Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-01-23
PAPER CREDITS.
The Report of the Investigating
Committee.

NScAec l. IdiDOty tut l1OH. hUEuIu SdHUUiU
and Gen. Selden Conner, was appointed in
April last and commenced its sessions in May,
continuing with a vacation of three months
from August to November, up to the date
when the report was submitted to the Legis-
iature. Mr.. Sanborn assisted in the investi-
CATIONS up to the assembling of the Legisla-
ture, when he resigned in order to take his
seat, and the report is accordingly signed
only by his associates. The appropriation
for the investigation was $4,000, Of which
some 5000 remain unexpended. The order
of the investigation was, first, the interroga-
ton of the officers of towns which had re-
ceived irregular credits; second. inquiries
addressed to the War and Navy Departments,
which elected very unsatisfactory replies
and third, the examination of the brokers and
agents who appeared to have disposed OF
these credits. This latter branch of the in
quiry has occupied the commission since
their meeting in November.
1t appears that towns were furnished with
credits of doubtful character by Messrs
Colby & Pike, T. NJ. Stevens, Charles Kim.
ball. D. II. Brown, s. A. Barker, Benjamin
Hurd, Herman, Libby & Co., T. II. Dins-
more, Watts & Wall, j. II. Manley, G. M
Delany Co., s. c. Archer, John p. Heath
Joseph Nye, Elliot Walker, John P. Deering
& Co., A. B. Farwell, Sumner Barton, A. d.
Morrow, j. W. Reed, II. Ii. Hubbard, Josiah
II. Greedy, G. 2. Cochrane, Lewis Tebbetts,
Ira D. Sturgis, North, c. T. Bean and
Hodgdon, Morris Co. Many of these per-
sons, however, appeared to be only middle
men, with or without commission, between
the first hand brokers and the towns, and some
as agents and salesmen of the brokers. We
have examined nearly all of these men who
were reported to be alive, whom we could
find within reach of our process.
All the men sold classify themselves under
these descriptions:
l. Enlistments claimed in the United
States Navy on fictitious returns of munich
pal officers of various towns. but neverthe-
less sold to such towns, principally by G. M.
Delany & Co., and others.
2. Enlistments claimed to be in the United
States Navy, numbering sixty or more, orig
inally at the disposal of the State authorities,
but ultimately sold by A. b. Farwell.
3. Enlistments claimed in the United
States Navy, list of which, purporting to
number 25l, was ordered to be credited to
Maine by the United States Provost Marshal
General, the property to which seemed to
have been recognized as in j. ii. Manly, and
the names on which were sold to towns by
him and his consignees, J. P. Deering & Co.,
and others.
!. Between three hundred and four hum
dred ostensible enEstments in the United
States Marine Corps, the right of control to
which seems to have been recognized as in
the hands of Messrs. Colby and Pike.
THE HEATH LIST.
To narrate the events as near as possible
in the order of their occurrence: Late in the
summer of 1864, one John z. Heath, acting
as recruiting officer and having an Office in
Portland, collected list Of several hundred
names of persons claimed to have been en-
listed into the navy. This list was brought
or sent to the Adiutant Generals office in
Augusta by John t. Hull, Esq, of Portland,
who had been actively engaged as a recruit
commencement of the war. Mr.. Hull's con-
nection with this list seemed to be with the
view of having the names upon it credited to
the city of Portland, on the ground that the
enlistments were made there, claim that was
disallowed by the Naval Commission then in
session at Augusta, consisting of the Govern
or and the Acting Assistant Provost Marshal
General, Major Gardiner. General Hods-
don speaks of but one list obtained from
Heath, which contained the names of some
800 men allowed to Portland as in the naval
service, after assigning which there was
balance of more than 400 which were classed
as General Naval Credits" But as Mr..
Hulls statement varies from this, and, as we
find the original return of the municipal Off
GERS, of actual residents of Portland in the
navy, containing nearly 800 names, We think
the preponderance of proof is that the list
first referred to did not contain the actual
residents entered in said return. The list it.
self would settle all doubt about this matter
it ought to be on the files of the Adjutant
Generals office; General Hodsdon assured
us that he would endeavor tor find it, but in
the great pressure of his private business he
has as yet been unable to comply with his en-
gagement. The clerks in the office of the
Adjutant General have no knowledge of such
paper, and both it and every other roll or
list, upon which any of the suspicious enlist
ments were borne, are not known to have
passed under the inspection of the clerks for
the purpose Of being transcribed copied, filed
or classified.
About the time this list was prepared,
Heath seems TO have made an agreement with
G. M. Delany, or with Delany & Yates, to
sell him or them all the men recruited by or
for kim for the purpose of having them sold
again to officers of towns. Heath was to
have premium of $50 per man for his agen-
cy in the business, and Delany claims that in
addition to this payment, which was actually
iiiduc, ie pdiu VI ueposlteu Will persons W DC
paid, 500 per man for every man excepting
those already in the service whose terms
of enlistment had partially expired. Un-
der this arrangement Messrs. Delany & Yates
sold by themselves or through parties,
to whom they sold, about 200 men. In this
number however are included few mer
sold directly by Heath, and few by Thomas
M. Stevens, to whom Heath had turned ovel
a part by the consent of Delany. These sales
were made to towns at prices ranging from
$50 to $500 per man. The sanction of til,
Naval Commission was obtained by returns
filled up in the handwriting of Delany o
some one of his partners or clerks, upol
blanks furnished from the Adjutant General
office, and signed by the selectmen of town
to which the sales were made, in which re
turns the men so sold were certified to b
persons resident or liable to enrolment il
such town, who were in the service in tn
United States Navy.
The selectmen Of towns who had signe,
such certitcates-their oath was not require,
have given various accounts of how thos
certificates were obtained. Some few hav
been confident that they never did sign o
could have signed such returns, though the,
generally did not fail to recognize the genu
ineness of their signatures. Some hay