Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-01-29
Quarterma,ter General yaien.


which Is correct and honorable that of showing
every individual faithfully, we publish the sub
joined defense of Quartermaster General Vajen
with reference to the charges brought against
him by the Vincenues Gazette and re published
in the Sentinel of yesterday. Quartermaster
General Vajen, and every other man, shall be
treated courteously in our columns which are al
WAYS open to the public in order that the truth
may be ascertained:
For the Daily State Sentinel
The Vincennes Gazette of the 25th inst, pub
fishes paragraph alleged to be from an officer
of the 9th Indiana regiment in Missouri, to the
effect that Quartermaster Vajen has forwarded 10
the Paymaster the price list of clothing furnished
that regiment by the State that the amount may be
entered on the pay roll and settled in the manner
required by the regulations and practiced with all
other regiments. The correspondent takes UNI
bragg at the fact that charge is made for the
uniform, and considers it gross wrong that the
should be required paw for it. The edi-
tor, who is the Hon. Cyrus W. Allen, Speaker of
the House OF Representatives, strongly ndorses
the structures OF his correspondent and thinks the
facts "jus'ify the suspicion that dollars and cents
more powerful with the Quartermaster than
official duty or duty 10 the soldier"
The facts are these: The uniform in question
made for the regiment by Simon 4 Son. of
Cincinnati, represented here by the house OF NJ.
Dernham The contrct price per suit, Gacket
and pants) s. 10. The contract was fulfil
led on the part OF Simon & Son in good faith. as
they claim, and many others believe; but after
the clothing had been issued objections to it were
made by some of the regiment and some of the
officers that the material was bad, and the gar
ments not serviceable. The contractor not hav-
ing been paid. the matter underwent rigid scru-
tiny before the Military Auditing Committee. who
refused TO allow certify the account on the
ground that portion of the material, grey cas-
smere, not equal 10 the sample and that in
their judgment, fraud had been committed. The
matter has rested IN this position for months the
regiment. however, retaining and wearing the
uniform but the contractors receiving nothing for
their labor and outlay
Council of Administration decided that over
a hundred suits we're worth the contract price:
the remainder the, classified at several different
values. Many of the soldiers wearing the
uniform to this day, and altogether it is believed
to have proved very nearly as serviceable ne the
average of uniforms issued by the General Gov
eminent in the Department of the West
Under these circumstances, the contractors.
Simon n Son some weeks since proposed 10 the
Quartermaster- General, to take g. per suit in
stead OF s. -. the contract price. provided they
could obtain the payment without further uoub-
le and the Quartermaster did what he Is requir-
ed 10 do in the case OF all regiments fitted ont by
the State-he sent 10 the proper officer the price
list of all rhe clothing furnished the regiment.
charging the uniform at s., and the hats. shirts,
socks. shoes and blankets at s. H.. the whole
amounting to Sii l. !, to each man. to be settled
for through the medium Of the pay roll.
The Quartermaster has no interest in The con
tract. anu no partiality toward the contractors,
and has only done what he conceived requisite
aud Just toward both parties.