The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-03-24


Nes.f q iss1aslo4tios ~ f4s Fnlssts.
suors--our readers may not 81 swsrs AM.
court Of inquiry has been held ior the 49,
six weeks in the Franklin sbops. uaae,
The charge Of Capt. Charles II. irwin. M,
charges and speeifeatioas number tbirtv.
six, and were embodied in letters addresses
10 the osarternaster General al Washing.
tons and 10 Capt Charles H. Irwin. and
we're directed against Nr. Henry II. smith,
the superintendent Of these shops, who has
had then under his immediate charge. and
Who organised thesn. since the organization
Of the Q1srterraasier's department in thi.
city. The charges above refsrrsd to were
made BY one Lewis Brown, who had for
meriy been q company clerk in the Fedora
army, and who has been employed in the
shops under Mr.. Smith for about Two years
as blacksmikh These charges we're var
ious, consisting Of statements 10 ths effect
that work had been done for citizens in the
shaft mandatory. or buggies and csrTis-
ges, for which tie Government had received
10 pey, and articles made for the privete
usa Of Mr.. Smith and his friends. Ai,o
sEiong them we're assertions OF drnnkezre,s
against the assistant superiutendeu, Mr..
Matthews, and also against Nr. Bush, the
chief clerk.
SO varied and 80 many were the charges
that the Quarter1nasier General ordered
court OF inquiry 70 b instituted, Of which
Col. J. C. Peterson, Of the Quartermsstsr's
forces, was President, and II. VI. TyfFe was
appointed COUNSEL for the defendant
The prosecutor, who was formerly law
yer from Illinois, conducted his own case.
After protrseted examination Of the en-
pioyees and witnesses on both sides, the
final summing up Of the case took place on
Wednesday, the ed, and resulted in q TIL
umphant acquittal Of Mr.. II. n. Smith up
on all the charges alleged sgainst him.
Not a single charge was subztsntisted
On the contrary, all the Witnesses testified
70 the sdmirsble management Of Mr.. Smith,
bis 6tness for the position he held, and his
great economy Of material and tools. The
charges, also, against those who held the
subordinate positions were not in a single
instance sustained. In fact the whole evil
denee adducsd, goes 70 show that the at
most care and effort has been made By ell
these implicated in these charges to ~
vance the interests Of the United States
Government, and that no similar establish
ment has ever been carried on with less loss
TO It's owners. The last days proceedings
Of the court we're witnessed by the whole
Of the employees Of the Franklin Shops,
numbering about ESQ men. Mr.. Tyfe was
some two hours in summing up the record
Of charges against Mr.. Smith, and was fol
lowed By the President, Cold. G.. Peterson,
Who ably reviewed the whole case and pre-
nouneed Mr.. Smith guiltless Of every charge
brought against him, as well as disposing
those against the other employees Of the
shops. OF the result Of this investigation
Mr.. Smith may well be proud. His record
during his superintendency Of those Shops
bears witness to his skill. integrity, energy
and devotion to his country, which has ere
ated from chses, this magnificent branch
Of Governmental industry. Col. Peterson,
At the conclusion, remarked that the lest
set Of this court would be 10 arrest ,he
prosecutor, Lewis Brown, who has had
charges preferred against him for violation
Of oath, and:cOnduct prsjndieil to good or
der and discipline. He viii be conveyed
from these shops to the Provost MarshaPs
Office, to be held in custody until his trial
By s general court martial.