Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-07-18

were made out, Captain beaty Went ueioio
Notary Public Brown, and swore they we're
tr1ie. then went with them TO the Adju-
tant Generals Office. Strohmier fled the
rolls with General Vincent. Strohmier and
Hatfield then took out license and became
the recognized and lawful agents OF The
company, and were so recognized by all the
heads Of departments and their subordi-
mates. On that day received severe sun
stroke. in consequence of the extreme heat,
and in attending 70 their business. l
reached home about the ed Of August,
1870. ard was confined to almost a death
bed for eight or ten weeks, at a heavy ex-
pense. / had let Capt. Beatty have one hun
bred dollars while in Washington, to bear
their expense. l paid for the keeping OF
their horses for weeks, near my town;
give his son money to expense him
and the stock home, and paid other ex-
penses incident to the trip. Now up TO
this time no bargain or mention of pay was
ever iutimated, except what Capt. Beatty
had said to me, as before stated. Late in
the fall of 1870 l met with Strohmier, who
informed me that be could buy up the
claims cheap; that the men were still doubt
full as to getting their claims paid, and that
if he had any guarantee that they would be
paid, he could purchase them at heavy
discount. I replied that the claims would
certainly be paid, and that it was legitimate
to purchase them, and to prove that be-
lie7ed the claims would be settled, proposed
to him that would take an interest in the
transaction of one-third, (that was IN the
purchase and pro6ts.) so understood it
at the time, and as Strohmier repeatedly
stated the agreement over and over again,
both verbally and in writing. | returned
to Washington the first OF December fol-
lowing; met Strohmier there, who informed
me that the War Department had not ac-
cepted the rolls. l then called to look after
the matter, when Gen. Dunn, the Assistant
Judge Advocate General, called my atten-
ton to the discrepancy between the old and
new rolls, difference of some twenty
names. This l reported to the agent
(Strohmier), who informed me that he had
seat 10 Fentress county, Tenn, and pro
cured sffidavits from Beatty and others,
which gave satisfaction at the War Depart
ment; at least heard no more complaint
on that account. Next, the Secretary Of
War decided that the three officers must
swear to the correctness of the rolls, as that
was provided for in the Act Of Congress.
Thereupon Gen. Dunn wrote out an atflda-
Wit, handed it and the rolls to Strohmier,
who went to Fentress county and had the
same sworn to by the three officers. On his
return to Washington, the rolls were again
filed in the War Department, and the same
accepted by the Secretary of War as correct,
and referred them to the Second Auditor.
During the tendency in the War Depart
ment Mr.. Maynard met me there several
times, simply as a member of Congress, to
aid in the settlement of the claims, as was
customary for members of Congress to do.
The Second Auditor no doubt caused the
rolls and applications to be closely scrutin-
lied, as was his practice and duty to do.
never examined the applications, but was
informed by Strohmier that they were all
sworn to and was right. In fact it was not
nv business to examine claims, but was the
duty of the Government officers. The Sec
ond Auditor declared the whole thing cor
rect, and thereupon issued the certificates for
pay, Then the matter was referred to the
Second Comptroller, who caused the same
to be closely examined, and declared it all
right by his written approval. Then the
paymasters at Louisville and Washington
acknowledged the same to be correct, and
thereupon paid the money to the officers
and agents. l introduced the officers and
agents to Gen. Briee, the paymaster at
Washington. The officers after receiving
their money came to my room voluntarily
the evening following, and stated that they
desired to make me donation of some
money for my services rendered during re-
cess, expense and sickness, and inquired
what amount would satisfy me. | replied
fort l1nna IN hQPidQ
as they knew what trouble and expen Sc l
had incurred, and that came near losing
my life on their account. After few mo-
ments conversation between themselves,
they handed me twenty-five hundred dol
lars, to which l replied, that the amount
was perfectly satisfactory. This was the
first time that money or a gilt was ever
mentioned, or even intimated. This was
in March, 1871, nearly year after the law
was enacted. thought tkeD, as l think
now, that it was perfectly right and legiti-
mate, for those officers to refund to me the
expense money advanced them, for loss OF
time during recess, AMI in consideration OF
expense and suffering with severe spell Of
sickness. The amount paid me after my
term in Congress expired by the agents was
part of the profits arising out Of the pur-
chase of the claims. My conduct and as
sistance in the bill and the prosecution Of
the claims before the departments was
nothing more than is done by members of
Congress every day. have had many bills
passed for the benefit of parties, and prose-
cuted them to payment In the departments.
Claimants have often offered me compensa-
ton, but l never took or received one cent
for any services rendered while in discharge
of my duty as member of Congress.
The agents, after receiving the money,
went to Fentress county to settle with and
pay off the men. They returned to Wash
ington the last of March, 1871. Then, for
the first time, learned that fraud had been
perpetrated on the government in max
ing up the rolls, and from their conversation
was satisfied that they had on hand, or de-
posted in some of the banks in Washing
ton, the rise of sixty thousand dollars, and
had failed to settle with the men, went at
once, and reported the matter to the DistriCt
Attorney, (Judge Fisher who, after talking
the matter over, inquired if the act provided
for the payment of ninety-nine men and
three officers for three years, and if the men
had employed Strobmier AMI Hatfield as
their agents, and had they executed to them
powers of attorney, and were they recOg
nized as such agents by the heads of depart
ments? which was answered in the af6rma-
tive. He then said the government could
do nothing with them; that the agents were
| paid the money, as such; therefore the men
must look to the agents for their pay, and
| the agents were responsible to the men
| and to them alone. In a word, under.
stood him to say that it was matter be-
| tween the agentG and the members of the
company; that the Government on its part
having complied with the law, had nothing
further to do with it. Thereupon retired
and let the matter drop. In July following
| Mai. Clapp was sent out by the War De
| partment to make al investigation into tho
| matter; he called at my office in Nashville
and requested me to give him all the infor
nation possessed in regard to the Beatty
claims, which did freely, and without re-
serve, as never had any eoneealment t.
make to any one as to my cenngetian with
the claims as member of Congress.
gave Major Clapp a full statement Of the
case from beginning to end. Major ClapE
was, however, made use of by the au
thorities to aid in my conviction
which seemed to have been determined
upon at all hazards. Next received atele
gram from Washington, ordering me to re
port Immediately to the Commissioner o.
Internal Revenue, bearing date the oath o
October, 1871. Surprising, of course, o.
official business as Supervisor, left .. ono