New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-02-08
FRAUD AND EXTRAVAGANZA In
THE WAR.
SPEECH BY MR.. VAN WrCN
In The House of Representatives, Yesterday

Mr.. VAN WICK REP, N. " commenced by
roinrinv 10 the parallel between the l9th oil Apnl'
1851. aud the 18th Of April, l75-tbe battle OF Lex
iperoD and the numerous slaughter OF niassaonu
sefIs men in the streets Of Bsl'im lie poih'e9
out the material and other ,scriices The country pan
made, sno then proceeded to ana'y1e the sPe''"'
case. which had come before the COMMITTEE.
CATTLE CONTRACT.
A contract wac made IN THE city by the Depart
meut with Dwyer Langhman, Slbley d Tyler tor
cattle firm 1900 10 1900, at - per hundred, I'VE
weight, delivered here, and 3 10 ia Ienusyi'a.:i''
i WHAT facilities had Dwyer Go. Tor transt ion
which he Government did not possess Govern,
mept could Law is strong arms upon rsllroads, and
use them could plant It's gathering armies 10 uaru
tie bridge and track. At that very tine an agent
was cent ~ the Department INTO MafyiShu, W. .,
without difficulty. purchased cattle, 10 ne ueiEeie u,
! Washington at 60 80 Ier hundred live weight De-
sides. direct n,ygafion with New York was not Cd
s,ructed By the Potomac. Still more, II the oaneer
of transportation through Marylaud WAS an excuse
for this cont ract big with profits, why P'vN
that portion should be delivered IN PennsS Naia
If the Department desired, and why were heaIiy
| l. 500 received in Harrisburg, while scarcely ooo
were delivered in Washington notwithstanding
the For, in the wav, DIVER & Co. Immediately
,ubst the contract 10 NewYoIk men, 70 that WIZ, 6
out any hazard peIils they realized over s'~'0O'
on about 1900 head.
CUMMINGs's AGENCY.
On the 2let day Of Aril the Secretary OF War, al
though he wei knew the great ability and expe-
rience OF Col. Tompkins, Qnartermasier ana MAJOR
| Eaion CommissaIy, in New.York City, wrote two
letter. TO Alexander Quinn ngs, esq In one, he
, want, him - and tie COmmi-sary IN purchasing
supplies; TO assist the Quartermarter in pushing
them forward" The other letter states that
"Tbe Department needs at his moment su int. hssnf, eH
pseucsd aLd rD"fg tic IN whom can lriy 10 sasis
! la pushing forward uoops muni ions d'nPpiiss
\ No uHn knew better than he Secretary thet there
qualification were already possessed by the army
=. ~. w. sIns,t - mo of. 70 .lx
Armed with letters Of approval from the War Office
he was for the time supreme IN the department
marked our for him. Instead OF rendering and and
assistance he eff ctualy superseded the army oficers
Mai. Eaton distinctly informed him that his servl' e.
! were not needed in The purchise Il supree. Still
the Doctor commenced buying over 81 900 worth
Of straw bats and linen pan aooDs, which were
wort less 10 the amy, and lot required by the reg.
ulations. HI employed clerk of whom be knew
nothing had never seen before. la his eyl ence,
~ fiirr, be did not know who recon me nded
i'm; then be thought lie recommended by Mr.
Thurlow Weed-6nally said, IL remember now
that Mr.. Weed told me be knew all about lin, and
upon Lis recommendation took hip." This clerk
MIR. Cummings suffered to do all the business and
make all tie purchases, except what were made By
George u. Morgan.
CHARTER or THE cATALINE.
Mr. Cummings pext aPpoints Capt. Comstock TO
charter or purchase ve,s.r. The Captain, with a
friend go.s to Brooklyn, iDspects the Catsllne, aud
/ learns that her price ID from &loOOO 10 $D,ooO.
