New-York tribune., 1872-04-24
WASHINGTON.
-rrr TRENCH ARMS SALES.

NEW ARMS SOLD FOR oLD-CUNN,NG En asION9 ~
OF THE LAW-ruE PRESIDENTS oRDEhS DIS
OBEYED.
igY TELEGRAPH TO THB TRIBUNEl
y,-..-,r>,crox Anril 23-Some of the dOcu-
,,s r,ntd nv the senate French Arms Investigating
Committee within the past few days, and when nave
not nen referred 70 any public manner Will assist INC
Committee In Judging of the conduct OF officers OF the
War Department connection with the sale OF arms
II will be remembered that the ordnance officers nyar
ably interpreted the clauses OF the law of 1862 whch a
thOrized sale of Old cannon. arms, and other ORD
nance stores now III possession OF the Uhlteu
States which are damaged or otherwise
unsuitable for the United States military service or Tor
the militia OF United States as giving thein power
10 sell any arms or ammunition which they might nave
on hand except perhaps, the new breechoadihg mus
ke, made within the past year or two None Oh 'Hen
have ever referred to any decision this point ny any
acknowledged authority until the Secretary OF war ou
the last day Of his examination, incidentally aunl'''eu
that he had heard Of opinion by Judge Advocate
General Holt MI Schurz at once called Tor TINS opih
Ion. and 1t Is as follows;
wAR DEPARTMENT BrREAu oV snTTsRT JUSTICE
WASHINGTON Oct H. lts y
Under . act OF March 3 1925 still force the
, & % re- ma tovinr words: That the President tpie
S c aud he hereby to be sold sny orInano
sr anHqnton or ontI Hl4l s'ol' sba1 spraT TO be
eaulre unsuitable Tor tbe public ryee ~ Ia
That the inspection or survey the unsevcatle stores
Toe S.cea appoint for that purpose ana me s ma M
and regulations A. may pe p'e'e'Oo1 D! '
%,R ~ os-,ed nat the o-aaano ammunition ohr
v s I n.Ist ars tnso pordea for and dolort
q b. T1eT damaged r unat & passe serros ohe'
Ia mo n doe pore- C Presl1en aTo Or i oof'
P provided -s opinion saeh safe vii We advantageous " 0
A. 10 The terms Of the sale fixed hv The Secretary o.
WI of the statute being explicit 'lai me she l4I
D. ulde rules and Teruators g uay be PRESCRIBED 3 N.
the alnac sabseryed he certainly prescribe
Ma -' 50 " '''- Horr Judge Advocate General
There has been no evidence introduced stage OF
the investigation % prove that any inspections Of any
kind were ever made Of any OF the arms or ordnance
stores sold during the Franco-German war. On the
other hand. the following telegram was sent, Dec A.
1870 TO the Detroit, Leayenworth. and san Antonio
Arsenais. and TO the ordnance depots at Omaha and
Caeycnne and two days later, before one OF the guns
could have reached NewYork and before single one Of
them could therefore. have been inspected they were
oRDsAscEE oryIcs, Wan PFTiETsFyri 3 Art :, i,-o
se-d by fast freight Col rspa New orr all pew and ohe' ser
posi- sa p4il By v. BESET MAJOR Of OHnanoe
The kilograms Just printed also show that seryeeaole
cartridges by the mllAOu were sold and no mention Is
here made Of an iuspecu non IN one instance Col
Crspln called upon tine cummauddnt of the Ledvenworth
Arsenal for 100000 pistol cartridges caADer - capt
Murdecai commanding at the arsenal, thought tAs a
proceeding the cavalry Of The Department OF
tie Missouri were armed with pistols and he would nave
Issue 10 them II lie complied with Col Crsplu
a. 1870 and Dyer directed him the next day send
many could spare. Nothing was SAID about their
All from the War Department agree that by
OF the President the sales OF arms and ordnance
stores suspended Jan. %, ls0' and not resumed
Until Apr 2 IN The first s OF sales sent 10 the House
there appeared 10 have leen MANY sales made during
he dates iven were the dates OF delivery Tie sales hav-
ine been made pIor 10 Jan 23 Among these was a lot
CT "A FOUNDER Parrott which. by the amended
table appear % havehee sold 70 W = starr. Jan %.
Isl aud deliver q Feb l3 careful examination Of ali
Tie correspondence and kilograms results in the dis
co'erv OF only one telegram aAd no letters referring 70
0a5SAscE orrrcr. WAR DErAR-,ryT.}
NAsHfSGToy FEB. a., 1871 ;
S99a9s & I ~. c S 'E 3 DYER 31 es cef Of 4 onIsa1 2aa''
& % e een m % Bs ms d Fepored 10 nave ee Been ~ e d
vered and that its language preeiudes the idea that
guns had already been sold u starr three weeks be-
fore II Will be necessary for the officers OF the Ordnance
Bureau produce some documentary evidence that the
sale made Jan. %. and % explain the meaning OF
this dispatch before the suspicion Is removed t1"t tAey
did actually sell during the time when the President
ordered SUSPENSION ana tlat the date Jan - was
But there s other evidence that Dyer did obey
The Presidents order as TIC following 'eeg1ams WI
show.
WssI-AN LSIoS ILLESRAIA " Az JEP.H7NrST.{
G- B ryEa o-d''He. Department Has y P''Dos. ,oT
lBy telegraph ron Xev.Yors. 90
WEsTEAS USioS TELEGRAPH; va DEPARTrvvT,{
Ca A. ,. DYER: Can get 100 EufellsI v. srAaR
ordnance OYyTcs. wAR DEPARTMENT.
.eryesse ELsea 70 stan a. B. DTEH Cllei Of Grl1alee
ORDNANCE OTVcE WAR DsPARTsEST
WASHINGTON. March d! lJ1L
wurIAE LAWRENCE Nc I0rt: Sales slringe1s
vii e rccoaneed twelve l2 repaired -s
A b. DYER Che Ji Orlnauce
The Senate French Arms Investigating Committee held
private meeting this morning for consultation II s
reported TO have arrived conclusion in regard to
the nature OF report Several letters have been
ceycd from witnesses who desire 10 correct portions OF
Their test.nonv and the meeting this morning said 70
have been devoted 20 discussing the question whethor
these corrections should be admitted evidence or NOT
The Committee viii hold another meeting on Thursday,
when decision regard TO liz report viii probably
h. yad n