Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-03-20
The War Department Investigation.
Secretary Bris.otc as a JVifaess,
He Explains the Kentucky Mule Case

The House Committee on Expenditures in
the War department met to- day at half past
II O'Clock.
tecretd'y BrisfO,C was the first witness, who
explained his connection with the Kentucky
mule case, published in the New York Her
0td, from its Louisville correspondent. Tue
Secretary said he had strong reasons to be-
Iieve that the letter was not made up in
Louisville, but In Washington; that he had
ever had any reason TO suspect the fairness
OF the claim. In 1873 witness was in Washing
Ton on professional business. Mr.. Groome
tame 10 Sim TO argue n case before the
Court OF Claims. Mr.. Groome Represented
that by the collapse of the rebellion aud the
failure OF the government TO take the mules
bis firm had lost abOut 500, 900. GrOome
promised 10 give witness q contingent fee
Witness agreed to argue the case in the
q urt of Claims and the Supreme Court If
GrOOme would pay him small fee and his
expenses If he lost The case and ten per cant
IL case judgment was received. Mr.. Full
Ter, an attorney, prepared the brief of the
case, and upon that brief witness made the
Argument. The government did not oppose
The payment of the claim on questions OF
TACT, but upon questions OF law. Its fair
ne.s never was questioned by the gov
ernment. Chief Justice Drake. In de-
livering the dissentiI z opinion of the cOurs,
did not dissent on questions of fact but upon
points of law. Witness never had Anything
10 do with the case after making the argu-
ment. Judgment was rendered on the 5th OF
January, 1874. On the 4th of February Mr..
Full er presented the transcript of the court
forhey General did not propose any further
litigation on account of the claim and re-
questing that the same be sent TO the con
trOller OF the Treasury. On the ltf of Feb
rnary Secretary Belknap approved the claim
and sent IL TO The second controller The
case was made special by DR.. Broadhead
and Mr.. Sawyer, Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury, and the warrant for the payment
was made out on the 9th of February, and a
draft for S1OS,I50 was tlade out on the same
day.
Witness said he had no knoYledee of how
the claim was paid, but that he dill not say
this TO depTecate the claim. His fee of ten
rer cent, he thinks, was paid In February,
1874, by a check on Riggs & Co. The pub
nshed statement that witness had received
half the claim he pronounced
UNQUALIFIEDLY AND ABSOLUTELY
FALSE.
Witness never spoke to the Secretary of
War on the subject OF the claim, nor to any
official OF the Treasury department. He did
not know even how the claim was paid,
until he sent for the papers in the case, show
i.g the mode of payment from the Third Au-
ditOr's Office on las Saturday afternoon. At
the time OF witness connection with the
case he held no Office under the government
Witness had nothing TO do with the case
after he made the argument except to re-
Ceive his fee, other than that he had in
trOduced his client as q gentleman of charac-
ter and standing to the Attorney General.
Have 10 knowledge why an appeal was not
iaF en- IN the case. First learned there would
be no appeal when Mr.. GroOme came to my
hotel and said he was ready to pay my fee
] was so impressed with the Justice OF the
claim that 1 was not surprised that the
government did no. appeal.
SUBJECT OF INQUIRY SUGGESTED,
Secretary Bristow said If the committee
would direct their attention, before they
closed their labOrS, as 10 low s UGH publica-
iioDs as the ore alluding to the mule case in
the New York Herald, had their origin, he
would be happy 10 assist them.
Mr.. ClymeI.-We are too much pressed
now, but before we get through we pro
pose 10.
At ten minutes after ore O'Clock the COM
mitlCe took rcceEs until Two O'CLOCK.