The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-04-20
MYSTERIOUS MRS. MASON.
The Beautiful Bruaette Comes Befor
the Arms Committee.

The Washington correspondent of the Baiti-
more Sun, under date of the 18th, says:
The woman in the case of the purchase of
French arms appeared and testified before the
Senate special committee to-day. A full com.
mlttes room, including several ladies, listened
to her testimony, which was entirely devoid OF
the exciting Interest that was expected. Mrs.
Alexandria, Va, and until recently was q resi-
deRt OF Washington, though she was South
during the war.
She Is q bright, handsome, dashing woman,
and was ta%shionobly a.tired. She read from
manuscript her direct examination, which
was simply to the effect that she had been
told by New York parties In the fall OF 1870
that she could make money BY buying arms
of the ordnance Office and selling them again
on commission She replied that she could but
try. The witness then added: "They then
sent me q list Of the ordnance they would
want, Enfield, Sprlngfelds, ammunition, &C.,
to the amount Of 100000 or 5000, 600, or more.
1 went to the ordnance department and saw
the officer on duty; General Dyer was absent.
This gentleman told me the terms the arms
were selling for, and he saw no difficulty IN
able to buy. Upon General Dyer's return !
again presented myself at the department
with a letter Of Introduction. General Dyer
gave me the Same information the officer had
given. He added the government required g
certain per cent, In advance, 9 margin OF
twenty-five per cent. on all purchases, before
the guns could be delivered, to secure
themselves against losses; moreover, he could
not give me the refusal OF the guns, as he had
to protect himself against street spectators;
this 7 wrote to New York; thereupon Mr. Peck
presented himself at my house with q letter OF
Introduction as a party who wished to get the
arms; he told me he represented Mr.. Norman
C5t,rd -hA holnn nm onomU nj General DYER
he could moi be known In the matter, aud he
(W.) was buying for Mr.. Mckenzie. agent OF
the French steamers, and he (McKenzie)
bought arms for Gambetta. ALI the influence
I had with General Dyer was the faith l had IN
my capacity to accomplish the same others nad
done. 1 have made money In legitimate spec
ulatione, and I did not see why could not 10
Dyer Treated me The same as he would any
other trader who cam into bis ofhce-With
the natural consideration q soldier and q gen.
tleman would extend to any woman"
Mr.. Schurz. Did you, at that Interview,
satisfy them that you could get the arms?
Witness. I thought I could get the arms II
they put up the margin s25, 900, and 1t would
have to be pat up In ms hands, as made the
transaction.
O. was General Dyer at the Hoffman
House when you were in New York
A. No, sir. I knew he had gone to the
Springfield armory, and I telegraphed from
New York to ascertain II he was there. / re-
ceived an answer that General Dyer was IN
New York.
O. Did General Dyer ever ask you for whom
were you purchasing arms? -
A. Yes, sIr; and I told him for Mr.. McKen-
zie. an agent for the French; he said that the
only agents the French had 10 purchase arms
were the R%emingtons; he seemed 10 think that
Mr.. Mckenzie was not an authorized agent.
O.. By Mr.. schurz.-Mr. Peck, In bis tesG-
mony, says that you deceived hiH:
A. NV failure hinged upon his failure to put
I'D the money as / desired. ! really believe That
if he had put up the money I could have got
the arms.
This ended Mrs. Mason's examination.