New-York tribune., 1872-03-30


Con eress had by special act settled those claims and
forever closed them and that Secretary Robson, Two
years later Illegally re0peDed them ana PAID upon the
about $17o The prosecution has proved the payments
in 1870 but the Secretary has as yet put In no rebutns
| evidence.
At the meeting OF the Committee to-day, John Len
thal exChef OF the Naval Bureau OF Construction and
Repairs, who examined last night was recalled Dy
Mr. Bartlett counsel for Mr. Dana. Secretary Ro0eson
produced letter. which identified by Mr. Ienthailas
the approving tho action OF the Board whcn
| allowed the claims OF secor & Co., and
Perine secor & Co.. for extra work upon
the iron-clads Manhattan, Mahopac, and Tecumseh,
and ordering him make ont vouchers In their favor
III answer to questions by Mr.. Bartlett. Mr. Lenthah
said he had been directed by Secretary Robeson to AL
verise for proposals TO furnish live oak timber and lie
thought likely that he had suggested the purchase
OF the timber the Secretary he knew the stock on
hand was nearly exhausted. Bids were received, IN
answer TO the advertisement, and sche-
dule Of them furnished tho Secretary for MS
Several days afterward Lnthall said he received
instructions tho Secretary to accept the proposals
OF of the bidders and notify them to that effect
Before the contracts made, he retired from the
bureau and consequently had nothing to do with their
execution. There special appropriation for the
purchase OF timber The Secretary asked him II the
bids made in the usual form and the contracts
awarded to the lowest bidders He said they were In
answer question by Mr.. Bartlett he said he fixed
the size and quantity OF the timber himself; it was
professional question: and belonged to the bureau ana
not to the Secretary
Chief Engineer G. H. Baker was next examined lie
said, in to questions that when he joined Tue
Worcester in March, S1l her coal was already on board
having been taken in at Charestown NaYy-Yard. On
her passage from Boston 10 Plymouth, England lts
quality discovered; from 80 to 40 per cent
OF the greater part OF the coal was refuse
while the refuse OF good coal was generally
about 25 per cent When it was possible bad coal was
rejected upon the survey OF board OF officers, and, in
some cases. bad coal had been thrown overheard but IN
this case 10 action taken. He had known coal to be
so poor az to stop tho engines. The effect upon the
machinery was not INJURIOUS the llucs being only tenn
porarily clocged 10 was customary for the Chief En-
gfneer such facts in his quarterly report to the
Department. Some OF the coal on the worcester WAS
very good and of it bad as he had ever seen
| Mr.. Archer inquired II the Government was IN tue
habit paying for tic patent rights on engines whch
put into vessels, aud instanced the charge mde
by Sccor Co. for sCCO which had been paid TO Erlcs
son his patent rights upon an engine they had plI
that provision was always in contracts hat the
Government should DC liable for patent rights ana
| the charge referred to should not nave Deeh made
W. W. King, Chicf OF the Bureau Of steam Engineer
ing was called aud said that he bad held his present po
sitiOn March, sG9, having been appointed ny te
| Pr, sideut during Mr. BOries administration Mt Bart
lett PORTIONS OF Mr. Kings reports for scs 1917 ana
ls7l aud inquired how purchases were usually lladP'
Mr. King said acquisitions were made from the Navy
Yards the articles needed by them and after they are
! approved in the Navy Department the Pymaster ~
! the Maynard IRON which the requisltlon Is ma marie
ma ltrs the purchase, IL the articles are not On hand IN
land r other pc fs t is transferred to the yard
| ing tho reduisition. The paymasters have no
special direcrious to tic manner Of max max
! Vertse Tor proposals when any considerable
purchase il to be made even in eases OF EMERGENCY
but tho amount Is less than $1,000 the paynasof
sends notices persons having the articles for sale ana
| buys az well ~ he When supplies are to be pur-
chased for SHIPS IL done withouC ADVERTISING. w1sh
| the exIgcncIes OF the circumstances require H. lbe
usual yearly purchases had not beeu made OF 'ao ear
for reasons OF economy: Slnee thc war the appSpIl
tons have been small, and had to DC held III hand
as it could noe be told beforehand now nuSn % TH,q @
he needed for repairs &c; anu Was alsn eeIeu ns'
keep hand little ueIishable material as possible
Mr. King said had never received any verbal OF witt
Ten order ul either Ma Borio Mr. Robeson 10 pur-
chase OF any particular person or 10 aYot hor
one In fact he had received any orders relative To
purchase ant himself responsible AZ MS bureau lt
cIv 70 furnish supplies for ne works vyyards, the
purchases being made ny tho local paymasers Inc coal
for the nayy-yard California was purchased In That
SI1r The names OF Catclls did not appear on the
records either as BUYERS ior or eers TO- tg
fa.rdc1yyd ., any fv Cmrf Engineer, wniIe that
although Chief Engneer may be Getaed or ths Iattrr
f as 10 f 9 to ~ ave os "r parchaSing coal
without adverrsns that matter was aiways aIehdea
engines would either be presented to the bureau ior
aymrnt. to b, ard appointed for the purpose !;
| BOirds were generally appointed; II the clallh was
small the bareau would pay IL 0n the hndinS Oh the
KOard should lt large OuP the action or the Board
| would nave 10 be first approved bY the Secretary.
MIR Bartlett then cailed W. p. Wood to Tue stand and
asked nn acquainted @ith the late Simeon
johnson lie said he AIR Bartlett then inquired II
he had mad COMMUNICATION with J0hsOn WIN
! reference the claim OF Sccor " 60. Mr.
| Sargent raised an objection To witness on the
| ground tnat hearsay evidence was no evidence
| at all. Mr.. Bartlett said ho proposed TO show
that Johnson the agent OF tue Scor TO collect these
claims and that he sought To bribe Hr Wood not 10 dis
close the character these caius and also that mum
her of persons were conspiracy u obtain this money
simeon johnson, had told Wood that the claims were
| fraudulent aud had arranged meeting between hun
| and the Sacors IN New-York. Wood received the
brbe and star ed kewI0rk; bur in the time,
| March, 1872 johnson died Mr. Peters said the testl-
mOuy of the witness what Johnson had sald aler
the expiration his agency would not be admissible
what said agent and during his agency, would
be admIssble but under all rules or law the testimony
OF the witness under the circumstances could not De al
mltted dangerous to admit testimony from such
| q witness NJ. -
Mr. Archer agreed with Messrs Sargent and Peters as
TO the legal but Thought IL would be best To ad-
iourn until Monday, IN order To give the COmmtee te
10 learn what had been the action OF other committees IN
similar Mr. Blair thought the testimony 10 DC
given by the would point 10 the character OF the
Claims and not the Secretary He was OF tue Opln-
ion that usual for investigating committees 70
give "A wide latitude in the matter OF testimony lie
appeared TO lean toward MI Bartets view OF the case
Mr. Warren did not say a word about the matter. Mr.
Peters said the witnesses testimony might De adnitted
II there was other 70 obtain evidence on the mat
| ter, but, II the claims were fraudulent, IL wouu pc
proved by exap,inaon or theu, ana the Board VINO
made the allowance There was considerable dlscuSSou
| upOn this pOnt and the Committee nnaIy agreed 10
adjourn until Monday, without taking any action. MT
Bartlett expects produce documentary eNiuee uloh
| this subject by that time.