Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-03-29
HE robson INVESTIGATION.
Opening Remarks Of the Secretary
and Of Dana's C0unsel-TestimOay
Of Mr. John Lcnihal.

The special House committee to investigate
charges made in the New York Sun against Sc, =
rotary RCbeson, reassembled last evening. Mr..
Robson was present, as was also Mr.. Charles A.
Dana and his counsel, Mr.. Bartlett. Secretary
Robson said that notwithstanding the request
OF the committee that he should employ counsel
he had determined not to do so. He intended
10 be present at all the meetings, except when
prevented by the pressure OF official duty to the
end that he might be informed OF the progress
OF the proceedings, and give such Information as
the committee might desire. The Secretary
tEen tad paper he had pre- pared, in which he
said that certain charges had been made against
him in the New York Sun impeaching his in
tegrity rs Secretary OF the Navy. While con-
sclOus OF his entire innocence, and anxious
that these charges against him should be
thoroughly investigated, he believed that the
inquiries OF the committee should be restricted
70 the specific charges made against him. He
therefore asked that the committee pass a resO-
lution combining the invt alton to those specific
charges. He read the article from the New York
SoH and said that Mr.. Dana having made speci-
nc charges upon which the investigation was
based, should either substantiate those charges
on the witness stand by himself or his wit
nesses, or be held up to the public view as a will
ftl SlandeTer.
MIR. Bartlett, counsel for Dana did not pro-
pose to put Mr. Dana on the stand until he
close 10 do 80. He wished to conduct the ex-
animation in his own way, if the committee
would permit him. He did not wish to contne
himself to the charges made in the San. but to
&C lnto other matters which were OF equal
gravity, in relation 10 the corrupt administra-
ton OF the Navy Department.
After consultation, the committee adopted a
resolution that the previous action of the com
mlttee allowing the editor CT the New York .Sua
to appear with counsel and examine witnesses
Is not 10 be construed to extend beyond evidence
TO sustain the charges against the Secretary of
the Navy heretofore published in that news
paper.
Mr.. Bartlett then asked tn at certain vouchers,
in the interest Of Secor * Co., and Perein, Sc
cor & Co., for the payment of money for extra
work on the iron clads Manhattan, Tecumseh
and Mahopac, be put in evidence, the claims
amounting in the aggregate to Slt5,539. He
then read the act of july Is, 1868, U. s. Statutes
at Large, No. ID, to show that Secor & Co. had
been paid in TALL at that time in discharge Of all
claims.
Mr. John Lenthal, chief of the naval bureau
OF construction and repairs in 1868, was theu
sworn, and testified that he was not acqu ainted
with the history Of the claims OF Secor & Co
and Perein, Secor d Co, in relation to iron
clads, and did not know whether they ever re-
ceived the sum of $1,000 under the act of July
10, lsGS; never he ard OF these claims until they
came 10 him, and he signed them under the or
del OF the Secretary OF the Navy; the vouchers
were for extra work; the Secretary wished to
know II any appropriation would be available
for Secors case, and witness told him that a law
had passed which he thought would interfere
with the ayment; witness always understood
that board of officers examined work done on
vessels, and that the Secretary issued his orders
for pay ment ON their receipt; he also understood
that the Secretary's order in the case OF Secor &
60. was simply the endorsement of the report of
that the claim referred to was fraudulent, nor
was ii his business 10 inquire.
The chairman of the committee read a letter
from Admiral Porter, who said he was i'll, and
was not able at present TO appear as witness.
Adjourned until to-day.
Proceedings To-day.
The investigation was resumed al noon TO day.
Secretary RObeson laid before the committee
the report OF the board of officers awarding s -
cor & Co. SO, JIG as balance due them upon
work done on monitors. and his letter ordering
the payment OF the bill.
John LeRthal recalled.-Identifed the letter
OF the Secretary approving of the report of the
beard and ordering the payment OF the bill: was
not surprised at the ORDER ii was similar TO other
ti!ls for other work; there was Especial apprO-
priatlOn for the purchase of timber; advertise
menis were published and bids received; neti-
ned the successful bidders of the acceptance OF
their proposals; all the bids were submitted to
tue Secretary.
By Mr.. Robson The bills were regularly
made, the same as all others, and the contract
awarded to the lowest bidder; witness determined
UPON the size aud quantity oil the timber.
BY Mr.. Arch6r:-GOveInment did not pay for
the patent rights OF engines; il is usually put in
the contract that government shall not be liable
for patent rights.
Charles II. Baker, Chief Engineer in the
Nayy;-Was attached TO the u. ). steamer
Worcester during the first Of her present cruise:
size sailed on her present cruise about March l.
lb1l; did not examine the coal when furnished;
the quality was ascertained during the cruise:
most Of II was bad; about 80 or 10 per cent of il
was ashes and clinker; every quarter reports
are made by the chief engineer as 10 the quality
OF the coal, &c; the quality OF the coal was
ascertained on the passage of the vessel from
Boston to Plymouth the coal was taken on
board at the Charleston, Mass, navy yard;
knew nothing about who furnished the coal; had
known of cases many years 50 bad that the
engines stopped while the vessel was under
way; all of the coal on the Worcester was not
eadi some was better; the last OF it was very
BY Mr.. RobesOn:-Knew OF bad coal in the
navy about 1856.
By. Mr.. Areher:-The loss by the coal rot
burning was the taut OF the coal, and not the
boilers.
". ". King, Chief of the Bureau of Steam
Engineering at the Navy Department, sworn:
Has been Chief OF that bureau since March
1e69; purchases in 1863 and 1870 We're made upon
acquisitions from the various yards; did not
remember the amount of purchases, but the
books of his office would show; could furnish a
statement at the next meeting witness is not
purchasing agent OF the navy, approves requ;si-
tons, and the paymaster of the yard makes the
purchases; in many cases where a vessel is about
TO go to sea Immediately some things have TO be
purchased, and oftentmes there is no time to in
wife proposals; recently the purchases have
been much less than they were in former years;
witness had nothing TO do with the contracts fer
engines for two torpedo boats; that matter is all
in the Bureau of Ordnance; had heard of the
Fowler propeller; never examined it; knew of
no vessels in the navy upon which it is employed.
by MT. Robeson:-Was appointed by the Presi-
dent chief of the bureau under the admnistra-
ton of Mr.. Borie; never received AN order from
shc secretary OF the Navy directing purchases
from any particular one; never received any
order from him to favor any one; since July,
1853, 80? tons OF coal have been purchased AT a
cost OF S36.I6291; his bureau only purchases
coal foI engineering works at the yards and not
Tor vessels OF the navy; the paymasters make All
the purchases for the bureau; Mr.. Catteil was
never the purchasing agent of anything for
witness department.
VIM. y. hood sworn:-Knew the late Simeon
Johnson, who died in the early part of this
month.
Odd you ever have any Communication
with Mr.. johnson in reference to the claim of
SecOr 4 Co.
Mr.. Sarge nt.-Wait one minute. III if is pro-
posed 10 show what Mr.. JOhnson's statements
were, submit that is no evidence.
Mr.. Bartlett said he proposed to show that
johnson was one OF the agents Of Secor K Co.
and admitted to this witness that the claim was
q fraudulent one.
After some debate, the committee adjourned
until Monday, when a decision will be given
| upon the admissability of the testimony.
II CANAL TRAnR-Rusiussa xno 49,, -.