Instead Of purcha,ing or charei'ng, or recommend,
ING Cnmu ugs To DO 20, from thu o~bers, LIS Trend
suggests 10 Mr. Deyelin that there " IL nice oppor
trnity Ia make something by good management"
/ Can't Con stock knew that CupniDg- Was agent for
tie War Department, still he oounsels freely with
Mr.. Deyen aboai tie value Of tue Catalina. anc
.ives al opinion what will be paid for her
charter. Had she been cheap al SiS"V
lMs Government was entitled TO the purchase
1 AFTER Welding 10 Mr.. Deyen all the time he
required tor the negotiation on tie 10Th the boat
whs chartered by Col. IompslDs, be relying upon
Capt Consiock, the altLOilzrd agent of Cummings,
The agent of tie War Department, paying for her
use 900 yer month ior three months, and n lost
/ hy Nnr rtk, theu Government TO pay $4,000
Col. Toni kline woud not sign until Capt. Comstock
as.ured him that she worth $JOOOO, AID That II
was AL ngld. The testimony Of Capt. Comsiock
show. the Vast nuD ber and nmost unlimited power
# pcIsous A. tnst time sssumng 10 act as agents for
/ the Government. lie rays;
Twas .,ut f.f Nil Weed to come 10 the AstoI House
the. he Of the eevonnsn ard had
munitions TO send 20 Warrington by - the
Dssrs,ss ' w., "A1.,w.d CaSma,, s.I.d d. upoa
showed the auihor,, that Weed had shown.
IL had sIseIf,d perform the service"
" should think that Need Chartered from 'iI %
ten vessels"
] This testimony was given the 18th day OF De-
/ csmber aud up To that time the Committee had no
evidence or iniimsion that Mr. Weed had been az
agent for the Government, or acting as suoh. The
/ Committee aio 10, rble 70 show by whom The vessel
was lcade1; but Collector Barney swears that on
Tie 9th April. Mr. Stets0n, In whose name the title
! nad been taken called on him. demanding a clear
ance 10 Annapolis. When ssked bow she war
| loaded aud 10 whom the cargo belonged, he replied
she was loaded with hour and provisions, aud te-
loDged 10 several OF his friends. Mr.. Barney re-
fuscd 10 clobr Der. Ste.on then rsm ihe provisions
Were tor the army. Birney replied that, as the
property not Government property, but prop
\ cry Of individuals, he could not clear her ex
cept By request IRON some Government officer IL
il bat Just 10 ray here that MIR. Develin was evil
DENLY lduced 10 purchase the vessel Mt tie sug-
geslion OF those who were acting for Government
and that Mr.. StelsOn, IN everything lac did, was
frank, candid, aud made no ooncesiment
When Mr. Stetson again called Oh the Collector
q" lie brought noe from Mr.. Weed, stating
that the cargo conrised Of supplies for troop, aud
requesting ciearhnce. Mr barney declined, hut
saw Mr. Weed and explained why clearance could
not be granted. Mr.. Weed said " II wus ali reb;
and would DO arranged IN some other way" pass
was obtained from Gen Wool, which be regretted;
for on Monday morning he sent I'll order 10 the Col
| lector revokiDg II; but the fugitive had escaped
| Her voyage was ali unfortunate one, after two
months service she was destroyed by fire. The
question r-curs, who were the friend referred To by
Mr.. Sletson AS the owners OF tho cargo Mr..
Freeman who had "A onctsnth interest III the profits
sweas after fret declining 10 do 80, that he received
| as part security Tor the purchase money of the
Cataliae four notes Of 500 each, ia follows: One
note by John j.. Develin, indorsed q. T.. Davidson;
one note by lhuilow Weed, indorsed Jobu L.
Develin; one note by q. c. Davidson indorsedO. Is.
Matteson; Que note by o. u. Maiteson indorsed
1hurlow Weed. Tie only other person beside
the Captain and crew WAS james Lar
kin, who went Oh the boat, I've says, as purser
although he finally concluded his duty to act
check upon the captain. This man was appointed
by Mr.. DeveiIn upon the Recommendation OF Mr.
Davidson. No one seemed TO tuke any interest in
loading the vrsseI except Mr. Devei,. Col Tomp-
kline knew nothing Of her cargo. The Unon De