Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-11-06
THE SUGG FORT CLAIM.
New Charges Of q Grave Nature
Against r. X. Bufler-Secretary
Rrisf0w Orders an Investigation.

II. I'll. Harrison, Of the Nashville, Tenn,
district, introduced in the House Of Rep
resentatives a bill for the relief OF Sugg
Fort, Of Robertson county, Tennessee.
The bill, which Appropriated the sum OF
$23, 723.50 in full payment for 2,79l BAR
rels of -four alleged to have been taken
from his mill at Forts Station in
December, 1892 and afterward by
United States military authorities
and converted 10 the use of the
United States, was referred to the Commit
tee or War Claims, and in that committee
was referred to the Hon. Isaac w. Scudder,
of New Jersey, as subcommittee. On
the 10Th of May the committee unanimous
ly agreed to report the bill adversely TO the
House. But this was not the end of the
matter. Discouraged, but not disheartened,
that claimant brings into the case that
friend Of suffering claimants and impecuni-
Gus lobbyists, the Hon. Roderick Randum
Butler, of the First Tennessee District,
who viii be remembered in connection
with the cadetship scandal in the XLIst
Congress. That gentleman proceeded to
business at once.
On the 5th of June he appeared before
the Committee ON War Claims and made
an argument in behalf of his Client
mean friend-and his claim. Mr.. Butler
only asked that the claim might be re-
ferTed 70 the Commissary General for ex-
animation. The committee reminded Mr..
Butler that Congress had taken away the
jurisdiction of the Commissary General 20
examine and settle cases of this character,
and had established q tribunal called
the Commissary of Claims, 10y the act
of March 3, 1871, especially to con-
slider snch cases. Mr.. Butler re-
tired after this with the firm con
viction that the chances Of Sugg Forts
claim passing that committee were in in
verse proportion TO the amount ofthe claim.
He was right. The door of the committee
room had hardly closed behind him ere the
committee again unanimously decided that
the adverse report should be made to the
House. But undismayed,. MIR. Butler,
eleven days thereafter, moved in the House
that the rules be suspended and a joint
resolution be passed providing that the
CommiSsary General should have and ex-
ercise jurisdiction over the claim of Sugg
Fort. 1t was objected by Mr.. Beck and
others that this was not the report of a
committee and the motion was lost.
The rejection of this resolution by the
House would have settled the case with the
average member. but MIR. Butler is not
an average member. Apparently satisfied
with this result, he obtained leave of the
House to have copies of the papers in the
case made for presentation at the Depart
ment. This leave was obtained two days
before final adjournment, and the claim
having been adversely reported TO the House
on the last day Of the session, the papers in
the case went to the files Of the House.
hereupon Mr.. Butler selected from the
papers that had been filled before, and
by the Committee on War
Claims, only such papers as were
favorable TO the case, had copies CT the |
same made, which were, On the 18th Of |
June, certified as correct copies by the |
Clerk Of the House. 1t would hardly be |
that Mr.. Butler would again pre- |
sent the case TO the COmmissary General, |
who had but year before declined to en- |
tertain it for want of jurisdiction. But |
That is precisely what he did, the case be- |
ing presented TO that officer on the 10Th Of |
July; and here mischief was done.
The Acting Commissary General, in
stead of promptly rejecting or rather refus-
ing to entertain the case Immediately, took |
cognizance of it, and four days aflerward
forwarded the claim to the Third Auditor
Df the Treasury, recommending the pay
nent of the whole amount claimed. Sim
yularly enough, this favorable action was
secured on the very last day of the fiscal /
year, after which there was no fund out Of |
which to pay such claims, Congress having, |
Turing the last session, put a provision in !
he Legislative Appropriation bill covering I
N all balances unexpended from
ormer appropriations for that pur-
lose. The CommissarY General /
forwarded the claim to the Third Auditor !
shortly after o'clock on Tuesday, June 80,
With favorable recommendation, and thither
[ was followed by Mr.. Butler and sthe
,lalmant." The Third Auditor was at (
irst unwilling TO touch the claim, urging
hat, as the claimant had gone to Congress |
or relief, he should await its decision, and
Lsked if it had taken any action on the
lain. The reply was prompt and positive
hat 1t had not; that under the new rules il
vas impossible to get action on such cases;
hat the claimant was bankrupt and ruined
n consequence Of the conversion of 1
lis property to Government use.
Finally, the Auditor consented that the
ase should be made special, which was
lone, and about an hour afterWard the case
vas forwarded to the Second Comptroller,
With the verbal message that the case had
rot, from want Of time, received that careful
usually given such claims,
nd that If the claim was allowed, It must |
e on the strength of the recommendation
f the COmmissary General of Subsistence,
Who was presumed TO have gone to the bot
ON Of the claim. Of course, the per-
istent Butler and the claimant followed
ard after, and the Second Comptroller
vas subjected to the same pressure.
They were successful, the forms necessary
7ere gone through with; the Secretary of
Var was followed to his house called from
he dinner-table to sign the necessary re-
uistiOn.' All these details were COM
leted about O'Clock, three hours after the
sual business hours of the Department,
nd 10 complete the story, the money was
raWn in the most prompt manner the next
lorning as soon as the Department opened,
fter which Mr.. Butler aud the claimant
Tent TO their respective homes in Tennes-
BE.
An examination Of the evidence relied
II to substantiate this claim shows it to
Ossess really no foundation whatever, and
hat is somewhat peculiar, portion of the
violence, really the most important, is that
officers of the Quarlermaster and Com
lissary Departments, relating to claim
,r $1,000 bushels of wheat, VIII ch claim
as presented in the summer of 1868, and
flowed and paid for in November of the
lme year. This evidence relating en-
rely to wheat taken at Paris, Tenn, in
Lay, 1862, seems to have been satisfactory
} the Commissary General and the :
officers of the Treasury,
Though appearing in a claim for flourtaken {
l December, 1862, and January, February
ld March, 1868, in another country.
hen, too, the evidence as to the time,
tanner and circumstances of taking the !
our is Of the most improbable character;
nd, although Col. Irwin, the chief Quar- {
who was on duty at Nashville,
ated two years ago, in confidential letter
Gen. Eaton, which appears in the papers
the Treasury Department, that the {
aimant never had the -four for which he q
aims pay, and that it was not taken as !:
legged by the claimant, no attention seems
} have been paid to his communications.
The claim was, TO sum up, put through | '
? the persistent begging and appeals of Il. /
utler, in hasty manner, and under cir ,
which show, to say the least, a 7 !
ant of consideration of the public inter- !
is and deviation from safe business
-inciples not compatible with the theory :
a prudent and economical administra- :
On of Dublie affairs Tho Sac-otarv of | {