New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-07-15
THE ALLEGED CLOTHING FRAUDS.


THE ALLEGED CLOTHING FRAUDS
REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE
10 ne Iod,d o. OFFERS named IA s act Untitled IA L -
s,oss: y, he psS ps..:s
The undersigned, members Of such Board, having
been appointed commute to investigate all matterc
connected with the contract made between this State
and Messrs Brooks Brothers Of the City Of New.
York for The delivery Of uniforms to be furnished To
the Volunteer Militia Of the State and particularly a.
to the quality Of the uniforms delivered under such
contract,
REPORT:
That your Committee have examined such contrsoa.
and the samples Of cloth attached to the sane new
on file in the office Of the Cootroller and have apo
pended 70 this report copy OF lhe minutes Of THO
Board relating thereto, and have also examined larg$
portion OF The uniforms delivered BY Messrs Brooke
Brothers under their contract, and have taken sucA
testimony in relation thereto was BY your Commit
tee deemed necessary to establish all the facts relative
to the making OF such contract and the quality of the
uniforms delivered uncer it, which testimony il alsc
| annexed 10 this report.
The undersigned submit that such minutes, CONTRACTS
and testimony estab sb the following facts, viz:
That on the 80 day Of April lat this Board caused
notice to be published nviing proposals. for furnish
ing uniforms and clothing for u 900 of the volntssk
militia Of this State.
That in pursuance Of such invitation proposals werQ
and clothing, and that none Vt the persons Offering
such proposals, except said frm Of Brooks Brothent
professed to be able to make such uniforms of srm$
cloth within the tine specified ia tie notice.
That at the time Of re'eivlng such proposals. the
agent Of Messr Brooks Brothers represented 70 meme
bes Of this Board that such firm bad then on hand Of
under their control sufficient quantity Of army coe
to make the Il, 900 uniforms.
That relying mp sub representations Of the agent
of such frm this Board accepted their proposal anS
cont rced with them for such uniforms at SI9 50 fof
eab uniform, consisting of q jacket, trowsen and
svsrc0at.
That soon after such contract was awarded THO,
Board was informed by said firm Of Brooks Brothert
that they neither had could procure In market SUE
fcient quantity Of army cloth 10 make said unfornS
and they desired extension of The time stipulated in
the contract for completing such uniforms 70 enable
them to get the army cloth manufactured for that purt
pose.
That in view of the then rate of our country, With
the Capital of the nation in imminent danger Of being
captured by the rebels all intercourse between tho
General Government and the loyal part of the nato&
interrupted not entirely cut of, with the strong ap&
peals made by such Government trd the public pres
10 have the volunteer militia OF this State uniforme
and mustered into service without delay, this BOar&
did not feel at liberty 70 acceds to such request "
Brooks Brothers.
That on The 18th day Of April last said Brooks Broth.
informed the thep lnspectorGeDera Of this Statf
William A. Jacksaa) that they would be unable Y
fulfill their said contract unless they allowed TO-
u,s other than army cloth for such uniforms and thai
such unprecedented requested authority to allow
such change Of contract " be made.
That upon receipt Of such request, this Board APP
pointed the Treasurer Of the State COMMITTEES 70 pr
coed 10 New.York City, ard TO confer with Assistan9
Qusrtermaster General Arthur aud Major Patrick ID
| reference to said uuiiornA
That on the 9Th OF April last tie Treasurer such
Committee reported to this Board that the New.Yor9
market could not supply the necessary army cloth "
make L. COZ uniforms and that after consultation 10
was Obliged TO contract for such uniforms to DO Dado
OF other than army CLOTH and that be had complete
and signed contract therefor with Messrs. Brooke,
Brothers, cory whereof y hereto annexed.
| That on the let day Of May las such contract WAC
apo.oved of by this Board under belief thai the uns
forms therein cont cted for and 10 be delivered undef
such contract, would be Of equal value with uniform6
| made from army cloth.
That two Of tho samples Of cloth attached to such
contract Of an inferior Quality and Of cloth Of le
That the greater part tho 800 gray jackets, sndtl
greater part, the 7,|0 gray trowses referred 70 II
aid contract, ard therein contracted TO bs made OF
cadet mixed satiet, wese 10 fact made OF an nfsriot
cloth to sample No. attached TO snch contrsc-enck
jackets and trowses being Of poor quality Of sot4
| known 90 "ShOddy," tender and unit for use, 90
much decayed that saeh uniforms when nanufsesoreS
from the same piece Of gray eoh would present sevt
| eral different colors, or shades OF color.
That all Of ssd 800 gray iacssts and 200 gay
trowseu were badly cut. 6sdly sewei and made upe
and the buttons used upon Gil OF the jackets were OF
poor quality, ard not properly sswsd upon such gsrt
| Inents.
4 n
sucb contract were made Of eott which was mft fss
uss and inferior ~ the sample attached 70 such COM
tract and number Of such oyercoas were badiy cup
and made up with inferior buttons TO thcse provided
| for in such contract.
the rendezvous ut Elmisa and Furnished the yolune
tetrs at that place. and The inferior quality VI such un
forms not known to this Board until the greater
| mart of such uniforms had been delivered.
That four residents Of the City Of Ne~-fork, neH
Of high standing for integrity and business capacity,
yere selected by acting neral Atthue
TO INSPECT the uniforms IL be delivered under such con
tract, but that such persons only inspected such uni,
forms In piles, and da not examine each garment "
see tina. the cloth Ia the was Of the quality %
made up as provided for In the cont ract.
That such inspectors furnished tho said coptrncfoue
with certic.t of inspection similar TO the hereA
and such certificates nailed upoa boxes
In which such uniforms were packed, without such me
spectors knowing the kind or quality Of un.orna
which were coctliped tboreiu.
That no member Of this Board has or ever had anT
interest," direct or indirect, in such cotra't or bee}
paid, promised, or given, any sum OF money OF otnsr
valuable inc for any rery,ces or vcte IN relation y
the awsrig If such contract or the change OF tno
same from the accepted proposals. Of said contractors
And vonr committee further submit that the reean4
ta,ons made st the time such contract was awarded -
to the ability II Hessrs Brooks b,otne,s 70 iurnna
a,,y cloth tie circumstances ate ndng the change o.
sucI coutract disclosed In the testimony sno the
making of 90 many of said uniforms ont OF inferior
cloth aud the sending Of the same " the rendesvouo
mod distant from the place of meeting Of this Beard.
are stour evideuce that Mesrs Brooks Bro.bera, re-
on rjsss Of their obligations The People Of this Stat
Who had agreed to pay them liberia! price for army
cloth uniforms well made mp, have at least BEEN guilty.
and your Committee recommend that no further pay
meuis be made to said Brooks Brothers thereon unleD
tbey shall furnish tie State free Of expense other unt.
FORMS In tho place Of the detective ones ressrsa -
above. H 90,
some consideration however, should b given 70 u
circumstances attending the making and executing g