, 1872-11-01
GENERAL HURLBUT AT NEW ORLEANS

1 -~~%A I1GfE
we're rumors OF various oppressive and unau.
thorized proceedings on the part Of tho army
officers charged With the civil administration Of
the conquered States, misapplication Of money,
bribery, extortion, and especially Of frauds in
connection with the issue Of trade-permits.
Among those particularly pointed at by such ru-
mors was Major General Stephen A. Hurlbut,
then commanding New Orleans and
the Department OF the Gulf, and
now q candidate for Congress in
| the Fourth District of Illinois. In December,
| 1864, President Lincoln accordingly appointed a
| special Commission to Investigate the civil and
military administration Of the department bor-
| dering upon, and west Of, the Mississippi. As
the inquiries would be Of q peculiar nature, it
was determined to associate with the military
members OF this Commission some eminent
lawyer, and the Presidents choice fell upon the
late James T. Brady, Of New York. After sever
al months Of labor, the Commission transmitted
to the Secretary Of War, in Sep
tember, 1865, an elaborate report, written by
Mr. Brady, to whose legal acuteness the Coy
eminent was principally indebted for the deyel-
and perjury. That report now forms part Of
the files of the Department, and from it exclu-
sively the following narrative is taken:
The inquiry had not gone far before it ap-
pearod that, to quote from 1lr. Brady's report,
"system Of bribery and corruption" had been
"cstabGshed in the Department Of the Gulf
under the auspices Of General Hurlbut, Com
mander, and Colonel Robinson, Provost Marshal
General" Tho case against Colonel Robinson
WAS 80 plain that he was speedily arrested and
confined in the military prison, where he
finally made full confession. It VAS also
very soon apparent that General Hu1lbut Was
in collusion with his subordinate, and at the re-
quest Of the Commissioners General Candy,
Hurlbut's immediate superior, arrested him
also, and held him to await the instructions of
the Secretary Of War. The report Of the Com
mission shows that in November, 1864, Messrs.
Clark d Fulton, respectable New Orleans mer-
chants, had q special permit from the Presi-
dent to bring out cotton this permit required
VIZ AAA<AVAISAAAGAAR
refused. Clark Fulton wero also the owners
Of 1856 bales Of cotton, seized by Colonel Robin
son in consequence Of some informally. They
paid Robinson 95, 600 to get this cotton released
although an order for it's release had already
been made by General Candy, which the owners
did not know, but Robinson and Hurl-
but did. They paid $1,000 more
to get Hurlbut's signature to the Presidents
special permit. The firm OF Weed D. Co., Of
New Orleans, paid $40, 900 to Robinson to induce
Hurlbut to counteraign similar permit in their
favor. He had refused at first, but he signed as
soon as the 900 Was paid. Other Sums we're
paid by various persons for various purposes,
and Robinson confessed to having received in all
about $4,000 in bribes Of which Hurlbut got,
as his shnre $4,000.
The first evidence Of the Generals completely
in this fraud was obtained by accident. hr.
Courteney, the agent Of o line OF steamers, had
given Robinson, some months before, bribe
OF 1000. After the investigation began,
Robinson, imagining that the Commission
had heard of the affair, attempted to savo
himself by the following shallow de-
vice. He wrote letter to General Hurlbut,
denouncing courteney for attempting to corrupt
him, and saying that he should retain the money
for prudential and moral reasons. This letter,
written March II or u, 1865, WAS fraudulently
dated the I'd OF the previous January and WAS
handed to General Hurlbut. by confidential
friend OF both parties, on March 13. It Was
written On official paper Of pattern which, as
butts headquarters until after the 18th Of Feb
ruary. Hurlbut kept this letter for while
Qnowing that Robinson's conduct was under in
vestigation), but the next day seems to
have become alarmed, for on the
14th he showed it to two officers.
pretending that it had just reached him through !
some unknown channel, and caused it to be III
dorsed as received March H. On the 18th he |
showed it to the Commission, and, in reply to |
an official inquiry, declared that he had re-
wrote, "by what channel or messenger it YVES
brought, as it was delivered at the office. If !
can ascertain from inquiry, will let you know"
The Commission having already learned all
about the letter from other sources, and even
taken the testimony of the person who delivered |
it, was convinced by these falsehoods that Hurl-
but WIS an accomplice in the fraud, and the
more guilty Of the two.
Colonel Robinson was released from prison On
the 2Gth of March. His first step was to write
to General Hurlbut to appoint an interview at q
house where he occasionally occupied room at
night. "Neither your Office nor my house will
d. he says; "ifwe happen to DO seen together
it might not help any one." "our existence de-
pends On fixing up matters quietly" In another
)