The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-08-19
TIE TRUTH LEAKING OUT.
PRESIDENT GRANT rs THE PATRON
OF FORGERS AND SHINDLERS.
The Way tho Military Ring Piundered
tho Public and Choked or Investiga-
tion.
from the New York SUM-

From the New York SUM-
When, by an arrangement with President
Johnson, General Grant dis placed Mr.. Stanton
and became secretary of war ad interim, en-
terlng upon the personal control of the war
department, he at once gave peculiar atten-
tion to three objects, az follows:
I. Paying In full large sums Of money,
amounting In che aggregate to half million
or more, which had been retained by Mr.. STAN
COZ on account Of frauds In mixed grain fur
nished for the army OF the Potomac. The
frauds having been detected and part Of the
money restored by the immediate agents OF
the fraudulent contractors, In whose hands iG
was, Mr.. Stanton also withheld further sums
which would have been due had the frauds
not been found out and proved. These sums
Grant paid In full.
H. Tne second Of Grants three objects was
The transfer to ring of specuetors In Call
fOrnia-a certain military ring hGa become In
terested In the affair-of = tract OF land
known as Military Reservation No. Z, COM
manding Mare Island Navy Yard. This prop
erty, whose possession was essential 70 the
military safety OF the navy yard, was worth
Sl0,O0O,000. Mr.. Stanton had sternly re-
pelled aud resisted every overture looking to
lLS ITduelcfj UuG VIdutt olIcE NO ooSoao oSe
retary OF war ad Interim. promptly surren-
dered 1t, the government receiving between
$4,000 aud $4,000 only.
III. Tne lnlrd Opject to which General
Grant especially devUled himself when ne De-
came secretary OF war ad interim was the pro-
lection of his old associate and crony, Fay.
master-General Brice, in carrying through
of public money upon forged bounty claims.
These forged claims had been got up by
Claim agent In Washington, named Lowen-
tbal, VINO had presented them TO Brice, from
whom he had received various payments, one
of which, and not the only one, had been
Representatives 10 amount to about forty
seven thousand dollars.
Grant was exceedingly Intimate with Brtce,
and they were b0tn members OF coterie
which met habltually for the purposes of re-
creation In the rooms OF General h. Ingalls,, on
Pennsylvania avenue. Brlce being paymoster-
general of the army, had embarked extensive
ly In the business OF paying out the money IN
his charge upon Lowenthais forgeries. II the
fact that they were forgerles had not been
known 10 him before the papers were frat pre-
seuted at his office, It bad certainly been dis
closed TO him and established by the most con-
elusive evidence shortly alterward. Tne clerks
through whose hands these forged papers bad
passed had reported TO Brice that tney were
BUSINESS. An agent appointed by the defraud-
ed soldiers-all OF whom were colored mem
had come 10 Washington and had exhibited
to the paymasler.general clear evidence
OF the crime OF LowenChal; but some con-
venient friend had notified the forger, and ne
had gone to New Orleans, where he had es-
lablished an Office tor ths collection OF new
discharge papers on which TO base more
forged bounty claims. Thither the agent OF
The soldiers followed, and the fact that Low
enthal was engaged In the preparation OF
forged claims for bounty money was duly re-
ported BY General Sheridan as Washington.
More than this, subordinate paymastsr, dls-
covering the fact that checks W large
amount had been issued from the paymaster.
10 stop the payment OF these checks at the
New York sub.treasury. General Brlce learn
ISSUE new Srasr femovlhg ths st5ptaHs atf
directing the payment of the checks to go on.
The affair got partially into the newspapers,
and having now Deen brought to the notice or
secretary Stanton, he induced some OF his
friends in the House OF Representatives TO
move an investigation by committee OF that
body. The committee was appointed, and MI.
Stanton detailed clerks who were familiar
with the pay department to assist IN the 1n-
uuiry. Evidence ofthe most damning charac.
Ter was taken, and though the Investigation
was not completed, the report OF the commit
Ire was partially prepared. Hereupon Grant
came into Office as secretary Of war ad interim,
and his first act was to dismiss from the ser.
vice the clerks whom Mr.. Stanton had detailed
| to aid the committee. At the same Time hls
| friends In The House Of Representatives got
through q resolution, which, without mention
/ ing this commitlee, efeotuaily stopped lis Ia
| bors and prevented the printing or the evl'
dence it had taken and the presentation OF ils
| report.
Upon this occurrence TWO of the members o1
the committee waited upon General Grant a
| the War Department., to urge him 10 Withdraw
| his opposition aud allow the lnVesugatlon q
| continue. Tney represented to h1m plainly
the nature of the testimony already taken
| They told him that it established the Iact tnal
forged claims had been paid by Paymastel'
General Brlce, he knowing them 10 De
| forgeries. They represented to him the duty
| OF The Republican party and OF all Inc omcels
| of The Government 10 arrest such frauds and
| 10 make the ADMINISTRATION honest. To all
| this Grant turned q deaf ear, rudely rebufing
| the gentlemen who made the appeal, and
stolidIy evincIng his determination TO sustain
Brice 10 the paying OF these forgerles, and as
| tar as possible TO conceal the facts nom puone
knowledge.
| the gentlemen Interested In the Investigation
afterwards went to President Johnson. IL was
near the close of his term of office, and when
| he had heard the facts, Mr.. johnson told them
| That the only thing he could do IN the prem
ses was to retire Brice This he did, but ten day
later, when President Grant was inaugurated
his very first act, performed before the appoint
ment Of bis Cabinet was to Issue new ordel
restoring Brice to the Office OF paymaster
generall door
The f4cts in this case, with the official docu
menls. are fully Get forth In the letter OF on
| Washington correspondent, published tnl
morning. That letter includes also the sup
pressed report of the special committee CT tn'
House of Representatives, precisely the sam
| In form aud language as the committee leits u
l --p ru m a rrYrEs uruTc NV