Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-22


cent, Frank Murphy said, was for himself Vaier
and Col. Murphy alone. The contract wa:
awarded Us for the second regiment soon as i
was known that we were willing TO paw the bonus
but t was first reported that it was awarded to u:
conditionally, that is that the matter in such
shape that they could have turned the
contract to anybody else they pleased. The
same process was gone through with on the next
contract. only that they run US up To ten pei
cent. This proposition was made by Vajen and
Frank Murphy, both; they consulted together
The terms were objected to as being too severe
that it cut down profits too much; but there
was no alternative; we must either do that OF
not have the contract, and we had TO work up to
the programme. Vajen and Frank Murphy first
approached me about the ten per cent. bonus, and
said it was necessary. At ten per cent. two reg
iments could be obtained. The award was
to be conditional upon that amount Colonel
Murphy cognizant of the whole
thing. Afterward 400 suits were awarded
to under the same understanding Nothing
was said about it. but il WAS carried out and so
understood. When paid for the contract,
which was in certificates, we paid the per centage
in cash l paid it myself. The five per cent.
was paid first. and aiterward the ten per cent.
Ideposiied the bonus in both cases in Vaien's
store. with one of his clerks That was part OF
the programme 1t understood it should be
so done. The money was placed in an envelope
addressed to Mr.. Valen. and was instructed TO
place it there by Vajen himself. Said nothing
to Governor Morton about the matter, for felt
bound in honor not to mention il. There
was no bonus paid upon contracts made
with Major Montgomery, United States
Quartermaster. With him the subject was
not referred to in any form The general
understanding amongst the parties bidding for
furnishing the FIVE regiments, was, that all paid Il
commission when the contract was obtained from
the State Quartermaster's Department, ranging
from five TO ten per cent. ] was told that CHASER
4 Go paid bonus for their cOi.tract at 81 80.
and that il the bonus that brought the con
tract. Both Vajen and Murphy made the
plea or excuse for charging this per centage, that
the salaries paid TO them by the Department
would not pay their expenses, and what they
charged the contractors was to enable them to
make something, and to divide little of the con
tractors profits and not to take it from the Gov
ernnent. Nothing of the kind was ever
attempted in the United States Quartermaster' 5
Department, but Najen approached me and
offered to assist us in obtaining contracts from
the Quartermaster's Department of the General
Government upon the payment by me of a per
eentage. demurred to the proposition, but he
insisted, and the matter is still unsettled. He
introduced US to Mlior Montgomery, aud the lat
ter gave US contract for 5000 pair of kersey
pantalOons. at So 25 pair-a very low figure.
We could have got 75 cents more for them
shortly after. Naien insisted he entitled to
per cent. commission on that Have not paid
it Have not answered to myself whether will
pay it Vaien did not speak more than once
about II. but he looks hint occasionally. He
insisted upon the payment of per cent. it got
the contract. ] told him il was a hard
matter that he should insist upon anything
of that kind, but that if he did insist
upon it | supposed | should have to do it,
i got the contract Major Montgomery was per
feetly ignorant of the whole arrangement be
tween Mr.. Vajen and myself | could have got
the contract just we'll without Vajen. Va
jens influence did not assist me at all.
Thus testified j. c. GuIssENDoRFF, of the
firm of GUIssENDoRFF & Co. Is he one of the
"disafected contractors" whom Gen. VAJES
charges with having given testimony that may
cast reflections on his character?'
JOSEPH SrAuB was another witness before the
Committee. Hetes'ifed as follows:
/ am a merchant tailor in Indianapolis.
have had contracts for furnishing supplies to the
government in this city. The contracts were
taken in the name of J. W. Geisendorif 4 Co
'Geisendorff manufactured the goods aud our firm
made them up Helped fll all the contracts for
clothing. Geisendoiff held back five per cent
uppH NNc Scittttntut u II DOUuS lot Hellll1 the
contracts That per cent on the first two con
tracts. and ten per on the last two This
bonas was paid to Quartermaster Vajen. / sug
geSted TO 5 G. Morgan, that III making our the
proposition he would have to take into cOnSidera-
ton the per centage to be paid. ms was informed
that was the only way a contract could be got,
and 30 believed.
William Glenn, of the firm of w & H Glenn
Co.. testified that he pot in bid for ) 900 suits
of Kersey. all wool. at 81 90; another of Kersey,
all wool, at 81 60 per suit and another of Union
cadet cloth, bali cotton at 81 10 per- suit. each
offer accompanied with samples The KerSey
was equal to what is called regulation cloth.
There was no question raised as to responsibility
in getting the contracts The contracts were
given out ut higher prices than my bid. ] felt
that our goods were the best that were submitted,
and other parties said sotOo. There was one lot.
which | bid for at s. 95 which was given out to
some Cincinnati firm at S8 T5, and they were
made of hall cotton goods, it is said. VaJen, as
excuse, said the contracts had been given out
while he WAS in New York CITY, before the bids
were opened. Vajen was here when the bids
were to be opened, according to the terms of the
advertisement.
RICHARD d. BRowx, State Librarian testified
as follows:
Alder & Epstein put in a bid for a blue infantry
suit. The contract was finally given 10 another
Cincinnati firm at IS IS suit | examined
both samples of material and thought there was
not really much difference between the two.
Adler & Epstein contended that theirs was the
best The uniform finally let out was cavalry
uniform. The reason afterward assigned to me
for it, and for the highest bid beiEg accepted was
that there WAS difference in the pantaloons of
the cavalry unfOrm-that there was an extra
pippQ nm than nd hat A Adlar Eplso "a
offer had not that additional piece embraced in it..
The increased expense of putting in that ad-
ditional piece would perhaps be half dollar
seventy i've cents would certainly cover it. That
would have made the cost of that uniform, upon
Alder & Epstein's bid, seven dollars suit. 1t
was let at IS IS suit. Quartermaster Vajen
let the contract. He contended that the goods
he received were better than Alder & EpsteiDs.
SAMUEL c. MORGAN, merchant tailor, of Indi-
annapolis. testified as follows:
There was comparison as to the quality of
goods between the goods offered by the Glenns
and those furnished under the contract Would
have taken the Glenns' proposition at three dol
lars more than j would have taken the others. The
goods offered by Alder & Epstein were very good.
The articles offered at So 80 believe were bet
ter goods than those received under the contract.
The additional expense between the cavalry and
infantry pants would be about forty cents. 9
For the first contracts let put in a bid. The
day after the bids were advertised to be opened.
found that neither my goods or bids had been
opened at all. Vajen said he had not time to
open all. The contract was given TO man here
the man who manufactured the goods-attwenty-
FIVE cents more than my proposal. got that
from the manufacturers. Geisendorf & Co. pro-
posed to make them Of jeans. Mr.. Tapking
and Joseph 3taub informed me that there was no
use Of proposing for contracts. without including
in the estimate bonus Said they, "The Quar-
termaster will demand OF you 5 or 10 per cent.
of the price before you can get it." Saws /. "ls
this the way you have been doingf" They said
that was what they had to give. and that was
what tho On ,rferm.star wauld ,ienaa nd of ma