New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-06
EGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. I

AGENT-HOw $4,000 WAS EARNED-A CHAIN
OF CONDOLENCES AT THE FRANKFORT AR
sENAL.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON, April 5.-The man who got
10000 for arranging with the Secretary Of the Navy 10
sell to Poutney Trmbe 1000 navy rfes, which
not at the time finished, witness before the Senate
French Arms Committee, this morning, and his story
threw little satisfactory light on the most suspicious
transaction OF the whole arms-seing business. A. r.
Marley Of Camden, ~ j. has. by his own testimony.
long been neighbor and friend OF Secretary Robson.
Being I'm Washington some time In the Winter OF 1901
nc met Mr.. PoultDey OF Baltimore at W1iards
Hotel Poutney said that he had heard that the Navy
Department had 10000 new rihes for SALE aud that
IL Marley would get them for him, be
would give him $4,000 for his services. The same day
Marley happened to meet Secretary Robson on the
street. asked him about the guns, and told him that
Poultney desired TO buy them. Secretary Robson said
that he knew nothing about the matter, but that If
Poutney would make application for them In writing.
be would refer the matter to the Chief OF Ordnance
Marey said that he returned and told P0ultDey about
the conversation and that that ended his connection
with the matter except that month two later he re-
ceved his $4,000.
The universal remark made about Msrxey's testimony
by those who heard 1t was, that II he told the hth
Poultney must have been fool. The firm OF Poniney
& Trmble Ia well known at the War Department. having
sold considerable quantities OF arms to the Government
during the war Mr.. Poultney must. therefore, hi''
been well acquainted with the meth0u Vi
doing business at the Departments and a"
q thrifty business man, would hOt, u tnci'
was no difficulty in obtaining the arms, pty "
any one for five minutes service OF this kind hYe per
cent on the purchase price. Remington, himself Wh'
had the trouble OF shipping the arms and then w.ei
sixty days after their delivery for his pay, only got "p
and one-ha per cent profit on the Transaction II IS re-
ported that Markey ia intimate with Gen. Dyer. IL 4"
already in evidence that Dyer's recommends
ton that the sale was made. Unfortunately Mf.
Poultney is out Of the country.
The other witnesses examined were Mr. SmOOt, en-
pOyed by the RemingtOns IN connection with the pdi'
chase OF arms and A. NJ. Peck OF The Army and b0'J
Journal. Shoots memory very defective III reSifi
to the circumstances attending the purchase OF ear
tridges for the breechlOadng Springfield rifles sold -
Thomas Richardson, and manufactured at the Fi1nhd
Arsenal. smOOt said that he and Remington happened
to meet Col Treadwell, Commandant Of the arsenal IN
New-York about the middle OF December, ana mat
Treadwell showed them a specimen OF an improved
cartridge As neither Of them had ever been M Frank
ford they concluded to visit the arsenal out OF curiosity
and get some ideas about manufacturing cartridges
themselves. BY pure accident they met O1h'
Dyer and Col Crispn at the arsenal, bit 40
conversation took place then about getting the cart
ridges manufactured. And so this all seems 70 baE"
been nothing more than series OF curious concdcnco'
viz that Remington and Smoot should meet Tread~en
in New-York; that they should visit the Frankfort
Arsenal, and there meet Dyer and CIspn;
that at just the same time Smoot was hcSo
tiating for the breech-lOaders and cartridges
The unusual order, in time Of peace, to increase
the manufacturing capacity of the cartridge works to
their fullest extent was sent from the Ordnance Bureau
and Remington wrote his letter TO lie Cesne SAYING th
these ngemcnts had with difficulty been made anu
vet that meeting OF Bennington, SmOot, Dyer, ahn
Crspn at the Arsenal. within day or two OF ths "a
the manufacture OF cartridges was ordered, Aad, II IS
claimed no connection with that manufacture. ,
Pecks testimony OF little consequence excepl tHet
he assured the Committee that none OF the SioUD "hI
RemiugtODs
official testimonials when nave peen re'eItSu w. AZ"
that no testimony was bought
Cen B. S. Roberts, retired officer OF the army ana
inventor the Roberts gun. made some staementsb
the Military Committee, to-day on the subject Of
the management OF the Ordnance Department, Vni'h
are interesting in connection with the pending invcst-
CATION OF the French arms sales. Gen. Robe - claimed
that invented before the war, and obtained patents
for all the mechanical principles involved IN the Spring
field breech-loadng rifle, and that he had been
refused compensation for his inventions on tho
ground that the Ordnance Department did not pay
ROYALTY the untru OF which statement has been shown
in the Arms investigation where has been proven mat
the Navy Department paid $4,000 to the r min gtons
royalty for the privilege OF manufacturing 90 Of their
guns in the Springfield Armory. Gen Roberts said that
the Springfield gun was bunging adaptation OF h.s
inventions. and he intimated that the Ordnance
officers were interested in securing its retention
the standard of the service. Aen tho pret ned
inventor was. he said, brothern-law of Gen. Dyer.
Chief Ordnance, and it understood TO be tue in
tenon the persons interested in the Springfield
ask for large appropriation 10 pay him royalty Tor
the invention Gen. Roberts said thar, before tho
FrancoGerman war; an attempt was made by
the Ordnance Department to iorestau 81!
American inventors Of by sending thu
Springfield gun to the different governments OF
Europe, with IA letter from Gen. Dyer stating that IL had
been adopted for the United states service which
not true, because this day has been reg
ulary adopted The purpose IN this was. Gen Roberts
thought obtain large orders abroad for the Allen gun.
the strength OF its adoption by the United sneS:
but when 1t came TO be put to competitive tests WAN
other arms, 1t failed in every instance.