The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1861-11-21
Very respectfully,
(Signed)
DAVID MCKEE. Major.
GRO. ROCKWELL. Captain,
JOHN SCHEE, Lieutenant.

JOHN SCHEE, Lieutenant.
The committee also lave in evidence
that United States District Attorney Jones
was associated with Messrs. Thompson
and Bowen in the purchase Of horses and
mules. their contract being at S1l9 SO
each horse. Bowen sold out to Thonlp.
son and Jones for $4,000. payable in bank.
able funds. Thompson went to McKins-
try for payment on horses Messrs. Thomp-
son and Jones had furnished, and was told
that another party was interested in this
horse business. and unless the $4,000 in
gold was deducted by Messrs. Thompson
and Jones. none Of the money could be
paid The $4,000 was kept by McKinstry,
and the remainder paid over to Thompson
and Jones.
Under this head of fraud. the commit
tee have testimony of over half million
of dollars sunk in pay contracts The
Quartermaster paid Sl7 81 per ton for hay
in bales which on examination is found to
be prairie grass, and hay Of very poor
quality. The cost Of transportation be-
tween St. Louis and Sedalia. Is about SO
per ton. or S35 per ton delivered at Sc
dalia. The committee have accumulated
evidence that fresh hay from the stack !;
and in abundance along the entire route to
Warsaw. can be obtained at s6@8 per
ton.
In Government wagons, the evidence
shows that large numbers are here without
any owners until after .hey have been press
ed into the service, and then the builders
present their claims. A majority of these
wagons are unfit for service. The axles,
reach. holsters. spokes, hubs. DC. are
found 10 have been cracked, and the cracks
filled with putty. and painted over where
the fraud was patent. Several of the wag.
ons were condemned. The committee will
report that number of the wagons thus
received by the Quartermaster and his
agent have broken down before the arm y
had proceeded far, and that all the wagons
will be useless after few weeks service.
The third act of fraud is in the building
of fortifications at ST. Louis. On the 18th
oJ August. Colonel Hassendeu5el, by or
der Of Gen. Fremont, engineered and sur.
veyed the peints within the limits of St.
Louis for the erection of eleven III forts
Under Major HIS superintendence five I 81
were built directly for the Government,
without any intervening contractor. The
wages Of the laborers were 60 cents each
per day. and the cost Of each fortifca,ion
not to exceed $4,000. On the 95th of
September. when General Fremont knew
that the forts. completed. cost $4,000
each. Quartermaster General McKinstry.
per order Of Gen. Fremont made a contract
with f. l.. Beard. of California, TO build 6
additional forts for the Government, simi
lar in all respects to the constructed by
Col. Hassendeubel, agreeing to pay 45 cts.
per cubic yard for all excavations 55 cts.
per cubic yard for the smame dirt excava.
ted upon the bank of the fort and forming
the embankment; for all puddled earth 80
cents per cubic yard; paving walks with
brick or stone. floors of blockhouses, &c.
81 per square yard; for cistern. 25 cents
per cubic gallon of 23l inches. arched with
brick. crown and cement; lum Der and tim.
Der to be measured in the building. 800
per 900 feet; for facines and breastworks
required on the work. 81 per cubic foot,
and for roofing all the buildings with tbre.
ply roofs $3.50 per square of 100 superb.
cial feet. The total cost Of the six fortif.
cations figures upward of $500, 900. upon
which Mr.. Beard has received $4,000.
An additional payment of an order for
100000 from Gen. Fremont was stopped
by the Secretary of War when in ST. Louis.
The evidence sets forth that notwithstand
ing Beard has received already three times
the original oost of the wcrka, the laborers
are olamorous at the Government officers
for their pay. The items of the cost OF
forts. as proven by other forts built. and
the evidence of master mechanics. put the
figures. VIZ. 10 cts. per cubic yard for ex.
cavations and embankments; puddled
earth 35 cts; paving, &C., 40; cistcrns,
DC. 80; lumber and timber S4O@ SO per
1000 feet; facines and breastworks q5(d-
4Oc; roofing si@2.5o and total cost of six
Notifications not over 100000. The con-
tract for fortifcations was drawn up per
order Of Gen. Fremont The contract is
regarded by the committee as irregular
and informal, except that it provides that
mo member Of Congress shall be interest.
ed in the said contract" The contract is
in part irregular, for the reason that ac