The weekly sun. (New York [N.Y.]) 1851-1869, 1862-04-12
n. .shnha,r C.n,rnn,..

Governor Morgan, has made q report. whose
length would preclude II from perusal by the
majority Of our readers even II our space permit
ted ne to give Il in full We therefore present
an abstract ofthe most important features, pre-
missing, however, that an addition to the report,
lengthy /" Il IL, at subsequent period, tho
committee proposing to continue their abors.
The greater portion Of the report relates to
the first contract with the Brooks Brothers on
the goth Of April 1861, for 1900 uniforms Of
standard army cloth, At S19, 20 each, to be fur
nfshcd at the rate Of 2 OtN a week The evil
dencs shows that this rate VS. not only eSorbi-
tant but in ortcr 20 secure IL contractors
anxious TO compete were ut cfT heir guard by
representations that No immediate action would
be taken.
transaction for Brooks Brothers. lie was dis
patched by the firm TO Albany with instructions
70 secure the contract, and was Informed that his
firm was the only one in the city capable Of fill
ing II. The influence of Inspector Gen Jackson
(sinos dead) was employed TO secure this con.
tract which was accepted 10y the Military
Board. From the testimony Of Daniel wormcr,
u appsars that there was perfect understanding
between MIR. Freeman, the Albany agent Ut
Brooks Brothers, and the Inspector General
Jackson, by which Brooks Brothers should oh
tain such exclusive information Of the action Of
DpdTu as NNllu tilANle tDht iiTii 10
secure the contract. The majority OF the Mill
tary Board appears TO have placed confidence IN
the representation Of Brooks Brothers ability to
complete the contract and awarded IL to them
accordingly on the 23d q April. and i, was
signed in New York three days afterw arb, on
the 26th Of April. The subsequent transactions
are important, and We quote the following ter
timony:
Biishd BROOKS aoor,i-o How was The basis Of
this contract arrangcd'
A. Before we sent Mr.. Freeman " Albsr~ We
told him that We had large !ut y army cloth, bat
tner We came ~ mud ont how many yards Of sr.-is
u would take 90 MAKE i2,ubu suits # ,Iut t-. f0'
nottned The Army Bcari Ndi ~ kad not snoi'
enough
The Military Board was then requested by
Brooks Brothers to permit the substitution #
other than Amy cloth, or grant an extension e
time to enable them a. procure cloth If the r,qu-
site army quality. Tho Board. in view Of the
urgent neccssity for clothing She truops hon wait
ing for their uniforms to proceed to the Nriuu-
al Capital, which was In imminent peril refused
10 acccdc To the demand for an extension ct time
but sent State Treasurer Dorshcimcr 10 New
York with authority to act ia this matter, an 10
possible procure the uniforms from other parties.
Mr.. Doraheim"r, there can I've no doubt, was u;-
terly unfit for this business. Indeed, he st,s
himself, that he was az ignorant Of the quality
OF cloth he was Of the tricks uf Hermann.
On his arrival at New York he stopped at the
Astor House late in The evening, and was i..-
lhTlllcl Nv 'tfu. ATllNF tlla' iile TWO Brtukt-,
General jackson aud General Arthur were await.
INK him in q room. lie proceeded thithcr aud
wa. informed bv he BrOokcs tlat tho cloth
they proposed to iagnish could not h,
pT'crrci IN The city and was requested
Z" tuthp,iac them 20 Substitute other thnu army
c'o.h. This NJ. Dorshoimcr hositatcd 10 do
on which he say:
an excitement they threatened even mohhiuym me
called red tape. must s'y 81 u little ARA,
that there might be arimpus. aud ,rkrI nryse,
out u tie way and went g. bed.
The next morning Mr.. Dor,hcimcr drove {,
various large clothing stores in the city, and as
certained that the requisite army cloth could not
he obtained. lie saw:
then went up with Gen. Anton to the Rro,k
ser they showed me the cloth they TAD select.
told them =" knew nothing auout cloth, and 80,
mt pretend 10 bc a judge II you know tuat thiI
cloth IL all right an willing I, make the contract
provided the Bard approve off,"
The contract was thus signed Dy which " ,hod
dy" was substituted, aud on the 1t d MAY th,
Military Board Of which every member Wa. pres
ent, except the Attorney General and Lieut.
