New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-28
THE sANBORN CONTRACTS
rxrp,oPD,NARY TESTIMONY.


xIIcrrED-sINGULAR CONDUCT OF Ex-sEcRErARY
BOUTWELL,.
IBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRiBUSr.l
WARRINGTON, April 97.-The testimony of A. Good
AOh Fay before the Ways and Means Committee to-
av WAS the most extraordinary that has been taken
nv tho Committee since the SanbOrn inquiry began.
uavas either the best the worst witness ever be-
t,re n committee-it is difficult to tell which. The
committee got very little satisfaction out OF him,
although no talked necessarily. He was most
oentric witness but in this characteristic he much
rasembled many of the persons examined during this
;nouiry He differed widely in his mode of treatment
az facts MesSrs. Richardson, Sawyer, Banfeld, and
sanborn did not know anything, but Fay denied
averything and when he left the stand the members
Exchanged significant glances with each other and
ouetly nodded their heads. They were all satisfied
that Fay had not placed the facts in light too I'M
favorable TO himself or his patron, Sanborn. He
vas not a bad witness for himself, far as cOnse-
ouenoes are concerned unless his conscience may be
a matter of special sohctude; and nobody can doubt
that he Is worthy 90 be the friend and co-worker of
Sanborn and Butler. His examination was quite
long as the Committee found that he would II left
90 himself give indications as to certain facts OF
which they were ignorant. His Characterization
followed his general denial lie contradicted all the
nrevlous witnesses and raised questions of veraCity
with Sanborn, with Waddell, and with Herman
and as if to show that he was not dismayed he
raised frequent questions of veracity with himself
He began bv protesting that he had never had any
connection with SanbOrn since he lSanbOrnl became
a Government officer, and had never received any
money from him whatever He first Knew Sanbon
in lsjsG9. when Sanborn used to give him points"
on the Eastern Railroad and Adams Express Com
pany, aud he made good deal of money on the
of M
this time that their friendship began. 1t was
remarkable how frequent and convenient were the
condolences Everything that could not be ex-
pained IN any way just happened So" and it must
be confessed that luck on the side of both Fay
and Sanbon. He was questioned as to his service
as a special agent Of the Treasury. At first he did
not know how il happened that he was appointed a
special agent. who recommended him. but after
stumbling and evadlng and heSitating for some
time. he said Sanborn had procured his ap-
pointment. Tie did not say who recommended
him. but there is little doubt that Gen. Butler
was the influence. He appointed to 90 abroad
rs look into certain furnished by SanbOn. and
his business was for Sanborn however they may try
81 conceal IT, for in the cases looked into Mr. San
born appears as an informer Fay spent about three
months abroad living like prince and spending
the Government money with lavish hand. He
frequently spent $50 day, and it cost him in
some cases two and three times as much to
travel from place TO place as it would
a profit gate traveller. He charged S18 for
going from one place to another when the regular
fare was but 81, aud such items follow each other
closely all through his accounts. His papers also
show that he spent $3.50 for kid gloves for sam
ples' and $500 for samples of linen, and he testified
tina; he turned all these goods over to Madge, the
Supervising Special Agent of the Treasury, who
o. ~
was done with these valuable samples"
Mr.. Fay could not remember the cases that he
worked up with much skill and labor, his forget
fulnes, being very convenient at this point because
the Committee have a large number of the names of
foreign persons against which SanbOrn, or the Gov
ornment IN behalf of SanbOm is proceeding.
As TO the 5000 he received from Simon Herman
70 obtain nolle prOsequ of the indictments against
him referred TO in tO-days TRIBUNE the case looks
much worse than it did on Saturday. 1t was very
evident that he knew nothing whatever about the
indictments against Herman, and that the S2,OOO
tee was unearned TO use no stronger term. lie SAID
ne examined the indictments, but he knew
nothing of them whatever He denied know
ing even the designation of Hermans Of
Tense. but he remembered all the little
particulars. He said he did not give Sanborn, or
ANYBODY else. dollar of that money, and denied
that Sanborn knew he was engaged in the case.
The facts are that Herman with about Is other per-
sons WAS indicted IN March April 1872, before
the massage of the contract law for conspiracy to
degraud the Government. Herman could not be
gulty of n conspiracy alone, but the fact re-
mains that nOlle DrOseQm was entered III the Her-
man case while the Others remained, and MI ray
obtained 81 900 for it, and SanbOrn shared the set
Element money with the Government, which
amounted 20 another thousand What influence
was used to secure this unusual result has not yet
been developed. Fay said be looked for certain
papers before he left home. but could not ma them
another convenient coincidence lie salu u was
Judge Noah Davis who told him that letter had
come from Washington to enter nolie pro8eqn' in
the Herman case and that when the case was closed
Herman thanked him Fay warmly, besides paying
him 5000
Mr. DE Kav. who was Assistant District-Attorney
will be here tomorrow He NAV be able 10 tell the
Committee who gave the order from Washington to
annu the indictments, and it can thus be easily as
certaned what influence if any. was at the bottom
of it, and whether the quashing of indictments is
matter that can be arranged with money. Fay
said he wrote TO Washington, to the Treas
Ury Department to have the affair ar
ranged. and the answer was probably sent
70 the District-Attorney. The case was one
belonging to the Internal Revenue Bureau, and
although Fay said he had had cases before that
Bureau he nevertheless sent his letter to the Depart
ment instead Of the Bureau. He knew nothing OF
the manner in which Sanborn obtained half of the
settlement money, when he had nothing whatever
10 do with the matter. He said, however, that
Sanborn is a peculiar man. and he does peculiar
things"
Ono thing IN connection with this Sanborn busi-
very singular and that is the conduct Of ex-
fecretary Boutwell,. His name has been used before