The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-01-10
.ither Of those oficerss = =
A. I can hardly saw that I did.

ton Of the large sum OF money placed under
his control, and took 40 oath OF Office. His
relations to the Secretary of War are thus sta
ted
| Q. (By Mr.. Holman.) You are personally
dccquainted with the Secretary q War2
A. Yes, sir.
| Q. How long have you been acquainted
with him, personally, and what are your re-
ations politicalya
| A. have been acquainted with him for
many years, and my personal relations are very
intimate, and we have been politically acting
together for many years.
CUMMINGS FORGOT SMALL ITEM or
$4,000.
After Mr.. Cummings had concluded his tes-
t;rnony and taken the same for revision, he ad-
ded the following note:
"I have retained, under the authority of the
Secretary OF the Treasury, by Messrs. DIX.
Blatchford and Opedyke, $4,000, besides
what have stated 10 my testimony, which is
accounted for by the vouchers"
| Mr.. CUMMINGS expressly stated that he had
drawn out of the hands Of Messrs. Dix, OPDyKE
and BLArcHFoRD $250,0o0 of the $4,000, 900
placed 10 their hands, and had paid to them
$50, 900 TO cover the supplies they had pur-
chased, and had expended himself 100000,
and that the residue. $l,750,000, by order oil
the Secretary of the Treasury, was re-deposlted
with Mr.. Cisco, The sub treasurer. Still, We
are informed BY this note that Mr.. CUMMINGS
has retained $4,000 OF the money, over aud
above that stated in his test simony, 1880, ,000,)
(which is accounted for by the vouchers" Thus
item seems to have been overlooked by him in
his testimony. One hundred and forty thous-
and dollars 10 his hands, over and above the
| $l60000 for which he has filed vouchers in
the War Department, and over and above the
| 200 for which the vouchers are retained
| by MIR. BLATCHFoRD; and he deems it sufficient
to state in general terms that it is accounted for
| by the vouchers" What vouchers;s sIanda who
has'got them? Can The Secretary of War pre-
tend that the national peril and the necessity
for immediate action justified these irreponsl-
BILE expenditures of the public money, with no
settlement for four months after wards, even If
there had been no responsible and experienced
public officers in New York to perform the du-
| ties?
Among the army supplies purchased by Mr..
CUMMINGS, are the following
$50 doz. pts. ale & porter, $l.87,.. 1925 90
80 quintaIs cod, 300 boxes herring, Ola 81
goo boxes cheese, 26..pacKages butter, and
carriage. l,ofl,9
| s barrels oftongues.. ........ .l27 60
1870, doz. straw hats. ........ .4,156 6S
1850 pairs Of linen pants. 1920 90
SO barrels Of pickles. .........
| 25 casks Of Scotch ale, price!not
| slateo. ...............
10 casks Of London porter, price not
stated. ..........
700 Halls carbnes (rej'd arm), $l5
each; 35 cases, $35.. 1890 90
It is not necessary to say that these are not
understood TO be "army suppl,es,'' as the term
is used except ,he 100 HALL's carhines, which
is the same arm sold by the War Department
in the following June for So so each--tSee
page y
Some of the above articles were shipped by
the Catal,ne which was probably loaded on
private account, ADD not being able to obtain
clearance, the cargo was in some way, thro'
Mr. CUMMINGS, transferred over to the Govern
ment, Scotch ale, London porter, selected her
ring, and all-(See page for tbs cargo Of the
Cataline. ,,.t
The Committee call attention to the accounts
| furnished them by. Mr.. CUMMINGS. He says 10
his testimony tpage 597) that Messrs. DIX,
OPpyKE and BLATcHFoRG purchased supplies,
and chartered vessels, &C., to The amount OF
| 800 600, for which he drew IN their favor on
the funds deposited in their hands; yet in fur
nishing the account for their expenditures he
makes it $l64,97l 3S and swels his own &C
count to sum largely exceeding the amount
mentioned in his evidence. 1t would seem inn
possible that .hese accounts should ever be in
telligently settled, from the miscellaneous man
| b:ab&h ,t,I
| Mr.. CUMMlNGs had no general acquaintance
with business in New York. He had been a
newspaper editor in Pennsylvania for twelve
years, and had been in New York as the pub
Usher of another paper for eighteen months.
He was the intimate personal and political
friend of the Secretary of War. a1d ssacquain-
ted with the internal arrangements and connex-
ions of the railroads of Pennsylvania" over
which supplies are TO be shipped, and he is in
vested with the control of $4,000 to purchase
equipments for our army and the charter of
vessels for transporting troops and supplies. He
takes no oath and gives no bond. Without
any occasion for calling in question the person.
al integrity of.Mr. CUMMINGS, his want OF fit
ness for the position, from want OF experience,
isvery manifest, and yet at that very time
there are in the same city of New York gentle-
men of the highest character whose qualifca-
tions, integrity and patriotism have never been
Questioned, so far as this Committee are inform
ed, filing the public of offices through which
have always been performed the very duties
assigned to Mr.. CUMMINGS. Their great ex-i
perience in their respective departments, as
commissary and quartermaster, was at that
moment Of peculiar Impotence TO the Gov
Iernment; vet they are virtually superseded.
The Committee has been unable to precelve any