Quartermaster General of tho
Western Department by appointment Of
Major Gen. J. c. Fremont. and as such
Quartermas.er Ge neral. controlled the
horse and mule contracts, building Of bar.
racks, and all supplies and purchases az
pertaining to that Department The com
mittees In their report say. The frauds in
contracts in the Quartermaster's Depart
ment are numerous. and have been clearly
proven and extend through all branches
of his control and supervision"
In relation to the purchase Of horses
the second act Of fraud-ths testimony is
extensive as TO the various species Of i'm
position practiced. the "old English jock
ey trick" as they are called. being it. this
Case of the lesser magnitude A party
contracts to furnish 900 head Of horses
at Sll9 so per head. to the Government
through the Quartermaster. The con-
tractors agent. who is approved by the
Quartermasser las charge Of the field
where the contractors horses are to be
passed upon. A countryman, having
horses 10 sell TO the Government, pays 10
enterance- fee to the field. where his horses
are examined. and upon the payment o'
another fee OF $40. they are recommended
TO the contractor. who purchases the same
at the very lowest figures which through.
out the entire evidence. never exceeded
S85 and $50 per head The contractor
takes his purchases TO the Inspector, who
is also reimbursed by fee. which amour.
is computed according to the quality Of the
animal. The contractor, on obtaining a
certificate from the Inspector. demands
the money Of the Quar,ermaster, who pays
the same. when the bonus for saiI paymen,
is guaranteed. The evidence d,scloses
several schemes and many other ways in
which horses and mules are obtained.
The testimony also shows that the hor-
ses, in a majority of instances, are of the
most inferior kind and have broken down
or fell dead on the road Around the
depots where horses were kept thus pur.
chased. numbers Of dead carcasses have
been found. Omnibus and stage horses
have been trotted out, full of bran and
pepTered.' by contractors. who received
si15@ l40 for each horse they furnished
One OF the recent reports of Boards oI
Survey will suffice in giving the character
Of horses the Government furnished to re
giments upon the requisition of their com
manding officer. Other similar reports