Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-08-13
The vienna Exposition scandal.


Minister Jay telegraphed under date of July
3lst to the State department that the special
commission to investigate the charges against
Commissioner Van Buren, had closed their la
bors. He forwarded q resume of the testimony
and the report. Only extracts from the testi-
mOny are sent.
CKNsURE OF GEN. VAN BURES AND COMMITS
sIoNRR MAYER.
The commission state in substance that they
ind that the evidence shows no taking of money
by any members of the Vienna commission ex-
cepting Gen. Van Buren, and Mr.. Mayer. In
regard to Gen. Van Buren, the special commits
sien do not hesitate to report that they dissent
from his justification of the taking OF $500 a
loan from Mitzel, under the circumstances as
shown in the evidence; that they hold unsatis-
factory the explanations given by General Van
Buren, touching the 81 200 which he received
from Messrs Boehm and Wiehl; that they find
an utter want of frankness and an inexcusable
disregard of exactness in the statements made
by him to the Secretary of State, in his letters
of the 10th and 18th of March, in regard to the
number of concessions for bars, and touching
the kilograms from Vienna reporting the char
acter of corruption; and that the ineNactness of
the assurance then given msled the govern
ment into the belief that no irregularities had
been committed, demanding an investigation at
New York, and thus compelled the transfer of
the inquiry to Vienna.
AS to the Justification set up by Mayer that all
ne did in tie asking and taking of moneys was
done by him as a subordinate, with the knowl-
edge and approval of the chief commissioner,
and as to the various questions of veracity raised
by the evidence between General Van Buren,
and General Mayer touching the alleged CON-
plicity of the former in the proceedings of the
latter, and the sharing by General Van Buren,
Boehm and Wiehl, the special commission
fraln from expressing an opinion, for the rea-
sons 1. That they do not deem the discussion
of these points essential to General Mayer, since
no such approval of the acts nor partition of the
moneys would, in their opinion, render the acts
proper, or constitute a valid defense for their
commission. 2. That the testimony indicates
that additional and more conclusive evidence
on these points is attainable at New York than
can be found in Vienna. 3. That they do not
conceive, for reasons to be presently stated
that their judgment on this point is necessarily
embraced in the scope of their Instructions.
They hold that it was the duty of the chief
of the American commission to exercise so wise
vigilance in the appointment of each and all
of his assistants, and especially of his first and
confidential assistant, and so exact super
vision of the management of the commission,
as to protect il from the smallest faint sus-
picion of corruption, and enable it to accom-
plish at Vienna reasonable success, and fifty
to represent the integrity and honor of the gov
eminent
GENERAL MIsMANAGRMEST
The special commission, therefore, without
entering at all upon the charges OF completely
made against him by Mayer, are compelled 10
regard Gen. Van Buren, as response Bile, a. the
chief commissioner, for the abuse of authority
committed by his confidential assistant; and,
apart from charges of corruption, they find the
management generally of the commission,
which Gen. Van Buren, appears to have left to
OF judgment and foresight an absence of eff
fective system and order, and a looseness in
contracts, in instructions, and in accounts cal
culated TO insure the ruin of any private bust
ness, and which, in a great national trust like
that intrusted to Gen. Van Buren,, was to the
last degree discredItable and intolerable, as in
dicating indifference or incapacity, or both COM
bined.
THE AMERICAN RESTAURANTS.
. Inc special commission further report that
there have been established in the grounds OF
tpvn A maj a
bars, in regard to which no corruption appears;
the one by Kune, of Chicago, the permit for
which was given by the Baron Schwarz-Sen-
born, without the Intervention OF General Van
Buren,, and the other by Tracy & Jewett, I'M
der an authority from the American depart
ment, but without the payment Of the bonus
and per centage demanded by Mayer for Van
Buren, and himself. There are in addition two
bars in the grounds, called respectively the
america" q. Pavilion" and the American In
General Van Buren's special request on tn
promise of his supervision, in the rotunda of the
Palace OF Industry all three belonging to Boehm
q Wheil, which appear to have been obtained
by them In succession by the payment OF moneys
aud the promise of an interest in their success
The State department, in letter quoted,
ment of single bar at the Vienna exposition
would be Of questionable propriety. The
special commission are clear that the ground
thus distinctly taken by the government repre-
sented the sound Judgment of the American peo-
pie; that American drinks, however desirable
AZ matter OF curiosity among the attractions
or an European exposition, are not an institu-
ton IN which the American people take an
honest pride, nor one which they desire to
propagate through their agents and with the
sanction of the government. In view of this
fact, and Of the further fact that these bars
have been multiplied by corrupt practices and
to the great scandal of the country, the special
commission recommend that the American
commissioner at Vienna be instructed to ad wise
the Imperial Manager of the exposition that
the authority given for the establishment of
the said bars was given improperly, and that
this American Commission will no longer sane
ton, supervise, nor be in any manner RESPONSE
BILE TOR the same, nor consent to their using the
national name or the national colors.
CREDIT-MoBILIKR IN CoURr.-The substance
Of these suits in their present condition before