Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-20

mission WebeIieve 10th jump on feather bed
whea there is prospect Of a thunder storm
wash bu rnc's Hep0rt ON GOverumeu mt
Contracts - The - Patri0tic, Con.
tractors Of sadsana..Hoys the honey
ions II vAJEx testified before the committee
90 the s2sh day Of March. 1854. that he was
Qaarterm ,ster General Of Indiana On the 30th
Of April. 1861. Mr. vJES was commissioned rs
State Qsarterlnsster. position which had been
occupied by General T. A. MoRRrs His testi-
mony before the committee occupies some twenty
seven psges Our limited space viii not permit
us TO give any more of il than that which relates
10 the testimony NE have already Published.
rHE CONTRACT VITA W. 5 T. MORTON.
Ga the l6sh dAy OF August. 1861, Messrs.
Mooxti Co leather dealers and manufactur-
ers of this city. addressed letter to Governor
o T. MoRroS--whom Assistant Qusrtermaster
JANIS A. EKIS testihes being ga man raised
up for this particular crisis" aud that commence
belongs particularly 10 Governor MoRroS"-
stating that in May last they addressed him
communication asking that he would see that In
diana mechanics had an opportunity of making
bid for the contract finally ob-ained by w. 5 I.
MosroS. for making 1000 infantry equipments.
They say in that letter that they had since dis
covered that Assistant Quartermaster B +. MUIR
PM and W s. 7 MonroS. now holding official
position, visited Cincinnati, and contracted with
] WEArHrRBY for 1900 suits Of infantry ac-
couierments at 50 25 per suit. MIR MURPHY
showing his credentials a. being authorized To act
for the State.) Wequote the balance of MooSEY
4 Co.'S letter in full:
MIR weatherby has informed US W. >. T.
Morton deducted from him 1919 cents per set on
delivery OF the goods, stating that the State had
deducted in like amount. aud also 81 Sd add
tionalal that, he sand. required to have them
pass inspection. The writer haS examined the
warrant book in Auditors Office. aHi finds that
the State paid w. S t. Morton 50 y per set
making nearly a.. 0O0 more on the job than the
manufacturers receivsd-all done TO the exclu
sion Of home material and labor. which is here
(Indisnspolis) in abundance. We will duplicate
the same job at two dollars per sec, and reier to
s A. Fletcher, banker. as security.
I'VE have lately had connection with Watkins
& Slaughter in filing \ contract. and from our
experience are free that you not fully
advised the annoyance and Inconvenience
the black IN all demanded by some of the subor
din ties in that department.
Two months ago the Quartermaster General
stated. i'm published card, that all contracts
would be given publicly. We are aware that
large amount OF leather work has been given pri
vately TO Cincinnati houses at larger price than
the same work can be furnished for at home. and
that Qasrtermsster General VJeu supplies the
parties with money to enanle them to do IT, On
doubted. can procure satisfactory proof)
I'VE understand that large amounts OF le'ther
work Is vet to be gwen out We have large
amount OF material There are hundreds OF lille
men. Ii the contracts are to be given pubIcl,
we are competitors for contracts, otherwise We
are nct--have been unable through the Quar-
termsst General. to get satisfaction, would
not trouble you with this"
ltappears from The foregoing that in May. 1861
Gov. MoRroy was informed us to the difficulty in
procuring contracts from the Quartern lSter s
Department by our home mechanics. and that in
August following he was specifically advised that
W. ) T. moron had been awarded contract
privately tor infantry accouterments at - % a
set. which he sublet to Cincinnati firm a,
81 80 set, Who finally consented To shave, by
MoRroS, OF IL per cent. on the contract, To get
their pay. 1t j. not our purpose to impugn the in
tegity of the "man raised up for the present
crisis We state the facts only and the commu
nifty must draw their own conclusions as to the
ignorance OF the Governor in regard TO the trans
actions in the Quartermaster Department III,
cannot deny that his attention was called to the
natter and specit, charges made by a responsible
and respectable business house Of this city The
puff OF his subalterus cannot outweigh Stubborn
IA t.. Yet the Governor continued Mr.. Var,
i'm Office FOR e.. ht months after he advise,
OF his. TO say the least. doubtful operations Tn,
fsllowing is the testimony OF General VAJKx il
regard to the MoRroS contract:
A contract for 1000 cartridge boxes was made
With W. 5 Morton. of Centerville early IL
the spring (lS6l IL was let upon bids Tn
bids were irom three or four houses in Cincinnati
there were none from this eity They were Al
written by one man. and signed in the same hand
writing, showing that bids mrie by a com
bination of houses. Not being satisfied with nh
arrangement. and not knowing the price of III
articles. after conferfing with Governor Morton
Who stated that We must have them, | sent A
agent To Cincinnati and authorized him TO con
tract for 1000. l think, near the GoverDmeu
pattern as could be obtained. and at a. low a rat
a they could be purchased. This agent visite
all the different ssddiery establishments IN Gin
cinnati which could put the job through in tim,
He returned and stated that - . the lowe,
price a. which he could contract Tor the articles
Mr.. Virgins. Of Richmond. of this State bein
there at the time. offered 10 take 1000 al 50 >.
and Mr.. W 5. I Morton. being also there NJ th
time. proposed 10 take the remainde- at the sam
price and 20 east. 10 Newark. n. j, thinI
where they were making those articles, and hay
them made there. He took the remainder an
taereupon these manufacturers in Cincinnati
hearing that he had The job. and fearing the wof
would be taken away frOul Cincinnati. offered
do the job Tor him. They wese made and 81
iivered Some we're found detective. and Il
difficulty rernesiied in the department here /
the contractors at their own expense the COZ
tract wiih Virgins aud Morton amounted
$4,000
The cartridge boxes and accouterments wei
into the service. Not thst 1 know OF in conne
toa with the inspection and acceptsnce at the
cartridge boxes-esthef those furnished by W.
gins of ~ Mortoa--~as any bonus or comm;s sic
paid either directly or indirectly. to. or re.sin,
out OF the money. by any person connected
not connected 18th the Qasrterm ,ster's Depar
ment / MAS told By some that my clerk
the Armory did receive one hundred dollars {