New-York tribune., 1869-04-12
MORE ABOUT GUNS.
WISE ON ORDNANCE CONTRACTS.


labors, now we'll advanced, shall be completed This
testimony indicates such disregard of law and Of
the authority of Congress, that but little SURPRISE
will be felt when it Is known that the late Chief Of
Ordnance took hasty leave for Europe Immediately
after this testimony had been gyen before the Com
mttee had time to finish propounding their ques- ,
tions to him. The testimony taken between the
9th june 1867 and the I'd of July. 1867 Capt Wise
resigned his position and left for Europe immediate
ly after and has not yet returned, notwithstand-
ing he was notified that he would be questioned
further by the Committee. Fto~
lQuestons by Mr.. Butler and Mr. schenck OF the Com
O. "a yare all these IT contracts before the art
cles had been made or finished by the contrsctors'
Yes Sir every one Of them as lar as know
the Arm OF Syfert McManus Co, party with WHOM
there appears by your list to have been 's contracts
A. Mr. syfert and Mr. McManus were the only two indi
yidual persons that know in the establishment
q. 2s. What do you understand tho words and CON-
paDy" to represent
O. 80 DO you OF any other person with Mr. syfsrt
and Mr. McManns in connection with that drmi
(By Mr Batler,-9;; q! 81 w What nsmd Mr. Halo'
nv Mr. schenckj-Q 32 DO you know what his interest
in that partnership was, II ANY,
O. 81. Was he the agent through whom the contracts
were made with the Department. .,,,
authority TO transact business -.
O. 35. Was that written authority
se Have you copies of the originals of such authority
In writingf
& S7 by whom were these powers of Attorney. or let
tiers Of authority signedf
O. CO. You cannot give Mr.. Hales hrst name. you
A. I tnink at Reading, Penn
@ 81. Can yougive US any other description OF him'
A. He was a very nice looking man.
| q. 50. Who are his relations or his peopief
A. DO not kno1 dnyntng rhsterer % about MIN. nn,,
Q Q: Have you ever heard who were his relatives or
a. know he has no connection with the Haes Of BOs-
O. g. did not ask you who he not connected with
but who he connected with have ever heard who
K heard that he was connected with Mrs. weles, the
wife Of the Secretary.
70 DID not understand or believe that he ""
A. did mott Idid not know. ~ s.,.
SS!.Is M a; S here sPSs. s%,: Of sh s. q m.
contract M qua. and posss. y Which pns
@ Ss. ...ss SG1 ~ d. s % % %
O. 7 You speak of orders not in contracts; were they
A Not in every instance; there we.e some cases where
the Navy Department ordered rec Ir%pet1e tSTPeaG1es
Il hs 6Saa OfSsr O. rom
81 sscsSeP Taa OFdsr ~ saSS
O. 30. You were then acquainted personally with all
transactions connected with the making OF contracts ana
purchase Of ordnance and ordnance stores from APRIL
| 1851, until this time, July 2, 1850
from on hc S1s vast amount q business lad hand
@ Had sesiEss' ss ra i4 ss%.s.. s".
& Co., on the SOth Of July, 1881
@ ss How could price that was never agreed to be
paid until November iSes be ordered to be hcreased
win refer to the Official record and state 20 tho
o. ST. Can you not explain II in any way nowi
A. 1t does not occur to me now' ...r4..
O. 1Or II syfert, McManus & Co. had made guns
nrior which not delivered at the
time the contract actually made which you assume
10 be the for this enlargement OF the price, they
had made the guns under an order TO make them Al
O given pricef
O. O. icS Then this contract would be virtually an in
crease Of that price OF about ss per cent?
g. los Or in other words contractors being contracted
with SssSI SSs 70 @ i
cent Yes Sir but that "a with the understanding that
they would have been paid in gold prices aud the cur
rency deprecated 80 per ce3tt.-.o,..s., cent LIP
N one that know Of IN the Navy ,
@ Now 90 ySS 70 tssy @ nsr 70 c.n 5e Ss
Goth OF July and the l2th OF November, 1861 .- I'D
a to question IS made by cspt WISE Jane
A. No, there was change in the price when geld Was
Secretary Of Nary aveed to allow certa per eentage.
think it was about Or per cent as did the war & pe
same rule carried out during the existence OF the war
NV Gx be anSery Of the Chief Of The Bureau not
acting under the Navy Department at ALL but acting
"A
A. All these orders were from the Bureau under the
Congress- without any order coming from the sec
o. il5 Then the secretary OF the Navy had nothing
do with all these contracts OF syfert McMsnus COZ
A. so know, he had nothing TO do with any con
tracts, with ereeptiO There was contract made
by the Secretary the Navy and the Secretary OF War
with Mr.. Norman Wiasd-
.nSSTs.d to and sss tAs a.: quo . s1
s Fl % s. Ss. s k 11sI % y III: Sssf q
Tasd:s Sasy With 1%i
O. 125 You said in explanation Of one answer that the
advantages you got by having guns made az Fort Pl
was that Mr. Knapp transported them 20 the pace OF
delivery he the only person or his firm that did that
transportation free of charge to the United statesi
portation pay for they delivered at the Navy Yard
O. i26 And that was within two miles Of their works
O. l27 Are not these contracts identical to ranspor
taon and price, is there any change In price per pound
in favor OF those that are delivered AS against those A
| A 4. There is not nor never has been
NorkThe following question was answered In order 90 'hs A
o. 10 We're nny proposals advertised for and received
for any articles furnished by Knapp Rndd Co.
In addition what they agreed for In their CONTRACT
A. Ereru one OF them before they were obtained: ON
| some occasions wanted ammunition 10 be supplied I'm
nedatey and then we ordered them Out Oh speea con-
O. iss Produce IL you please the advertisement under
which the contract was made vita Knapp, Rude Oo'
8 is Show me the advertise mcnt for proposal, under
which any Of Che material Which was ordered from
| A. do not thinkany were ever made ,,.h m.
contracts nSs OF syfsT McManns Co. We're made
| A believe there none
! O. iss Show me the advertisement for proposals unees
which any Of these seventeen similar contracts "ei'
A. There were Hone for guns but many have been fOf
| Q. 100 Were there any advertisements for PaFf0"
shelSi II. ,,