Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-11-16
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91lg appeal,
E~AsCALETy OF FEDERAL OFF,
Gals.



The northern papers in .Lg interest o.. LIS
coin, aud against FRg',oNr. are industrious il
parad.ug before the public the evidences of tn
latte-s completely m tLs great frauds that hav.
been rerPctgatej aga.ust the government by Oh.
army contractors. The following is one of .la.
statements. taken from q a3rbeu ozgaau--
and It wiil be seen a pretty strong case of rasoa.
.ty on tlo part 1r somebody made out
THr CoSGBEssr0Ssl INVESTIGATING C0,ruT.
TEE AND THEIR AUTHORITY
Frauds Ja En- lorb anil Eastern Calcs-D,
T-0UwgHts "a Department ~ Ho Hcsf-HOrS.
Contracts and Brbru-L0p0siuOu ia Hay ana
GCrcrHHsHt HarorS-iC0rV Expenditures III
Fort. -155Hs-EEor7ngs House Rent Tor Hcgl.
GsUtars-Erall Fraud 10 EnatiigE 0-d Roof
ing 81 Barrlr5s for Troops, etc.
WASHINGTON, November 1.-The public are
aware that at the last session O.. Congress an iu.
yestI-ariuE committee was created, whose duties
are prescribed IN the resolutions which We pub.
lshed below. This committed Is composed o
rbe following members Hon. Charles Van
Mvck, Of New York; Hon ELihu B. Wash.
hurue, Of Illinois; Hon. VIM. 5. H0Lmsu. OF
Indiana Hon. r. /. teuuou, of New York
Hon. Henry /. Dawes, of Msssachuset.s Hon
WIN. O.. Steele, Of New jersey, and Hon. james
S. Jackson, of Kentucky. Hon. Edward NJ.
BAL, Sergeant az Arms OF the House, ~aCc0mpau-
led the committee, and r. 7. Andrews, ESQ,
stcuaErag her. is chief clerk.
The ml held their first session I'D New
York city. and during their seven weeks stay
In thar city, received poo pages of testimony
ia relation TO frauds and mposiious on the
government, none of which, however, were Of
a startling character, ss viii appear In their re-
port 90 Congress. There were evidences oftre.r
overchsr-ng on government supplies, and a
general l0Ussu5ss ID the management of gov
eminent affairs. In all which the committee has
given special attention, aHt when reported on
VIII exhibit a singular and peculiar condition of
tAiuCs in that department AT Boston and
other Eastern cities, tire has found
but little that was Lo- strictly proper.
a part of the comulttre-Hessrs Wash
burne, Holman, Davies and Steele, with the
sergeaut-at-aTms and cleIh-repaired 70 ST.
Louis 90 inquire into the condition Of affairs IN
the department of the West. They have been
in session IN that city since the 10th of October
fourteen cays-workiHg twelve hours each
day, and examining one hundred and twenty
raIee Witnesses. The manuscript Of evidence,
ou legal cap, numbers 2is0 pages.
The following are the resolutions upon which
authority the committee acted.
" RssOiUsd, Iuata committee Of five be APP
pointed 10 ascertain and report what contracts
law hHNL u-@-N 70. any VA AAE AHNhaLAAHl-5 10.
provisions, supplies and transportation for mate
rails aud services, or for any articles furnished
lr iLe use Of government without advertising
lyr proposals, as required by the statue of 1861.
Tie parties 10 whom given, the compensation and
terms thereof, and the reasons therefor.
Also, when proposals were received, if con-
tracts were awarded 90 the lowest bidder; IF not,
the reason therefor.
Also, whether the contracts as let are in ac-
.lrn..- nth rha aDar-Esa+---= -vv-+-r-- 1870
sals, and Il any alterations, the reason FOR the
same.
