Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1861-12-20
LATEST NEWS
by the Mails.
From Washington.

WAsBISGToN, Dec. Is
Mr.. Washburne's report OF frauds in Govern
ment contracts, mbraces the following items:
April z3d, Alexander Cummings, Of the New
York World, received authority from the Seere
tary OF War to purchase various army supplies il
conjunction with Gov. Morgan, with au th ority tc
exercise his functions separately. Two million.
II dollars were deposited with Messrs. Dix, Op
dyke 4 Blatchford. subject to Cummings draft
Ar. Cummings drew quarter Of a million, OF
which he says he paid ninety thousand to the
Union Defense Committee Of New York, for ex
penses incurred, and deposited hsndred and
sixty thousand to his own credit in the Park
BANK. Mr.. Cummings employed clerk one Jas
Humphrey, who IN ade large number OF purchase
he never knew Humphrey before, but took him
on the recon mendation Of Thurlow Weed Mr.
Cummings expended money according TO his own
fancy, With Ont consulting the Government Quar-.
termaster or Commissary. He expended twenty
one thousand dollars for linen pantaloons and
straw hats, contrary to the army regulations lie
bought Leet and pork Of Erastus Corning Co..
hsr4 ware hou.e at Albany, at the suggestion Of
one Davidson. He also Bought quantity Of
Scotch ale. Londoa porter, pickles. butter, chee
Goldfish, herrings and tongues. He chartered tn e
steamer Coatzscoalcos at 81 900 per day, with out
examining her. Cummings gave bond and
took no OATH He says he turned over the balance
OF the money-ene million seven hundred and
nifty thousand dollars-to Sub-Treas ure1 Cisco ;
but subsequently says he retained one hundred
and forty tn housand dollars, accounted for by youch-
ers This inconsistency the Committee are un
able to explain. Mr. Cumm ings account has not
yet been flied Tor settlement at the War Depart
ment. The Committee accuse the Secretary Of
war Tor his extraordinary conduct in employing
Cummings to do the work Of the regular Quarter
master and Commissary, man OF high character
and qualifications, then ststioBed at New York
On the subject OF army supplies generally, the
Committee find reprehensible glect in net adv
tlsing, according 10 army regulations, particularly
IN the Western Department. There ,iQuartermas-
ter Mchinstry was in the habit Of making his re-
quisition on mercantile houses for articles, prom
Using them fair rroft. This profit frequently
amounted to forty per cent.
The contracts for beef cattle were found to be
grossly corrupt. The Siblcy contract is srecialiy
noticed. Ii was for ten thousand head more or less
at eight cents Tcr pound delivered at Washing
ton, and five and three -fourths delivered at IIar
rlsburg. Sibey Co., sub-let the whole contract
to Mr.. Allerton, Of New York, whereby the former
made thirty two thousand dollars, and the latter
twenty tive thousand dollars.
The Committee say that the erection Of fortifca-
tions at st. Louis was marked by cxtravagance
naubordinaton and fraud Of an extraordinary
character. IN addition to facts heretofore known
1t appears that the contract with Beard was ma lie
by Gen. frcmont's special order and directs on and
one hundred and fifty one thousand dollars paid to
Beard before the date Of the contract. No specfi-
cations were made before hand no bond given;
and yet the total amount ordered by Fremont to
be paid to Beard vas two thousand four hundred
and six dollars while the actual cost was about six
ty thousand dollars, and this Beard paid only
fifteen thousand dollars to his laborers leaving for
ty thousand dolla,s due to men whose families
were clamoriug for bread. When the Committee
were in st Louis, sixty thousand dollars were or
dered by Fremont to be paid to Beard, in direct
defiance OF Secretary Csmcron's order that no
more be paid. This was done two days after Ere.
mont received CameIon's order
False vouchers figure largely in Mckinstry's
Department of the army. His transactions With
the firm OF Child, Pratt Fox, st. Louis, show
quarter Of a million dollars clear fraud. The
swindling in horse and mule contracts, by Cali
fornans, the Committee declare incredible and
strpendous.
Ex-Governor Barstow, Of Wisconsin, offered one
David Pratt five thousand dollars to ego up TO
the Tycoon" (meaning Fremont and get him a
Colonel's commission; Barst,wn saying he could
make t@ enty or thirty thousand dollars in buying
cavalry horses. Pratt made bargain with
Judge Cewles, who procured Earstow his com
mi ssion.
Tais volume Of the report ,lo0 pages is only
n part Of the Committees abors, the s,cnogra-
pliers not having transcribed the testimony taken
in other places.