Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-08-13
GEN. Cowen and Jas. c. wetmore.

&en. COwen and Jas. G. Wetmore.
We give below the communication of
JAS. G. WETMoRE, late Ohio State Agent at
Washington, in relation to the difficulty
between Gen. CowEN and himself. All that
Mr.. WETMoRE says may be true. He knows
more about his own party leaders than we
do, but we would like to have him explain
how it is that ROYAL TAYLOR has deposited
unclaimed moneys in the State Treasury to
the amount of 100000 to $4,000, while his
agency had never a dollar of unclaimed
funds there. He won't pretend to say he
made no collections that were never
claimed, for if he does no one would be-
lieve him. AS Sir LUCIUs O'TRIGGER says,
the fight is a very beautiful one as it
stands:' 4r..-....-- '. -.
~WAsHINGToN, D. c., Aug.9, 1867. :
EDITORS STATEsMAN-Sus: My atten-
ton has been called to dispatch in your
columns of the Sd inst, dated Washington,
D. c., August I'd, 1867. directed to Col. c.
D. Cox, A. A. g., Columbus, Ohio, and
signed B. R. Cowen, Adjutant General of
Ohio:
"Any delay or neglect which may have
attended the transaction of business at the
Washington Agency for the collection of
Claims of Ohio soldiers, are chargeable
solely to Mr.. Wetmore's criminal action in
refusing to deliver the records of the Office
to the proper State authorities" = y
This pronounce false and calumnious.
and for which have instituted a suit in
the United States District Court here,
against Mr.. Cowen, for libel.
When Mr.. Cowen came to this city Of
fered him in the presence of number of
witnesses, certified copies of every book
and paper in the Office that he might desire
to have made, to which he positively re-.
fused, saying that he had the power and
was capable of taking them (the books and
papers) from my Office.
Now, what are the facts respecting the
delay he alleges. On my resigning, /
placed the interests of claimants in the
hands of Mr.. T. Benton Doran, citizen of
Ohio, who had been faithful chief clerk
in the office, and who has ever since had
free access to the books and papers of my
office. The correspondence of the Agency
was conducted with all the regularity and
promptness that it ever had been, and
when on the Sth of July, Mr.. Doran re-
ceived dispatch signed "B. r. Cowen, by
order of the Governor" forbidding him
doing any business save that of "custo-
dian.''
The claims then settled in his hands
could not go forward to claimants nor
any correspondence be continued in the
name Of the Agency.
On the 18th of July General Cowen ap-
peared, when Mr.. Doran reported to him
the claims he had on hand, paid. and pro-
posed to hand them over to him General
c., to which he (Mr. c. said in effect:
mo, you (Doran) keep them till return,
when l will take them with me-" He
(Cowen) not returning to Columbus, the
claims settled in his Mr.. Doran's) hands
accumulated to the size of one hundred,
which he {Cowen) refused to receive,
though they were rendered to him on sew
eral occasions. When on the 23d of July,
Mr.. Doran not feeling willing to be re-
sponsible for the safe keeping of so large an
amount of money, viz: eleven thousand
six hundred and odd dollars, made out
list of the parties to whom the funds be-
longed, and took the same. together with
the money down, to the Metropolitan Ho-
tel, and there placed them in the hands of
General c., takiug his receipt for the same.
All correspondence relating to the late
Agency which has come into my hands
since my resignation, upon business be-
longing exclusively to said Agenay, L have
promptly handed over to Mr.. Doran, who
is still in the employ of the State. And l
believe, and know, in fact, he has faith
fully performed the duties pertaining to
the same when permitted by the Governor
or the said General Cowen.
AS to my right to the records and vouch-
ers have made in receiving and disburs-
ing moneys for those who have intrusted
business to my care, will here say that l
Wylle, Major General E. D. Townsend, A.
A. G. U. S. A, Major General B. W. Brice,
Paymaster General U. S. A, and many
other high officials.
Now a word or so as it respects General
Cowen and Colonel d. c. Cox, who seem to
me. That 1 deserve better at
their hands 1 think the public will say
when I inform them that the Brevet of
Brigadier General of Volunteers which
Mr.. C. wears he is solely indebted to me
for. Iapplied, by his request, by letter,
taking the same personally with not line
from any one else) to the Hon. E. NJ. STAN
90 I, -
be so brevetted. He, Cowen, was then hold
ing a Paymaster's commission with the
rank of Major of Volunteers. Upon the
said letter, the Honorable Secretary, after
some conversation, indorsed, "Let the COM
mission asked for by Mr.. Wetmore be made
out" have done other personal services for
this Gen. c., which 1 may have an ocC aston
to make known to the public before 1 am
done with him.
At the urgent and repeated requests of
General c., applied to the Secretary or
War, and obtained for Colonel D. c. Cox
the Post Sutlership of Camp Chase. At
period 1 was greatly surprised
private interest in it.
AS it respects the business of collecting
claims in Washington by the Adjutant
General of Ohio at Columbus, free of
CHARGE" is the merest humbug that has
been attempted to be played off upon
credulous community "since the war;
When the law passed abolishing the State
agencies, General Cowen wrote the under
signed, and, among other things, that while
the Legislature had ordered the business
turned over to him, they had not provided
him with one single cent to pay the ex-
penses arising out of the same, not so much
as would buy sheet of paper, &c. This,