Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-11-14
Report Of the Congressional In
vcstigatiUg Committee in Gem
cral FrcInOnt's. Department. at
ST. Louis.

The public are aware that at the last
session of Congess an investigating COM
mit:ee was created, whose dutics were
prescribed by resolutions passed by that
body. This committee is composed of
the following members: Hon. Charles
Van Wyck, of New York; Hon. Elihu
b. Washburne, of Illinois; Hon. VIM. S.
Holman, of Indiana; Hon. Reubn E.
Fenton, of New York; Hon Henry l..
Dawes, of Massachusetts, Hon. VIM.
G.. Steele, of New Jersey, and Hon.
James S. Jackson, of Kentucky; Hon.
Edward NJ. Ball, Sergeant at. Arms of
the House, accompanied the committee,
and II. r. Andrews, Esq, as Chief Clerk.
The committee held their first session in
New York City, and during seven weeks
stay in that city received two thousand
two hundred pages of testimony in rela-
ton to frauds and impositons on the
Government, none of which, however,
were of startling character, as will APP
pear in their report to Congress. There
were evidences of overcharging on Gov
ernment supplies and general loosness
in the management of Government af
fairs, in all of which the committee has
given special attention, and. when repor-
ted on, will exhibit singular and pecu-
liar condition of things in that Depart
cities tho committee have found but lit
tie that was not strictly proper.
A part Of the committeo-Messrs.
Washburne, Holman, Dawes and Steele,
with the Sergeant at Arms and Clerk
repaired to st. Louis to inquire into the
condition of affairs in the Department of
the West They have been in session in
that city since the 10th fOctober--tour-
teen days working twelve hours each
day, and examining one hundred and
twenty three witnesses. The manuscript
of evidence, on legal cap, numbers two
thousand, four hundred and eighty pages
In giving an abstract of the testimony,
which is SO voluminous, we propose on
ly to give apart bearing on the different
heads of fraud, as summed up in the
committees report. The entire testimo-
ny has been sent to Washington to be
|
The synopsis we publish is a faithful ab-
stract of the evidence before the commit.
tee, although many of tho minor details
have been omitted.
The first act of fraud was the prescnta-
tion to Mrs. Brgidicr General MclNinstry
on the 10Th of September, of complete
sct of silver service the Jenny Lind
pattern, which service cost $3 900 and
upward, aud being the finest cvor made
in the West, took the premium at the
State Agricultural Fair held in st. Lou
is. This service was presented by par
ties exclusively interested in Govern
ment contracts among whom were Major
Sclover, Leonidas Haskell. John NJ
Cnm, T.. l.. Beard. of California, ant
others. General Mckinstry was quarter
master General of the Western Depart
mcnt by appointment of Major-tiencra|
d. G.. Fremont, and as such Quarter
master. General, controlled the horse and
mule contracts, building Of barracks,
and all supplies and purchases appcrtain
ing to that Department The commit
toe in their report say, 1.-The frauds ii
contracts in the QuartermaSter's Depart,
ment are numerous and have been clear
ly proven, and extent through all
branches of his control and supervis
ion.'
In relation to the purchase of horses
the second act of fraud-the testimony
is extensive as to the various species oI
Imposition practiccd, the cold Englisl
jockey tricks" as they are called, being
in this case the lesser magnitude. a
party contracts to furnish one thousand
head ofhorSes, at $ll9,50 per head, tc
the Government, through the Quar-
tormastor. The contractors agent, who
is approved by the Quartermaster, ha,
charge OF the field where the contrac
tors horses are to be passed upon. A couI
tryman having horses to sell to the Gov
crnment, pays $40 entrance fee to tn
feld, where his horse is examined, an,
upon the payment Of another fee Of $40
they are recommended to the contractor
, who purchases tho same at the very low
5 est figure, which. throughout the entir
Y evidence, never exceeded $50 and 80
per head The contractor takes his pul
n chases to the inspector, who is also rein
bursed by lee, which amount is con