Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-15
Contract Fraads and the Mercedfta

Every day we have some new development in
regard to the frauds upon the Government in con
tract Jobs and each of these dev eopments sur
passes in meanneSs and criminality It's worse pre-
decessor. The story of the case of the steamship
Mercedta is the most recent and the worse
posture.
1t appears from the published correspondence
that in June 1861. James c. Jewett a Co., the
owners of the Mercedita, sent a letter to the
Secretary of the Navy describing their vesse.,
and Offering To sell or charter her to the Govern
ment at price to be fixed 10y the Navy De
partment itself. The same offer was made by
letter directly to the President of the United
States, and was of course referred by him to
the Secretary of the Navy. The Secretary of
the Navy, by letter. declined 20 purchase the
vessel as she was unsuited for an armed ship.
Now. before this first offer of Messrs Jewett 4
Co., man named BurrilI, representing himself
as a Government agent. or as one having iniu-
enee with the Government, had offered to sell the
Mercedta to the Government for her owners; but
the offer had been very properly refused, as the
transaction savored OF corruption and percentage.
After the refusal of the Secretary of the Navy to
purchase or charter the steamer, Burrill renew ed
his offer He said that he had just returned from
Washington and could sell his rejected vessel to
the very department that had rejected il. He re
ceived permission to do So In July Burrill of
fered to pay 100000 Government money for
the Mercedita, provided her owners would pay
him So 900 TO bribe Government officials, i'm ad
dition to his own brokerage More patriotic than
shrewd. the owners replied that the vessel should
rot first. After few hours Burrill again came
and said that he hrd heard from Washington and
would pay the SlO0,0OO without any conditions.
This offer was accepted
A list of alterations required was then pre-
scented by Burrill, and the alterations. were
made The next month another list of altera
tons, costing 81 600 more, presented, and
the owners had now no choice but 20 90 ahead
or lose all their past outlay. In September the
ship was turned over to Burrl as the agent of
the Government. A few days after came re
QUESTION from the Secretary of the Navy to pay
Burrill 100000 for the ship. although his
name was not mentioned in the bill of sale, and
although the real owners of the vessel did not
authorize any such interference. The next step
TO get this money from Burrill, and
then Mr.. George ID. Morgan came upon the
scene, and demanded 81 500 for his share in
the business. What sharel He stated that he
had nothing to do with the sale, but that the
owners could never get their money unless he
were paid his commission first. Well, Nor
gan paid. and Messrs Jewett q Co.
eeiyed their dues; but the ship vet lies at Will
liamsburg. not ready for sea. and apparently new
designed to be ready. This is the plain, sim
pie story of the honest men who are endeav0ring
to sell their steamship to the Government at
fair price. Secretary Welles alludes to it, but
does not even reiute it. in his recent communion
ton to Congress upon the subject of naval pur-
cha$es. As far a it goes. it seems substituted
and uncontradicted. Ii needs no comments, and
points its own moral plainly enough.
WewOud that this isolated case, but.
in fact, it is only one of a thousand. The people
tired of such open. barefaced frauds already.
" hen will the Government be enough tired of
them to compel their perpetrators first to dis
gorge their i'll gotten gains, and then to endure
the punishment due to swindlers and thieyesl-
N. Y Herald