The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-12-28
1s. Yes, they were to receive six dollars

Providence Tool Company
Ans. Don't know; it was made before was
elected treasurer.
Ques. Do you know of any contract having
been made with any other parties for the
transforming of guns for the State OF South
Ans. They made a contract with the REM
iugton Arms Company to transform FIVE thous-
and guns, same kind as those altered By the
Roberts Arms Company, 10 the pattern known
as the Remington gun. We sent cartridges.
as before stated, to Ilion, for the purpose of
testing the guns.
City and County of Ne,o York, S.:
Isaiah Woodbury., of said city, being duly
| sworn, says: That he was treasurer OF both
the Roberts Arms Company and the American
Metallic Ammunition Company, and that the
foregoing answers to the above questions are
true and correct.
(Sgned) ISAIAH WOODBURY..
Sworn aud subscribed before me, this 26th
day OF October, 1871.
(Sgned) r. E. SELMEs,.
| Notary Public, New York.
The Remington Arms Company, being called
| upon by the committee. stated in substance
'uhat G. H. Pond received from the State of
South Carolina the sum of nine dollars per
| gun altered by them into the Remington
| breech-loader; that they altered five thousand
erus of the pattern known as the Springfield
mnsket. but they disllked to state what Pond
| paid them.
By the foregoing statements, it is seen that
the ten thousand Springfield muskets turned
time In the summer Of 1869, TO the State Of
South Carolina, for urgent Immediate use.
passed into the hands Of the Roberts and Rem
ington Arms Companies, in September and
October, 1869, for transformation into brecch-
leaders, equally divided among them. viz:
Five thousand to each company, under con-
tract over the signatures of the Inspector and
Acknowledgement OF the State Of South Caro-
lima. authorized by the Governor, and ia ac-
cordance with his Instructions
The amount paid the Roberts Arms CON-
pany, which they had Ito take or get no'h-
ing" was at the rate of fifty cents per gun,
instead OF eight dollars and e:ghty-lve cents.
having paid the Providence Tool Company six
dollars per gun, If their bill has been paid at
all. reserved for commissions two dollars and
thlrly-1ve cents per gun, which, on the hVe
thousand guus said to have been altered oy
the Roberts Arms Company, makes the total
OF eleven thousand seven hundred and fifty
dollars (sll, ,750) for commissions.
What the commissions were, In the settle
ment with the Remington Arms Company. are
not yet known, but 1t will not discredit the
natural covetOusness Of Mr. Pond to presume
he received at least as much a. he demanded
from the Roberts Arms aud Providence Tool
Companies. He is not In the habit OF making
nudun pact,,n, a bare, n ,ked contract, with
out q consideration. as his settlement with
the American Metallic Ammunition Company
proves From them he demanded thirteen
thous and eight hundred aud seventy-twO 10.
100 dollars (sl3,S72 10y as commissions; so
that the probable amount received by the
avarlcious Pond from these tributary sources,
for himself and others who are hidden, was
not less than forty thousand dollars (s40, ,0O0.)
But did these charges consume the whole
amount charged on the books of the financial
agent to the "Arms Account" which was S2O2,-
602 &C.? Not at all; the whole amount paid the
Roberts Arms Company, Providence Tool Com
pany, Remington Arms Company, and Amer
lean Metallic Ammunition Company, as well as
the commissions 10 the circumlocution Pond,
was in the aggregate not over one hundred
and twenly-slx thousand two hundred and
ifCy dollars ($l26, ,250,) 80 that there remains
yet to be accounted for, seyeny-sx thousand
eight hundred and ffty-two 66.100 dollars
(s76,s52 CO., less sl0S0 paid insurance, which
mas been paid by the financial agent to g. H.
Pond, the only person known, on his books,
as having any connection with these transac-
tions unless we accept The assurance oil The
financial agent and his confidential cerk, viz:
that twenty thousand liars OF this amount
was paid n G. Parker.
Who do we find responsible for these high
handed outrages? According to Isaiah Wood
bury, the Governor and adjntant-general.
From whom did the contracts, authorizing
such outrages, emanate? According to Isaiah
Woodbury., the Governor and adjulantge
of the State OF South Carolina.
Who was the 'go-between," "the ready agent.
to manage the swindle and divide the spoiis?
q. H. Pond, who appears everywhere, with
the money of the State, to make settlement OF
contracts in her name for the alteration OF
arms, and the purchase OF ammunition.
Why did not The Governor or the adjutant-
general, who made these contracts, II they
were sure they were necessary or authorized,
do alLthe business themselves with the com
panies who were to alter the arms aud furnish
The usual complement OF ammunition, and
thereby save the Stale fl ON such sharky COM
missions, viz: One hundred and fourteen
thousand two hundred aud twenty-:our 66.l00
dollars, (sll4, ,224 &C., Is the treasury so re-
p.ete, that robbers, however rapacions, are to
be invited or authorized to make their descent
upon II, with the authority of the Governor of
the State protecting them Who are the
guardians OF our public trusts Where are
the watch dogs of our treasury, for plunderers
are upon US. and arming themselves out OF
our revenues
To say that the Governor or the adJutant-
general could have known nothing OF these
Infamous robbeIies, Is no longer possible
The Governor Is alone the authority on the
part OF the State 10 make such q contract, and
he gave that authority with general instruc-
tions to the adjuiant-senera, his hrst-ieuten-
ant. with orders to communicate his COM
mands No sIch transaction could have trans
pired without his ipSe dirit, and The contract
declares the truth Of this assertion; nor could
such sums In thousands have been paid, even
by the financial agent, without the instruc-
tions or directions Of the Governor or the
financial board. The responsibility falls upon
the Executive head Of the State, und the char-
acter of the offence, TOR offence ii is. o! high
order, stands portrayed In every feature Of
Ihe transaction. The ten thousand Spring
field muskets, iE every way regarded Us the
mcst "seIviceable" OF al guns, uron which
the government, In her hour Of peril aud nec-
cssiiy. relies, "a satisfactory arm Of defence,
complete in all its part', inspected and proved,
have at length, though free gilt from The
United States, cost the Stlte Of South CdIon-
ma with one million cartridges, two hundred
aud Two thousand SIX hundred and two 6G-lOO
dollars ($2O2602 Co.
The State has paid fur the alteration OF these
guns, ''lhe property of the people," who never
authorized or sanctioned the conversi,n, one
hundred and siXty-f1ve thousand six hundred
and two G6-l00 dollars (Sl65, ,G02 CO., or at the
rate of SIG Sc per gun more than Remington &
Sons charge for new gun of their own manu-
facture, of the same pattern, ramrod, lock,
stock and barrel, fresh from their armory al
lion, or their salesroom in BrOadway-seven
dollars and hfly-sX cents more than they con-
trac,ed for with Mr.. Pond, to make the altera.
ton required.
posjdae thjs m oynanse of elsrpn thouSand