Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-12-03
Q RlG1ALs
order in the Case OF Colonel Belge,. Qaar.
teFmastrr.
H1.s:rc,oS r;.y Rorsn16ey 70 fsS51 (

WAR U.eAHrMR 81
Warrington CITY, Forem6ey &C, 1893
In the case OF Colonel James Belger, Chief
Quartermas:er at Baltimore. who was tried be.
fore q court martial upon suudry icharses aud
specific atoms for neglect Of duty and fraud u
lent conduct in the hirirg of transports and
purchase OF supplies, the court found him on
each charge and specification. not guilty Bat
tire court place upon the record, by WAY of ex.
PLANTATION OF their finding, the following state.
ypsnt
1.-THE court tinds that Colonel Belger trans.
acted large amount OF public business, within
the time embraced in the specific st,ous. in the
chartering OF vessels and in the purchase OF
coal; and although In some instancas he ap.
pears to have purchased coal at higher rates
than the cash market prices, yet, con sidsriny
the circumstances. especially the kind VI funds
ne was required to make, tia urgency of the
orders under which he was frequently called
upon to act, and the consequent necessity for
imms diate sctiop, the court attaches no crimt.
ings in accordance with this Judgment"
Upon q review OF the evidence 1t appears.
!. That the " large amount OF business trans
acted In the charterinr OF vessels and in the
purchase OF coal" was for nearly q year con.
fred exclusively 10 dealings lcih A. c. Hal and
fo6,enS. 1t does not appear that during all
this time Colonel Belger deemed the amount OF
duty assigned TO him so great as to com pei MIN
10 ask TO be relieved from any portion, or for
archer officer TO assist him-one or thu oth4~
OF which 1t was incumbent upon him to re
quiIe II the duties were too arduous or extern
sive to admit Of their proper performance by
him alone.
2 The IS some instances" in which &c he an
pears" to have purchased coal at "hieher rates
tons Of a gear, amounting to an aggregate of
more thlp 100000, in which, in some in
stances" he Is prorsd to have paid A g. Hall or
Cobians 10 or so per cent more than Hall or
Cob.ens paid for the coaI to coal. dealers of the
srms CITY, who delivered il on board Govern
ment vessels by Hall or Coblens' orders.
s. ct ne kind OF money prouided by the GoreYn-
msnt for the pay ments he was required to
make Is not IN proof. No testimony Whatever
WAS offered or official papers submitted which
show that Col. Belger was not provided with
tfrmasttrs-Treasury notes and certificates OF
lrdPo'ecness. Assuming that he had only Ger.
nHcates OF Indebtedness, and that cprtihcat
were at all times st the greatest discount men
,lcned by the witnesses at any time, and Col.
HeiFers purchases will still be at rates unac-
couDtabay high.
LAS TO "the urgency of the orders under
which he was frequently called upon to act,"it
may be said generally that throughout the ties.
timony there appears no emergency SO pressing
as to have precludsd stric. conformity with
purchase or contract in which he was called
upon to enter for the Government Every Of.
fctr Is bound TO exercise diligence and at ,ast
ordinary care and prudence in his purchases,
and 1t is hard to conceive how Colonel Belyer
stationed In Baltimore, could ba ignorant that
ne was paying higher than the cash market
Iassf, or how be could procure artic.as urgent
~ rt"Ged from his favored dealers more speed.
lily han from the same persons who supplied
them and hauled the coal from their yards &c
thp vessels.
The RI cord thus shows that the accused was
gully OF chsrtrrinS vessels, and purchasing
coal cat higher rates than the cash market
price" The excuse suggested by thu court.
n,arisl is unsupported by proof; The trans
ports ard SUI plies purchased bv Colonel BeIger
lnust have been paid for in the Government
1nhos, TO Wit Treasury notes, or. At the option
OF The creditor, In crrtifcatss of indrbt 'dnS s.
There funds have long been the standard Of
prices, and the only excuse suggested /. in iina.
i've of the guilty nature Of the trans q ctons
Ell the quartermaster and the Contractors
I he court martial hay wing fouud that-f- used
did charter vessels and purchase CO.. at rates
hlfhar than the cash market prices and there
nainG no other excuse proven or suggested than
nose mentioned, the court has, upon the record.
practically negatived its finding on the charges
and specifications.
The case might have been sent back to the
court for revision. but the nature Of the ex-
cuse3 suggested by the court martial, and es.
pecially their declaration that "they attach no
or minality 20 the conduct OF quartermaster
under the circumstances in proof. indicate very
clearly that, 80 far as concerned the action OF
the court, the result would have remained tho
SANE. The evidence fully establishes the fact
of dealings and transactions by the Quarter
master IN which the Government suffered loss
by purchases and charters ut "higher rates
thar the cash mar ket price" His conduct is
in the opinion of this Department, without
necessity, justification, or excuse, and to such
conduct the Department attaches q high do.
gree Of crimipality. Few things can be more
culpable than FOR a public officer systematical.
~ to pay TO certain favored parties higher
rates Tor supplies that might be and ara in fact
furnished AZ greatly lower rates in the same
city by other dealers. To say the least of such
conduct, 1t is gEoss negligence that amounts
TO fraud.
The statement by the court OF the facts found
bring III conflict with the formal finding on tue
charges makes the proceedings a nudity. The
evidence fully establishes that Colonel Belgsr
40 guilty Of gross neglect and violation OF duty,
TO the prejudice OF good order and military dis.
cipline. The proceedings of the court sre
therefore disapproved, and Colonel Bpleer,
Quartermaster, is, by order OF the President
dishonorably dismissed from the United States
service.
EDWIN NJ STANTON, Secretary Of War