New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-06

Grinneili A wien he smoke 10 mo about his wanting
TO get some business connected with IT. some
that was soon after this letter was given. . -. s.o
q. You understood that his object was 10 get some
patronage or business connected with inc NeW-horA
@ And that was soon after he got tho letter from tho
President to Mr.. Grnneili A. Yes SIR. y. ,,o, t,r,o,
@ Did yOueXpress your regrets 10 nun at tnat uno
A. cannot remember the particular conversation 'ha'
had with him on the subject. -. - ., ,,,oct
A. No. Sir; not at that time immediately uid md
going into business and applying for the labor eont9the
Q. You spoke to whom about thisi A. spoSe ro ex.
pressed and his regrets expressed; expTeseas
| regrets 20 Col Leet and afterwara they "'''
@ DO YOU know whether Cen Grant Withdrew w any hs
abop co"tTa"t9 A. When he found that this was not
an NORTHUMBERLAND il given oai Y inc no G 70
GhS ~ nPsvep rs C Lee obtaining the contract
when II was give to the lowest oi'. with the New
yS Cn MtS hoHsei A. But it an npnoint@Gn
Do you HnnerS Order warcbouse-c"rer, is an ap
poihmenti A. 1t j. DESIGNATION ny ,e or not.
r. ia rot an appointment BY the President OF gwen Nv
W" ~ * the designation of particular warehousci A.
| Yes sir; by the Collector, of course. -,
O. You understood from Mr. Leet when you hrst headd
of his desire to get business or patronage cOnneceu
with the Cusomhousc, that what he wanted was to get
into the warehouse business or the General Order DUST
A. Yes SIR he evidentiy alluded TO inc uenei"i
ton with the NewYork Custom-house embrace the apor
contract well as the warehouse business A. 1ney
O. Gen. Grant however, did not any objection to
his gong in for the labor contract because IL was ~ az
Ter OF competition A. Yes, sir ana Withdrew MS GU
q Tho letter which YOU have shown written by
Yourself to Mr. Leet at Chicago, in the Spring of 1870
giving him Gen. Grants views upon his general course
troct was It noti A. Il was general in its tone in
gard to the appointment OF any one ABOUT MN 10 posi-
O. Was the writing of that letter brought about by Mr.
Let's desire TO get the labor contract Al Yes, 9r; tno
President under the impression that II was tht an
appointment a dcSgnat0n-that 1t was not gwen
O. when did you first know that Col. Ieet was inter
Csted with Horton in the General Order buslnessf a.
some time III the Summer of 1870 believe. ,,,o ~
July 1870 it not7 A. do not 1ecOecti that sup
pose, is about the time II commenced
o. Was that matter OF general information and motto
rely among his friends in Washngto a. ~ was gen.
orally known; it was publicly Enown.
q. 1t was 10 secretf a. No secret NJ all. .
O. That was a matter which Brought him I'm connection
@ No; but il brought him in connection with the New
York Custorhouse y. les, Sir; 1t was designation
a. DO Won Know whether anv objection was made by
the Pre- den L. that kind OF connection Mr. Let's
rart with the NewYork Custom-house a. Yes, Sir,it
was his attention does not seem have been partcu
larry called the fact until the next october; ho
article in newspaper which reported conversation
gentleman in which he stated that he had TO provide for
some persons because they were fnends ana yortes OF
the President and Col Leet alluded TO in this article
and Enclosed the article 10 Mr.. Murphy III the letter
which have read.
Q. Was that all that done about it at that time
A. That all; forwarded the letter TO Mr.. Murphy,
,,tal, iucrtl ia ~
o. Can YOU fix The date OF that letter A. Yes, Sir
have letter here it written the last part Of Oc
o. Alter Mr. Lect's return from his first visit 70 New
York and the Presidents letter 20 Mr. Grinnel under
stood Won 10 say that spoke 10 Mr. Leet abOnt his
success there or he spoke with you the subject and
told you that Mr.. GIinnel was polite TO hmf A Very
Did Won renew YOUR regrets to him on the subject OF
his going into that sort Of connecticut A. That was
the particular time or whether renewed my regrets
Q. You think, probably, that was the first time you
| snake ia i'm 81 y. i
O. 'rhat is what understood You to say. OF course
do not wish to have You say thing that YOU do in
tend What was the first umet ~ That do not re-
@. when did lie next 90 to Ncw-York on the same er
rand \. That was asked but cannot recolect the
@ Can You remember his next visit undertake to
| O. lie was in your mess. and his absence woud he
noticed then would 1t mott a. Certainly 1t would De
O. DO YOU not think It quite likely that he told you Of
his visits to NewYork beforehand a. Certanly, he
O. And do YOU not think it likely that he mentioned
every time What the objects were Of his
York haty after he got the letter from Gen Grant
lect IT was 10 get some Dusn. Of tins kind. M
\. No. sir. he never made conidant III regard TO
his business be spoke generally. ...,..
Q. Do you regard that an answer TO my question
whether he reported progress on his return from each OF
O. lie told You in the beginning what he was aiming
al he told YOU what no hoped to do with Gen. Grants
letter, and spoke OF this warehouse or General order
business did he not continue to speak on that matter IN
connection with his subsequent visits to NewYOIki
| He spoke of the matter several times.
Se M 10 time yo to h proeTeSs Win Mr. M GThnei A.
is about this went there, and he going to
obtain this business from Nj. Grinncll lie back
the rst visit recoect distinctly; he said that Mr.
Grinnen had been very polite TO him. ana was going TO
him. and at other times he spoke OF his still going
obtain business. and resgning his commits
sion in army he seemed 10 be anxious to resign lie
had repeatedly been speaking OF his anxiety 10 resign IN
the army but did not want 70 resign until estabshed III
business then we broke up The mess in TIC sum
Inc absent all summer, aud do not recOleCt his
| saying any thing about IL until the next Fail.
col. LETS RESIGNATION.
O. when did Mr.. Let first tender his resignation
! A Ia February or March, 1870.
! O. think the evidence is February 1907 A. think
O. You knew of that soon as it took place. did you
not A. Yes, Sir, knew Of it.
O. II resignation rendered IN February to take
effect in September A. Yes, Sir.
| Q. Aferward. that, time was shortened to August
A. Yes and he mustered out in August.
@ The resignation having taken place upon which you
rested much stress as the ground Of your inference
niercHce then as to MI Leets success in getting an
interest the General Order busnessf A. II that
he resigned and tried TO get the labor business for
o. when was the labor business to be contracted for
| A. / do not know when 1t explred-sOme time that
Spring; 1 knew in resgning he spoke of this labor
business In connection with his resignation.
! until May Junei A. The letting to be at some
Time and the Secretary Of the Treasury was not able to
allowed TO over the time, forget how long.
that he had failed to obtain nythng in NewYork, and
YOU stated also that from the circumstance that he had
retained his position in the army and had failed ten
nothing in New York. is that cofecti A. That IS cor
rect and say may have derived the impression from
Q But you do pretend to say that he ever failed
| words that he had failed to get anything
q When you did know OF his resignation in February
to lake effect iii September following there nothing
in that circumstance 10 attract your attention a.