Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-11-13
SrIrttro Mllsttllanp.
The western Department-The Com
gressiOnal Investigating Committee
Alleged Abstract OF the report.

gressiOnal Investigating Com nm ftee
ALLEGED Abstract OF the Report.
The Cincinnati Enquirer publishes the follow
ing, which it says is an abstract of the evidence
obtained by the Congressional investigating com
mittee, which closed its labors in st. Louis last
week:
In giving an abstract of the testimony which is
so volumnous we propose only to give part
bearing on the different heads of fraud, summed
up in the committees report. The entire testi
mony has been sent to Washington to be laid be-
fore Congress at its next session The synopsis
we publish Is a faithful abstract Of the evidence
before the committee, although many of the mi
nor details have been omitted.
The first act of fraud was the presentation to
Mrs. Brigadier General McKinstry, on the Doth
of September, of complete set of silver service
of the Jenny Lind pattern, which service cost
$4,000 and upwards, and being the finest ever
made in the Vest, took the premium at the State
Agricultural Fair held in st. Louis. This SER
vice was presented by parties exclusively inter
ested in Governments contracts among whom were
Major Selover, Leonidas Haskell, John NJ Crum,
T. L. Beard, of California, and others. General
McKinstry Quartermaster General of the
Western Department by appointment OF Major
General j. g. Fremont, and as such Quartermas
ter General, controlled the horse and mule con-
tracts, building of barracks and all supplies and
purchases appertaining to that department. The
committee in their report say; 1.-The frauds i'm
contracts in the Quartermaster's Department are
numerous and have been clearly proven aud ex-
tend through all branches of his control and su-
pervisIon."
In relation to the purchase of horses-the second
act of fraud-the testimony is extensive as to the
various species OF imposition practced. the ''old
English jockey tricks" as they are called, being
in this case of the lesser magnitude. party
To, l.o-.1 .sfA
SlI9 50 per head to the Government, through
the Quartermaster. The contractors agent, who
is approved by the Quartermaster, has charge of
the field where the contractors horses are to be
passed upon. A countryman having horses to sell
to the Government. pays SO entrance fee 10 the
field where bis horses examined, and upon
the payment of another fee of SO, they are
recommended to the contractor, who purchases
the same at the very lowest figure, which,
throughout the entire evidence, never exceeded
SIS and $50 per head. The contractor takes his
purchases to the inspector, who is also reimbursed
by fee, which amount is computed according
70 the quality of the animal. The contractor, on
obtaining a certificate from the Inspector de
mands the money of the Quartermaster, who pays
the same. when the bonus for said payment is
guaranteed. The e-idence discloses several such
schemes and many other ways in which horses
and mules are obtained. 4 he testimony also
shows that the horses, 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 purchased, numer-
Gus dead carcasses have been found. Omnibus
and stage horses have been trotted out. "ful of
bran and peppered. by contractors, who received
Sis and $3.50 for each horse they furnished.
One of the recent reports of Boards of Surveys
will suffice in giving the character of horses Gov
ernment furnished TO regiments upon the requi-
sitiOn of their commanding officer. Other sim
liar reports the committee have on file.
CAMP sullivan,
WARSAW. Oct. 81, 1861
To Col WM BlsHoP: The undersigned hav-
ing been summoned. as a board of survey, to ex-
anime and inspect the condition of the horses for
warded 10 this regiment from St. Louis and report
the result ~ your headquarters would respectful
ly report hat we have examined said horses and
find seventy six fit for service, five dead and
three hundrel aud thirty understood. under and
over aged. Stded, ringboned blind, spawned, and
iHcargtly unfit for any public service said horses
being part Of the Missouri contract
Very respectfully,
fSignedl DAviD MCKEE, Major,
GEoRGE RocKwELL. Captain,
J0HS ScHEE, Lieutenant
The committee also have in evidence that U
s. District Attorney Jones was associated with
Nessrs Thompson and Bowen in the purchase
of horses and mules. their contract being ll9 SO
each horse. Bowen sold out TO Thompson and
Jones for S. 900, payable in bankable funds
Thompson went 70 McKinstry for payments on
horses Messrs- Thompson and Jones had furn-
ishel, and was told that another party was in
tereSted in this horse business. and unless the
$1,000 in gold was deducted by Messrs. Thomp-
son and Jones. none OF the money could be paid.
The 5000 yss kept by McKinstry, and the re
mainder paid over 10 Thompson aud Jones.
Under this heul Of fraud the committee have