American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-04-11
Information Wanted.

Simmons, the Poor Boy and Christian
Soldier" whom Gen. Butler Endorsed,
late Internal Revenue Supervisor, and
now Collector of the Port of Boston, was
before the Committee of Ways and Means
on Thursday last, as a witness in the San
born investigation, and, although he evil
IDENTIFY attempted to talk without saying
anything, he let two large cats out of the
bag which are uncommonly athletic and
Interesting. The first of these is his state
ment that Sanborn is known in New
England as the mysterious man,
that he is interested in all the railroads
of that section of the country; that he is
acquainted with all the members Of the
New England Legislatures; and that,
when any railroad legislation isneeded,
Sanborn always turns up, and always sue
ceeds in accomplishing it. How he does
it is one of the mysteries. There are other
mysteries connected with Sanborn. For
Instance: How the law was passed which
gave him the contracts how he succeeded
IN getting the contracts; how he
! got on the soft side of Gen. Butler,
ma where his immense profits have
gone, inasmuch as he declares he did not
get them ali. II has also long been a
mystery to New England merchants why
Sanborn and his agents and detectives
have been allowed to walk into their
counting rooms and carry off their pa
pers and books at their own pleasure, and
then, after having manufactured an eva
sion on the revenue laws, blackmail them
into compromise.
The second Cat is still more interest
ing animal, and has once lodged and fed
in the Treasury Department, and has 9TH
erwise received hospitable treatment from
Secretaries Boutwell, and Richardson.
MIR. Simmons testiies that when the law
was first passed, at which time he was
Supervisor of Internal Revenue for New
England, Sanborn called upon him for
assistance-the assistance being, of course,
necessary to get hold of the accounts of
merchants. This was little too much
even for Simmons, and, being a "young
Christian soldier" according to Butler,
his soul revolted at the idea of giving
any such assistance even to Buffers old
store-keeper and affidavit-producer. So
he refused. Sanborn meanwhile must
have referred the refusal to Assistant Sec
rotary Richardson, as Simmons very
shortly received verbal instructions from
the latter to help Sanborn, and these in
structions were reinforced by a letter
from Secretary Boutwell, to the same
effect Subsequently he met Mr. Richard
son, after the latter had become Secretary,
and was again adjured to help Sanborn,
the Secretary representing that the larger
the Treasury receipts the better it would
be for him, and it was therefore really an
object to him CRichardson) that Sanborn
should be successful. Simmons, there
fore, commenced exerting himself rs far
as he could for Sanborn, and, although
his working force was very small and not
sufficient to do the work of the Office
punctual1y, he detailed one of his best
officers as detective, paid by the Govern
ment and kept him on duty constantly
thereafter in Sanborn's interest.
Such being the condition of things, it
Is now in order that Messrs. Boutwell,
and Richardson be allowed an oppor-
tunity 10 rise and explain their connec-
ton with Sanborn and his process of
matchmaking. As they authorized and
sven compelled Mr.. Simmons to turn over