Also. whether any person or persons have any
interes. In the contracts thus made and awarded.
or obtaining the same, or profits thegei0rm, except
the contractors
That said committee shall have power to send
FOR persons and papers to aiuiuister oa-hs
and examine witnesses, and TO report at any
time"
The following amendments were offered and
adopted subsequent to the passage Of the above
resolutions:
~EassIrl5, That the provisions Of the resola-
tals appointing the select committee % inquire
into and report IN relation to ceTain contracts
mad. Hy the department Tor provisions, supplies
etc. be- SD extended as taewbrace an inquiry into
all the facts and Circumstances OF all contracts
aL. agreement hereafter 20 be made pryT 20 the
final report IF the committee. By or with any dee
.ta HH t| .a. =.H.a#a"..-F AA my ""N ~
r,e.Cl with, aT growing OH. Of the operations o..
o. gnvsrum.ur I'm suU1res1iug the rebellion
against its constituted authority.
lssa.Ela, ID4- l4e said committee Ice author
I'D 10 -- curing tle recess gi Congress, ar sUcl 7
times and places as may be deemed proper
The other resolutions authorize the employ
mgut gtC enorwYHer, and directs the sergeant
E-auus 90 ne House o. attend the sl-tiuEs OF tlr
committee, serve all s-ayHlas. pay all Witnesses
- - #H.I H.rrr.eHr..
lH giving an uusa a-J Of the testimony, which
IS valuu.GaGs Es propose ou-y 90 give o part
bearing on the l.l-Helt heads UtfaUl.a as summed
mp m tie committees report. The entire iesll
muuF has been sent 90 Washington % De laid
before Congress an it5 next Session. The sTuop
sis re publish is a tai-.ilI abstract Cl the cyI-
Geuce before the committee, although many o.
the minor details have been omitted.
The first act of fraud was the presentation 20
Ms. Blizadier-Gauera McN5nstry, GA the 2grL
Of Sep,eu5er, OF d complete ret Of silver service
81 the Jenny Lind pattern, which service cos
5000 ana upward, and being the finest eve
Iuaae u tie N.st, look The premium at the State
agricultural tair held ia ST. Louis. The service
was presented by parties exclusively Interested
lu government contracts, among whom were Ma
Jor Se.yyeT, Leguidas Haskell, John vi. CrUm, J..
L.. Beard, % California, and others. General
MchiEsty was guaTtermaster-geurral OF the
.HNaa ""AAA-AN-. %. -LE"aHr-N-N vi +-.."4- ]
General y. C.. Fremont, and as such quarter
m-strr-CeueraI, controlled the horse and mule
contracts. huiIdiug ot barracks, and all supplies
ald purchase gppe-taiuluE 70 that department
The committee J, their Iep5..-aE THE frauds
iu contracts in the g-uartermasrers department
ara numerous and have been clearly proven, and
extend through ali branches of his control and
supervision
I4 relation ta tHe purchase OF h0res-the sec
ouG act Of traud-the testimony is extensive az
70 Che various speeches OF imposition pIaclced, the
"u.d English jockey tricks, as they are called,
being la this case OF the lesser magnitude. Z
party contracts % furnish 1900 head of horses. AT
SlIH-aH per head 10 the government through the
uuartaru-stTE- The contractors agent, who Is
approved By le-qglr-armas-er, has charge of the
tirff whore The contractors horses are 90 De passed
upon
"A country man, having horses % sell the gov q
eminent, pays SO entrance fee TO the field,
where his horses are examined, and upon the G
payment of another fee of SO, they are recon- q
mended 70 the contractor, who purchases the
At the very lowest figure, which, through
Out the cEtlre evidence, never exceeded So and
$50 per head. The contractor takes bis pur-
chsses 10 the inspector, who is also reimbursed
by @ lee, which amount is computed acc0rdingt 10 !
Tie quality OF the animal. The contractor. On
obtaining a certificate from the inspector. de-
malds the money Of the Ggartermaster, who paws
same when the bonus for said PAYMENT is
guaranteed. The evidence d~iscloses several such
schemes and many other WAYS In which horses
mules are OotalDel The testimony also
shows -hat the hons IS, ia a majority of instances. %
OF the most inferior kind, and have broken
or fell dead on The road. Around the de- g
pots where horses were kept thus purchased. y
dead carcasses have been found. %
Omnibus and stage horses have trotted out, o.
|-1.4 Irar aud r.-a.-.H 90 I- a.4F-1.+.-- -H-