Governor Campbell, approved the action Of IT.,
Treasurer The Lieut.. Governor, 1t is pro
per to observe, pointed out the abuses 10 whicl
the substitution was likely to lead. The boar.
appears TO have placed an unwaTar'ed reliance
ON the general statements Of Mr.. Dor,hcimcr, an,
with reprohensible uryl ,CUCc did not closely in
vestigate the nature Of the transaction which i
endorsed.
The second clothing contract, NAV oh. fo
10000 uniforms, is more intricate affair. BID
dcrs II appears, were purpo-cly mislod, aud ,h,
Board disregardcd the terms Of it, own alyrr
tisemens, on the plea that the public Interests
required IT, Francis Bul,iWin's bid WIS Sl7 ~
and he was awarded the contract nj :lS. II
fact it would appear a. ii the contracts wcr,
made AMI Farrclled out, Rs il no pTopo-al
had been invited, and with strange ohliyinu,ue.,
a thp Il - fft1fr lao To-.
specting this hHrsaction, We append the follow
ing testimony;
Cornelius L. L0n1stresL firm " Lousstrcct, Brad
ford Co, Zone of the oldest sut uuft rc,Iu. % 7
clothing fmis Ia the city OF N,w NuTk,l b. .u.
sworn, tctt,tcd That he was At Albany silurd,y
May lNth, previous 20 opening ~ provusIIr uu VI 90
day May 90 sunday evening NJ. Kclog. cnmc l.
me about nine O'Clock and 80 81 lasr SOL
Daniel and John T.. Dew "a Tlrr'ow weed
and they tell me that t..E contract tthc ,uu
ta.t ot Le goth Of May! whgl is Hlyrlts,,
'or Tomorrow was ,t g. Daniel DoyAu s,m
three weeks ago by NJ. Durshuiucr; TT Il VII
fully undGsto"d be was g. lave tho couuryt, o..
they thoAtit Il proper e. adv -rsr 4 o. take 30 ~
curse Of letting the cunt-u boz t.at way: 4 AT a..
price WIS g. have been $40 but We can have one
third Of the contract uuW provided ~ will rrcriv
bper cent. for our trouble tor executing thr coon
ourselves and Thurlow weed Tauruw weed Il
psy That moLoy g. other IaItoz, To d.str,but, I!
funds aud T. act ~ treasurer Thur W W heu
an old acquaintance ~ ours, regretted that he
know We wanted the contract, hut 4 hsd been n.
missed 10 Mr.. Dtyiin, hut he wDulj try and fx i
80 TINT we could have one third" Ny answer wa
that wanted NO contract upon any such terms
that had been in businefs thirty years that Aa
q not r. tn anything yet aud lt should Mt com
p.rA''U~y stealing from the State Of New York
~ = 'n II he knew that was the arrangement
ltuahh was then said | should leave 10y Nry
York. think X, 5. u oss, IN, firm Of Hut bins
P1oasom d Co, Az any, Id me that M OpIyk
would be there ON Monday morning, and tlui h
was b furnish Mr.. 4. Win with the guuds. t.lr.
Mr.. Opdyke there On Monday morning but 1 La,
no conversation with hun As soon az | saw Mr.
Opdyke and other parties picked up mv srtcne
and hid good bye 10 Albany. Iaskod Mr. Dur,hd
mer NJ The Attor House afterwards, what he utauI
by dccelying the people by advertising urupusai
when the contract was already ct. Nj Dnrslti
ner denied Il of course and he sad il was not let
Respecting Mr., OpIykcs agency in the affair
we append portion OF his own evidence:
GeoTys cpdgks, sworn Odd you recon
mehd anybody A.-Cun'n.y | recomnl. nic,
a great many clDthin. houses That we're our cu-tu
mers our branch Of business Is dealing IN vooIei
goods ana nearly all our trade Is WITH cDtl.r.
hrmH gave LETT 'rs to several members ~ H.,
Bnsri-to the Governor, Lieut. Governor. and NJ
DEshemer '' ' ~
Odd you not promise Mr. DcvIi, ,La, 900,
would use your influence for obtaining A $50,
for him with the Board Ayes, Ia soT,s 80, ~
e. him Brooks BroH. and Smith Bros
Q-Thero were six parties who got the contract
A.-So understood.
Q-Smth Brothers are customers u ylursf A
Large customers and have been for yrut4
Q-Dh they purchase goods OF You, g. fl a.,
contract the did get Of the Governor A.-TL,
firm, ui which am u member, furnished them IL,
goods, b. ill that contract
Q-When the contract ohtainedy Al
might have been week OF ten days aler ta