The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-07-09

Ghirjet'GttteeIEi6glllieatt I'll .
- ~ - ~.
The Great Beef Contract.
By MARK TWAIN An.


By MARK TWAIN. -
In as few words as possible I wish TO
lay before the nation what share, howey.
er small, had in this mattet-this mat
ter which has SO greatly exercised the
public mind, engendered 90 much ill.feel-
Ing, and 80 filled the papers Of both cont.
nents with distorted statements and exs
travagant comments. 81 Ak
The origin Of this distressiul thing was
this-and l assert here that every fact In
the following resume can be amply proved
BY the official records Of the General Gov.
eminent: ..-....,. -. 4.,sg
John Wilson Mckenzie, Of Rotterdam,
Chemung county, New Jersey, deceased,
contracted with the General Government
on or ahoptthe 10Th day Of 0ctober, 1861,
10 furnish General Sherman the sum total
Of thirty barrels Of beef.
Very well.
he stated after Sherman with the beef
utwhen he got 70 Washing ton Sherman
had gone to Manassas 90 he took .the
beef and followed him there, but arrived
TOO late; be. followed him to Nashville,
and from Nashville to Chattanooga, and
from Chattanooga TO Atlanta-bnt he
never could overtake him. At Atlanta
he took fresh start, and followed him
clear through his march 10 the sea. He,
arrived too late again by aieW dEys; but,
hearing that Sherman lwag going out IN
the Quaker City excursion 10 the Holy
Land, he took shipping for Beirut, calcu-
lating 70 head of the other vessel. When
he arrived at Jerusalem with his beef, he
learned that sherman had not sailed In
Qusker City, but had gone 70 the plains
10 fight the Indians. He returned To-
America and started for The Rocky
Mountains, Alter sixty.eight days, OF
Arduous travel on the plains, and when he
had got within four miles of ShermAn's
headquarters, he was tomAhaWked and
scalped, and the Indians got the beet.
They got all OF 1t but. one barrel. 6her,
mans army captured that, and so even to
death the bold navigator partly fulfilled
his contract. In his will, which he kept
like journal, he bequeathed the contract
to his son Bartholomew w Bariholo-.
new W. made out the following bill, and
then died: q x
THg UHTTED srLTEs b
In account With JoHS wusoH MAC.
KIAEtH, Of New Jersey, deceased. DR..
To thirty barrels OF beef Tor Gen. SAer.
To il.TcsSs Expense; and GSa;pCrtSs ivy
Ton Observation-Disclosures. A,lu0
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. .ti7.0oo
He diedthen; bnti Ne LEFT the contract
TO Wm.lJ.AIartin, who tried 10 collect Il;
but he died before he. got through, He
LEFT tito Barker j. Allen, and he tried to
collect 1t also, He did not survive. Bar
ker ] Allen lett IL to Arson B! Rogers,
who attempted to collect Il, and rot as
lar along as the Ninth Auditors Office,
when death, the great leVelet, came oil
uusummoned, and foreclosed on him ALTO
He lett the bill to relative In Connects
cut, Vengeance Hopkins by name, who
lasted four weeks and two days, and
made the best time on record, coming
within one Of reaching the Twelfth An.
ditor. In his will he gave the contract
bill TO his uncle, BY the name Of 0.be.
Joyful johnson. He twas too undermining
Tor Joyful. His last words were, Weep
not for mel am willing to 60" And 60
he was, poor soul. Seven people inherit.
ed the contract after that; but they all
died. 30 1t came into my hands at last.
II fell 10 me through q relative by the
name Of Hubbard-Bethlehem Hubbard,
Of Indiana, He had an old grudge against
me for long time; but In his last mo-
mens he sent for me, and torgave every
thing, and, weeping, gave mo the beef
contract.
This ends the history up TO the time
that succeeded to the property. l will
now endeayor TO set myself straight be-
lore the nation In everything that con-
Germs my share In the matter. 1took this
beef contract and the bill for mileaggAnd
transportation 70 the President Of the Uni.
led States. iVEg CEIEl Mi
he said, "well, sir, what 1 can I do fol
your"
Isaid, "sire, on or about the 10Th day
Of October, 1881, John Wilson Mackenzie,
Of Rotlerdam, Chemnng county, New Jer.
icy, deceased, contracted with the Gen.
ersl Government to furnish General Sher.
man me spmlsopaloi InltIy DAttes Of
0esl~ ,,...,...,...
ne st9ppeo me AstS, a9a oSIlSseo me
T rSm nus pEegenGe5kinasy ;9u! ntmly;
5ae next Gay ealied on tne secteAIy o
e4Ie. 'gs " VI q
ne ssid, :Well, sir T.
sac, your Royal Highnessss So, On Of
About The 10th Of October, 1861, John
Wilson Mackenzie, Of Rotterdam, Che
,mang county, New jersey, deceased. con-