Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-06-11

ms not been an investigation oil more practical
im, ,ortance than that which has been secretly
conducted in small apartment OF the Custom
House by Mr Jourian. the Solicitor OF the Treas.
ury The alleged frauds in the sale Of prize
ses. the subject Of inquiry. may not be viewed in
the mere light of the loss Of dollars They are
the great key 90 the inehciency o. the Navy. they
reveal the hitherto mex plcable cause of the reg
ular success Of the blockade runners. and render
the vast squadrons Of the Southern coasts as so
many bnoys. through which Rebel vessels are
honOred with Federal court TO cOngeuial ports
Hence. the alleged frauds. in the prize sales may
not be estimated BY even the great sum they In.
volse To ascertain the loss and injury 10 the
Government, they represent the cost Of the Navy,
the appraised value OF the services of that mighty
arm Of defense with that of successful blockade
runners and the carg0es the squadrons might
have capture,l-must be incorporated with the
sum. for which those charged with mal-pracIices
in the prize sales are accountable
Bot who estimate the value of a Navy in
period rite With the expectations OF foreign war
and the bloody incubus of local insurreciion. nm
paralleed in its extent and p0werG Paymasters
nav affect % be robbed, but the greeubacks NAV
be duplicated; 10. however. the honest dues of
the NAVY are distracted by J." ring :" OF Office
holders already enjoying sinecures. the dspiritng
influence oft5e series OF grand llrcenies on the
captors OF prize vessels involve the very security
proved, are they not collectively fit sequel
~ the career Of men who have sent loyal men to
Fort Lafayette in response To teegraphic orders
To be released in n few itvs without redress for
such outrages on personal lihertyg
Mr. Jourdan. however, avowe1 publicly that
he did not attach the same importance 20 the in
qury a. the wealthy aud distinguished merchants
who have. in the language of one OF them,
"forcsd" the Government TO inaugurate the in
vestigatiop. The remarks of Mr. Jourtan at the
opening OF the inquiry led Mr.. Moses II GrInnel
% declare his belief that the investigation would
be an FER parfe one: to which all the other
merchants gave their verbal consent.
Similar ayowals were made by Capt. Marshall.
whan Nr. Jourdan peremptorily elected the mem
bers OF the press and refusedtle merchants even To
have a reporter ~ note their evidence. not for
Publication. but 70 represent the community. and
be source of appeal in case of dispute about
the testimony. Whatever may he the result of
the investigation. evcd II, as some anticipate, a
disposition has been manifested to east its record
into the tomb of the Capuets." there is no
doubt that the captOrs of vessels viii IN future,
send them to ports where they will be honestly
sold for their full value, and thereby deprive this
CITY of the vast amount OF labor and money which
such seizures wonld circulate among large class
of our people
Our reporter. before be was expelled, informed
Mr. Jourisn that he had all the sLateme, Is that
would come before him in advance. They had
been obtained from authentic sources.
THE SECRET SUPPRESSED INQUIRY
After the reporters were expelled Mr. Jourdan
organized himself as "a Court The merchants
foed in their endeavor TO have the investigation
made public. seemed to labor under the impress
ion that the Court believed the charges not true
or mt least unworthy of special notice
On the first day of the inquiry, n leading wit
VA examiued. and i Il al his vi
abundantly proved the fact corroborated by 9th
ers that after the sales Of car5oes of prize YES
sells were made, those who purchased them OBJ
tanned considerable reductions of the amounts for
which they bought such goods. although the per
emptory conditions OF the auction were. that ''no
reductions or reclamations" whatever should be
made
The following is said to be some of the evi-
dence elected at the inquiry: and we publish
it, even at the risk of Mr.. Jourdan. in his
own language. having his "mind prejudiced, -
against any one who would make the important
exposure:
ALLEGED FALSE WEIGHTS.
The cargo Of the captured schooner Solidadcos
sold in March, 1862 Among the articles
found on board were lS9 bags of coffee, which
were weighed At warehouse in BROOKLYN. and
each bag was represented 20 contain one hundred
pounds. The auciioncer. however, subsequently,
prominent store. that the sample bag contained
two hundred pounds. The att ention OF United
States official was sailed To the tact Immediately
after the sale. This Official however it il stated
expressed himself satisfied with the original re
turn, and the matter was thus allowed To- rest
The loss by this transaction TO the taptors was
about ST. 900
ALLEGED ILLKGAL REDUCTION.
The cargo OF the captured steamer Ann was
sold IN November last Among the items were
2DJ chests of tea. and $40 bags OF Rio Coffee
which were purchased by certain parties. whose
names We have IN our possession. at i0i, cents
per pound for the tea aud 80 ceuts for the coffee
Soon alter the buvers obtained reduction Of 10
cent~ per pound on the coffee. and 10 cents on
the tel The ten WIS disposed of by the pur
chUers. before the reduction VAS obtained N an
advance ON the snal price bid In was ~ ttcd
by y prominent official that the reduction WIS
made At the earnest request Of Pie Commi.
sioncr. The Toss ON the above sales. or rather
the git to the purchasers. WI. about Sln 900
The cargo OF the steamer Stettn sold in NJ
venher last. contained among other items 9l5
bags OF coffee, which were advertised on the caia
logue as 'dimascd and mustv." IL was hid of
at 21is cents per pound to gentleman SAID -
be n near relative of the party who hid the goods
in possession for the Marshal and who had thus
everS opportunity of Inspecting il Subsequently ,
VIC bhNti Va DIV Tor CcH " - ~ me
appraised value of 2Oi cents per pound. notwith
standing the positive lcrmS on the catalogue that
no reduction whatever should be madel Thus
there We loss Ia the sailors of about SIS 0O0,
Thcre was a difference in the weight OF about
90o1 pounds
There was second sale of u portion Of the
cargo OF this steamer. OF large lot of goods.
which were purchased by two persons. one of
whom stated ,. WIS buying the goods for the
government officials. who had these matters IN
charge. The BUYERS. however. neither p,I for
nor took the gno'is. rfnoanting ~ some x~l .0o0
ami they were respld at loss of - mo to the
sailors.
cnAEots or BRIBERY
Such VS. the frequency and ease with which
reductions on the amounts at which clrgocs were
sold were obtained. that one BUYER thought he
should also enjoy similar privilege although he
confessed he had no rirllt 10 such favor He
purchased a lot of goods from the STEINER Sle'
tin. anl subsequently ohlairel from the Court
re faction of a little les than one thousand dol
lars ~ order 10 obtain this re lnciion II = stated
that gentleman connected with tire prizc Com
missioners Office MS 10, and dill receive, about
one fourth of the amount: aud that "A couffel who
should h,ve ntetposed. received Tee MOI Ia op
pose the application W. have the name. of al
the nar,es said D. he implicated ~ this tnnSac
tirn. hut az present we refrain from publishing
them.
MORE REDUCTIONS.
L. the Naval repor, ou Psixo Matters. there j.
a record OF a sale of the cargo OF tao captured
a -