New-York tribune., 1874-04-14
In, the natural course Of trade than. petroleum
will be imported at Pit Hole. ."'
REHTND THE CURTAIN.


Surely there are secrets in the Sanborn case
which the Committee has not yet dragged TO
light. We understand pretty well that MI
Richardson and Mr.. Sawyer were priyy to the
original arrangements, and were only sham.
ming when they told us that they signed all
the papers without knowing to what they
referred. We can comprehend the Secretary 8
unyillingness to disclose his completely IN
very disreputable business, and Mr. Banhelds
determination not to accept responsibility
that does not belong to him. But there are
other things that are not so clear We nave
not vet found out the influence behind san
born. Of course, the Massachusetts specuia'oi
did not get this contract for nothing'
and has not kept it without paying for the
priyilege in one way or another. Fat con-
tracts in Washington are not to be had Ior
the asking. Sanborn himself gives the Com
mittee no information He paid large sums OF
money to counsel for services that are not
explained; be contributed to zen. Butiers
election fund in sums that he does not recoi-
lect. As to everything else his memory Is
blank. On the cross-examinatlon no seemeu
TO know even less than the Secretary Oh inc
Treasury: and his infrmity must nave excited
tbe wonder and cOmmiseratl0n OF tue entire
Committee. fs..
Now and then, however, one gets O peep
behind the curtain; and it is a curious fact
that the furtive coat-tails that are then spled
lust vanishing out of the range OF sight IN
variably suggest the coat-tails OF Gen. Ben
iamin F. Butler. Mr.. Sanborn cOnfesses for
instance to the payment of $4,000 to Mr.
Puffer of the New-YOrk Custom house, for
services rendered, and Mr.. Puffer was formerly
an officer of Gen. Buffers staff. This of course
NAV be merely an interesting coincidence.
The fact also that Sanborn Is one OF Gen
Buffers political friends may have had
nothing to do with his getting the contract; I;
and some singular things that have Jutt
come to light in connection with the Eu-
ropean branch of the business may be ac-
counted for in a perfectly proper manner.
r. will he remembered that Mr.. SanbOrn had
q confidential snan" in New-York, who
{" did MT wish to bc mixed up in this matter"
and whose name SanbOrn accordingly refused
to give TO the Committee. This person now
turns out to be Mr.. A. G. Fay, and we are as
sured that he is nephew of Gen. Buffers
ripht-hard man in Boston. Mr.. Fay, while in
the service of Sanborn, was sent to Europe as
special agent of the Treasury, with COM
mission, salary, and an allowance for ex-
penses from the Government, and there
spent his time partly in the examination
of some of Sanborns lists of nOn-resi-
dent taxpayers, and partly in the
investigation of Custom house undervaluations,
Mr.. Sanborn, strange to say, having an inter
est in the moieties also. Finally, when
Sanborn was arrested in Brooklyn on the
conspiracy indictment it was Butler who came
to his aid and went upon his bail-bond.
These condolences, or accidents, or what
ever you choose to call them are getting to be
90 freouent that the Committee ought to
insist upon lifting the curtain a little more
and pursuing the fleet coat-tails until 1t lays
its hand upon their wearer.