Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-08
WASHINGTON.
The Sales Of Arms Investigation.
BeIknap among the BOmbshells.
How lie was Duped by the ArtfuI
Dodgers.

How lie was Duped by the ArtfuI
Dodgers.
WASHINGTON, March THE Senate
Select Committee on the sale of arms COM
menced examination to day. The first
witness was Secretary Belknap, who said he
did not know of any sale made in violation
of law. On the 18th Of October, 1870, hay
ING received a telegram which gave him
reason to believe that Remington was an
agent of the French Government, he imme-
diately gave orders that no more arms
should be sold to him. He had never
spoken to Remington, nor did he know until
afterwards that Richardson was his agent
at subsequent sales.
He was asked whether Baron Gerolt
made complaint that arms had been sold to
the French Government, and to this ques-
ton replied:
On the 18th of October, 1870, Baron Ge-
rolt called to request that the sale of arms
be postponed till next week. Witness III
formed him that our Government would
sell no arms either TO agents Of the French
or Prussian Governments. Gerolt said
they were not the agents who desired TO buy
but friends, when witness said they would
have time TO put in their bids by next week.
! TO this Gerolt said they first wished to con-
/ suit the Prussian Government. The sale,
! however, was not postponed beyond next
week.
Witness was Intercepted on other points
I heretofore noticed in the report of his testi-
mouy before the House Committee on ex-
pendtures in the War Department.
Tomorrow the committee will examine
! Gen. Dyer. ChiefO Ordnance, at his house,
be being unwell.
Senator SchurE
| Was present by invitation at the session of
! the Senate Special Committee, and put
! numerous questions to Secretary Belknap
regarding the sale Of arms. The Secretary
SAID the arms were sold, or awarded to
! Remington, before the Secretary was placed
! in possession of the telegram to Squireswhich
/ was the first intimation he had that Rem
! ington was an agent of the French govern
ment. They were delivered to Remington
! subsequent to the date of the telegram.
Mr.. Schurz closely Intercepted Secre-
/ taIy Belknap about The dates of the sales,
! but Belknap could not furnish all the desir-
1 ed information at present. Said that the
dates were being prepared at the Depat-
ment.
An interrOgatOry was put TO Mr.. Belknap
/ involving the procuring and use Of copy
I of letter of Belknap to Fish, dated the
| 18th of January, 1872, in which Belknap
acknowledged the receipt Of Fish's note,
inclosing by request Of .DeBellannet, the
! Charge d'Affairs of France, a copy of a
letter from Remington to the President of
the Commission at Tours, containing a
series of allegations in regard to the pur-
chase of arms, etc, TO which Belknap re-
piled.
This letter, it viii be remembered, was
embodied in Senator Summers preamble to
the resolution asking for the Committee of
Investigation. a copy Of this letter has
been officially communicated to the French
Charge D'Afairs, but he had not made its
contents known 10 other parties.
The name of prominent Democrat, (Mr.
Beck,) had been mentioned as having heard
it read. but that gentleman on being spoken
to on the subject denied the truth Of the
statement, and another gentleman who had
visited the Department al the time was
alike ignorant Of its contents. The Com
mittee will, at a subsequent stage of the ex-
animation, examine other Witnesses in or
der to ascertain from whom a copy of the
letter was procured.
The War Stimulus.
The House Committee on Expenditures
in the War Department held a meeting this
morning in the matter Of sales Of arms and
ordnance stores, and examined at great
length Mai. L. 3. Benet Of the Ordnance
Department, who explained in detail the
mOdus operandi Of making the sales and &C.
/ counting for the proceeds. He diSclaimed
| all knowledge Of purchases being made on
/ behalf of either France or Prussia, but ad-
| mitted that the war between those powers
stimulated the demand for arms in this
country on speculation.
Mr. Bennett said the term unsuitable
arms is understood by the department as
not necessarily unsuitable; there are 30O,-
. 600 now in use. Some Of these arms were
sold during the year lS70-7l. During the
year there were sold 100000 cartridges.
[ don't know how many were manutac-
tured for that purpose. They were manu-
featured for S2G aud sold for $35 per thou
sand. l think no cartridges were manu-
featured in that year and sold during the
same year. l
Don't Know of Any Other Case
than this in which cartridges were manu-
featured to effect the sales of arms. Bids
have been made contingent upon being sup
piled with cartridges and they have been
furnished out Of this store. He remem-
bers Baron GerOlt came 10 the Office and
spoke in regard tOhaving the sale postponed
for two or three days in order to allow some
/ German house to bid. That is all the cOn-
nection withany foreign Government that
witness knew. He knew Of no protest Of
tie German Government against the sale Of
/ aTms-he should have known il, had 1t
been made. The sale Of $4,000 Springfield
arms to Remington d Co. were made by
himself at private safe at
So Each.
( A few DAYS previously about 10000 of the
same class were offered at the Springfield
Anmory, and the arms were Withdrawn.
No officer of the Ordnance or War Depart
ments of the United States government was
interested directly or indirectly in the way
of commissions or Otherwise in the sales Of
arms to his knowledge, nor had he any Oc-
casiOn for believing that such was the case.
He knew nothing about the parties TO whom
the arms were sold having any connection
with foreign Governments. Dyer wrote
the witness a letter from New York, say
ING that arms of the model Of 1869 should
he issued, and those Of 1866 withdrawn.
Directed him to consult with the Secretary
Cf War as 10 the prOpriety of selling the
latter, and manufacturing cartridges for
them if necessary. The Secretary approved
the plan, aud the sale was ordered and
made in New York. This correspondence
does not mention Richardson's name. They
were sold at SLIGO, within few cents Of
their original cost TO the United States, al
though they had been in use.
Gone GIimmeTinE.
The President eft Washington to-day to
attend the wedding Of Mss DreXel, Of Phil
adeipAia, and returns Monday.
Ku.KIux at Huntsville, Ala.
The Attorney General has received Off
/ cial information Of the conviction of fifteen
parties at Huntsville, Ala, charged with
being ku-kluN. Three Of them were SEN
fenced to twenty years Imprisonment in The
Albany penltentlary.
The French Arms ScaHdaI-The Drill.
Masters at work.
SIecial to the Cincinnati Gazette,
WASHINGTON, March 5.-At the close
of the morning hour, Mr.. Cameron called
mp the appointment of the Committee on
the Sale Of Arms and, TO the surprise of