The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-24


Cobb had In view in making this special report,
which was not made on behalf OF the committee,
but solely on his own responsibility Whatever may
nave been the object OF the report its effect Is to re-
heve from surveillance the guilty individuals who
nave committed these frauds and leave them free to
carry on their profitable schemes until the committee
see proper to finish the inquisiton and pronounce
them either innocent or guilty. Let the chairman
OF this committee when the members are once more
assembled for work, place upon the witness stand
one OF its own members who had much to do with
preparing the aforesaid special report Let him be
questioned about the carriage ride he took on the
18th Of July in company with his principal assistant
in the investigation, and prominent clerk in the
Second Auditors ONCE who is charged with being
the chief OF the corrupt ring; how it came about
that the judges went on frolic with the accused
and enjoyed themselves so highly that one OF
them was too nN cn daI n To 10
who offered the $4,000 for the suppression OF proofs
of frauds, and whether the offer was really accepted
by ANYBODY. The member the witness stand
should also be Intercepted to why the report OF
one OF the experts made TO the committee was not
sentatives especially the expert reported that
ample evidence Of fraud and corruption had been
discovered and cited in detail ffty-three in
which fraud was perfectly plain. Your CORE
spondent would offer these suggestions to the CON-
mittee IN order to slmpiiy tielr task as much as
fraud and corruption wherever they may be found
Another suggestion may prove of value TO the
committee. The clerk in the Second Auditors
Office. who is chief OF section which has charge Of
the claims when completed and ready for payment
should be obliged to testify. The committee win re-
member that he was summoned and that he APP
peared before the committee but before he eX-
amned he whispered a few words in the ear OF the
chairman, after which he was discharged as q wit
ness. 1t having been represented to the committee
that his testimony was important, he was again
summoned, but the summons was never Obeyed
His testimony is regarded as important for this
sOn:-That witness can tell how large number OF
settlement were ''pigeon-holed" in his room, where
they were permitted to lie for weeks and In
some cases for months. When the claimants wrote
TO inquire the cause OF delay IN their settlement they
were furnished with one OF the dozen 'red tape"
replies that are kept on hand in the ONCE ready
printed and which are so ingeniously worded as to
give the inquirer no satisfaction whatever
while. they do not entirely destroy hope
AsGmt the time tat the patience OF the
ly notified by some disnterested person in this city,
who is pure philanthropist and in consequence a
friend to soldiers particularly colored soldiers that
II he desires to have his claim settled ut once he
would do well to employ the aid of a, well known
firm OF claim agents Of this city. And, strange to
say, when the claimant or his agent complies with
this advice the claim Is promptly settled. That wit
knows how often claims have been taken out OF
their regular turn and stamped in the registers
for immediate settlement. He should be examined
Then the inquiry might be made why the testimony
given by of the second auditors clerks in regard
to the suppression Of Information from the Bureau
OF COlored Troops was not Incorporated in Mr. Cobbs
report 1t is recorded in full in the stenographers
manuscript, from which the report must have been
made. One OF the committee asked the clerk why he
favored the coOred claimants so much as 70 grant
certificates that they entitled to $780, when the
evidence was accessible that they, had been
feet that the colored troops fought nobly,
as great reward for 50 doing as the white troops
He did not approve of the injustice OF paying part
S ane s %as ID by ne
sumed to destroy the record OF coOred soldiers FUR
nshed by the Adjutant Generals Office IN reply to
the question "Was this claimant sayef" The an
swer given was that he was instructed to suppress
the evidence by one of his superior clerks mention
ing the name. This, one would naturally suppose,
is just the sort of information that Congress wishes
to get and to obtain which the present committee
was appointed. why not let Congress and the people
know ity
Another matter worthy the attention OF the Com
mittee in their future explorations rs the following
singular coincidence in the settlement OF these
caims:-A large proportion of one Class OF frauds
that have been discovered were In the claims OF SOL
eighth coored regiments. ana these claims were
nearly all presented by one firm OF claim agents.
published the 18th inst. should be corrected the
order OF the Secretary Of War recurring
the data showing that the owners OF colored
soldiers who had been slaves had been paid
by the slave claim commission 10 be entered on the
muster out ros was given IN the case OF tne second
tries were made opposite the names OF western
soldiers while they were not made upon the rolls OF
troops from MARYLAND and Delaware. whether there
was, In this neglect any design 10 favor the negro
claimants any set of claim agents. Is for the COM
mittee ascertain Certain IL IL that those clerks
in the Adutant Generals Office whose business IL Is
furnish information whether there Is any evidence
in the Office that the claimant had been a slave
rarely II ever looked further than the rolls for such
evidence.
II win be remembered that the President made
two nominations for the Office OF Second Auditor
during the present session. one Mr.. Burnside, who
was rejected. and the other Mr.. Wilson, whose case
was not finally acted upon before the adjournment
OF the Senate. The reasons for the rejection OF one
and the neglect OF the other were given by three
prominent radical Senators in the Office OF the
Register OF the Treasury short time previous TO the
adjournment. These Senators said the welfare Of
the party demanded that Mr.. French should remain
in his ofce until after the Presidential election. and
no successor To him could he confirmed unless he
was known TO be q thoroughly sound radical.