New-York tribune., 1872-03-26
FRENCH ARMS SCANDAL.
THE MYSTERIOUS PARIS DISPATCH uNEA-
planned.
HOW THE ARMS WERE sHIPPED-AN OPES
TRANsACrIoN-wIIEN THE FRENCH OWNER
SHIP COMMENCED.


HOW THE ARMS WERE sHIPPED-AN OPEN
TRANsACrION-wIIEN THE FRENCH OWNER
SHIP COMMENCED.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuSEl
WASHINGTON, March 2J.-The Senate trench
Arms Investigation Committee continued its sessions
to-day. and examined several new witnesses Two m
portant points the inquiry taken up the hrst
related the origin OF the Associated Press dispatch,
printed February reporting that the Committee OF the
French National Assembly War Contracts had voted
to ask the United States Government for the result OF
an OF the suspected connection OF Ameri
officials with the sale OF and the second 10 the
manner In which the were shipped in New-fork.
James v. smOntOn the first witness, and produced
the original abbreviated cable dispatch printed In the
NewYork papers This dispatch. he said was received
in the usual way from the agent Of the Associated fres
in London who had obtained from the Reuter- Agency,
TO which 1t was telegraphed from Paris. Mr. smonton
has written to London for full history OF this dispatch,
and promised to furnish the Committee with all the par
ticulars as he receives them.
NM Littleohn in the employ Of Schuyler, Hartley
& Graham. but in the Fall and Winter of 1870 employed
Jointly by f. Remington Sons and Mr.. Chauveau TO
superntend the shipping Of received at the piers
New York. the next witness called. He described
the in which the delivered when the
lighters came al0n Sside OF the ships Erie and Ontario,
which had been chartered by the French Con-
sui to take these arms TO France. The goods
on board. This was almost always done, except
when more lighters arrived at than could be accom-
modaed the ice in the docks interfered then the
boxes were delivered the piers. The arms shipped
by the regular French steamers, Mr.. LtteJohn sald
were generally delivered the piers He often saw the
boxes with the marks on them while they were on te
lighters As soon the lighters were discharged re-
ceipts were given to the lghtermen by starouck and
he then got his receipt from the officers of the ship
Mr.. LttleOhn said that lie once carried letter from
Col Squire Col Crispin did not read; he only know
that its contents referred to the recognition OF starbuck
the agent OF Z. Remington d Sons. RHey' VINO hau
charge of delivery OF goods for the re-
fused t recognize Starbucks signature, and this letter
was written for the purpose OF arranging this matter
He said that he visited the vessels three OF lour es
day. and that he always Hugh Riley the agent lor
the Ordnance Bureau board the ships, taxing ire gh
Mr. Ittlejohn questioned at considerable length
by the Chairman the Committee, aud by other men,
hers in regard TO an interview which he had with the
MARQUIS de Chambrun Mr.. Chauviteaus Office two or
| three weeks ago. Mr.. Starbuck and Mr. Church. MI
Chau viteau's bOokkeeper, besides the Marquis, were
present Mr. Church asked the witness to describe how
the shipping DONE and he did so he was not told
that he was he witness in this case. and he was not
sure that the invest cation had been ordered al le e
! this interview occurred.
The next witness Mr. Prentss, chief officer OF the
steamer Ontario who testified that he was IN command
OF this vessel in the Fan OF 1870 when she was chartered
to take arms 10 France lie should think that at least
half the cargo was e. en- directly from the lighters to
! the ship The boxes marked Crispin" and " Z.
u n.n they came ships side. He recognized
| Rllev the agent Of the Ordnance Bureau, but was
unable 10 say where several times the lighters came
| alongside with arms and the goods were not lmme-
dately delivered; great haste necessary, IN Or
der 10 load the vessel within specified time, ne made
inquiry aS OF the delay, and was told that
they we're waiting orders from the Ordnance Office
| He also had met the Marquis de Chambrin at NO.
Bowlng-green, and described the interview substan-
| TALLY Littlejohn had.
Hu1h Riley, who before the Committee one day
last week was recalled and testified that he many
times on tine Erie aud Ontario taying off the freight as
| il came aboard. He present only once when tie
lighter delivered boxes directly 10 the deck Of the
regular French steamer Lafayette. On that occasion he
stood on the lighter and tailed the boxes as
they went up the ships side. Once or
/ twice the delivery OF the goods was delayed
| by orders from the Ordnance Department and he was
told that The Of the delay the failure OF the
uurchaser 10 nay for goOds In answer % questions
from Mr. Carpenter he said that he never received any
orders from bc ordnance Bureau TO deliver the arms on
board the vessels. The lighters were ordered TO pier 3
or pier 5O aud when they arrived the clerk OF the dock
ordered them to be placed the vessel the pier.
| - he saw ct.
-tarbnck the next witness was tallying clerk and
took receipts from tle oieeIs ships for the arms
as they delivered, after Civ ing receipts to the rep
| resentative OF tho Ordnance Office. The hrSt
| time he signed for L. Remington d Sons,
| Riley refused recognize his signature, ana
operations were suspended until word sent up TO the
ordnance office by Col squire sarbuck said that he
also signed for Austiul Baldwin & Co.. and for Thomas
RchaIdson though lie the latter. HIS testl-
1 mony in regard TO his interview with the Marquis de
Chambrun, about weeks ago. in New-York, CORE
| sponded with that Of the previous witnesses.
| Col SQUIRE who was In the lroom, recalled for a
4 aoI hiatt fha Hpli Fnd ~
them 70 French Government, on board the steamers
in New-YOrk when the arms we're once placed on tAe
steamers they were considered in the posse of
the French Government and all responsibility for thcr
| SAFETY on the part OF f. Remington sons, ceased
The testimony to-day was interesting, account OF
two important facts which made clear. The first
that great portion of the arms sold 0y the Govern
ment delivered directly from the lighters employed
by the Government to the decks OF the steamers, in
which they were shipped 10 France This was done
under the eye the Agent Of the Ordnance Bureau,
whose duty il was to superinend the delivery though
it appears that no orders given by the Ord
nance Bureau 10 deliver the arms anywhere, except
on the piers and docks The other interesting fact, not
before discovered is that when the de-
hvertd shpboard NewYOrk, they were considered
az in I'll possession OF the French Government Wme
| they lighters they were In the po~-
| session OF the United states Government. Many Of
them were hosed directly from the lighters to the deck
of the rhp; when they reached the ships deck tney
were III the pOssesslUn Of the French Government.
| INTERVIEW WITH Mr. SAMUEL REMINGTON.
HIS RELATIONS WITH NJ VICTOR PLACE AND THE
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT.
FROM 4 REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF Thb TRIBuSEl
PARIS, March s.-Since the trial of NJ. Place,
the late French Consul in New York. the Arms Scandal
has taken such proportions that have thought it worth