The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-11-07


FRAUD. Ia Army Cuntracts.
The Cincinnati Enquirer gives what
purports to be an abstract of the report of
the Congressional Investigating Commit
tee upon the contracts in the Western
Department
The report states that persons interest
ed in contracts presented Mrs. McKin-
stry, wife of the Quartermaster, service
of plate costing $1,000 McKinstry had
charge Of all contracts in relation to horses,
mules, &c, and the Committee reports
that, by means of bonuses and various in
direct and fraudulent contrivances, an i'm
mense number of horses and mules have
been furnished the Government at from
thirty to fifty per cent advance on their
original cost, and that many of these ami
mails are unfit for service. The Commit
tee give the following report Of COM
mittee appointed for Col. Bishops Regi-
ment as a fair specimen Of the general
character OF the horses furnished
CAMP SULLIVAN, WARSAW, !
October p, 1864.
To Colonel William Bishop:
The undersigned having been summon
ed, as board of survey, to examine and
inspect the condition of the horses for
warded to this regiment from Saint LOUIS
and report the result to your headquarters
would respectfully report that we have ex-
anlined said horses and find seventy six
(7G) fit for service, FIVE (5) dead, three
hundred and thirty $500 understood, un-
der and over aged, stiAed, ringboped, spa
vined, and incuraJiy unfit for any public
service, said horses being part Of the
Missouri contract.
Very respectfully,
ISigned,]
DAVID MCKEE, Major,
GEORGE ROCKWELL, Capt.
john ScHEE, Lieutenant.
The contracts for hay and government
wagons exhibit similar and equally palpa-
BILE and outrageous fraud and swindling.
A third head of fraud is in the cost of
construction Of forts at st. Louis, five of
which were built for $50 coo under su-
perintendence of Government officers
after which Mekinstry, with the sanction
of Erepont, contracted for building six
more, precisely similar, on specifications
which run their cost up to 100000.
The fourth heading of fraud and extra
vagance is the renting of Mrs, Brant's
residence at $4,000 with several other pa.
latial residences in the vicinity ut similar
rates, and the construction of barracks al
cost of $3.50, 600, which could have beer
built at half the expense. And the clos
ing head exhibits miscellaneous account
of picket-pins, tug boats, provender, tents
clothing, transportation, packet aud steam
boat charters, contracted for at doubl.
rates, ON which the Government wa
swindled even at that by poor material 0
inadequate service.
The Committee report
"The frauds in contracts in the Quar-
termaster's Department are numerous an
have been clearly proven, and extern
through all branches of his control an
supervision.
After reading the brief extracts fror
the synopsis Of that report the people wi
very readily believe their general state
ment here quoted
The st. Louis correspondent Of th
Cincinnati Enquire, ii will be remembe
ed. is hostile 10 Fremont. and what pul
ports to be an abstract of the report of TIL
Committee, is only an abstract of some {
the evidence given before the Committe,
The writer attempts to implicate Fremor
In Mckinstry's rascalities, but we lear
at second hand, from = prominent men
Der Of the Committee, that General Fr,
mont is in no manner implicated by IL
testimony before the Committee.
----
Ray- The London Mechanics Magazir
pronounces the famous Armstrong gun
failure. The gun heats BY rapid frin
SO that the delicate screw arrangement
and breech pieces no longer ft. Besid
the pressure of gas ON the vent piece b
comes SO great as to break II I'm piece
and some nine guns were recently re
dercd unseryiceable from this cause ,
trial.
ENT The Richmond Wing is in so
perplexity as to how the Confederate Go
eminent shall raise the means TO carry