The Portland daily press., 1876-03-03
THE EVIDENCE.

THE EVIDENCE.
Statement Of Caleb p. Marsh before the
Committee on which the Impeachment
is Based.
The following is the testimony before the
Committee on War Department expenditures
read in the House, on which the impeachment
resolution is based
TUESDAY, Feb. 49, 1876.
The committee met at 10 30 a. M, present
Messrs Clymer, Blackburn, Robbins.
Mr.. Caleb P. Marsh, one of the witnesses
ordered to be subponaed by the committee
being present, was duly sworn according to
law.
Question by the chairman-w here do you re-
Al reside at No. 80 West 57th street, New
York. Have resided in New York about eight
years. M
Q-Were you not appointed or rendered an
appointment as post trader at Fort Sill. In
dian Territory, in fhe fall of 1870 by the Secre-
tary OF War? Ii SO, under what circumstances
was said appointments secured? Do you state
also if you were commissioned by the Secretary
as such post trader, or if not. who was so COM
missioned, and il any other person than your
self was SO commissioned, give his name, the
reasons why he was commissioned and If any
agreement was made between you and the APP
pointee, state it produce it if in writing, and
was such an agreement made with the knowl-
edge of the Secretary of War. aud state the
ClrCuL1SbduCeS COuu6Ct6u Will lu6 udKtDS Oh
that agreement, and all the transactions in de-
tail Hereunder, fully and particularly as if
you were specially Intercepted in regard to the
several transactions, and SO fully as to save the
necessity of repeated Undergraduates.
Marsh's Statement.
In reply to your question would state that
in the summer of 1870 myself and wife spent
weeks at Long Branch, and on our return to
New York Mrs Belknap and Mrs. Bowers, by
our invitation, came for a visit to our house.
Mrs. Belknap was ill during this visit some
three or four weeks, and I suppose that in con-
sequence of our kindness to her she felt under
some obligation for she asked me one day in
the course Of conversation why did not ap-
ply for post leadership on the frontier. L
asked what they were, and was told that there
were many of them very lucrative offices or DO.
sitions, the gift of the Secretary of War, and
that if I wanted one she would ask the Score.
tary for me. Upon my replying. thatI thought
such offices belonged to disabled soldiers, and
besides that was without political influence,
she answered that politicians got such places,
etc.. etc. ; do not remember saying that if 1 had
a valuable post Of that kind would remember
her, bat do remember her saying something
like this: "If can prevail! upon the Secretary
OF War to award you a post you must be care
full and say nothing to him about presents, for
man once offered him $1,000 for leadership
of this kind. and he told him that if he did not
leave the Office he would kick him down stairs"
Remembering as do this story, presume the
antecedent statement to be correct.
Mrs. Belknap and Mrs. Bowers returned to
Washington few weeks thereafter, and Mrs.
Belknap sent me word to come over. did so.
She then told me that the post leadership at
Fort Sill was vacant, that it was a valuable
post as she understood, and that she had either
asked for it for me or had prevailed upon the
Secretary of War to agree to give it to me. At
all events called upon the Secretary Of War
and as near as can remember made applica-
in I'M on nnnIn taI
The Secretary said he would appoint me if I
could bring proper recommendatory letters and
this 1 said | could do. Either Mrs. Belknap or
the Secretary told me that the present trader at
the post, John s. Evans, was an applicant for
re-appointment and that had better see him,
he being in the city, as it would not be fair to
turn him out of office without some notice, as
he would lose largely on his buildings, merchan-
disc, &C., if the Office was taken from him,
and that it would be proper and just for me to
make some arrangement with him for their
purchase if 1 wished to run the post myself. 1
saw Evans and found him alarmed at the pros
pect of losing the place. L remember that he
said that firm of Western post traders, who
claimed good deal of influence with the Sec
rotary of War, had promised to have him ap-
pointed, but he found, on coming to Washing
ton, this firm to be utterly without influence.
Evans first proposed partnership, which 1
declined, and then bonus of certain portion
of the profits if would allow him to hold the
agreed upon $4,000 per year.
Mr.. Evans and myself went on to New York
together where the contract was made and exc
cuted, which is herewith submitted. During
our trip over, however, Mr. Evans saw some
thing in the Army and Navy Journal which led
him to think that some of the troops were to
be removed from the fort, and he had offered
too large sum, and before the contract was
drawn it was reduced by agreement to $12, 900,
the same being paid quarterly in advance.
har hn frrdf H.
probably in November, 1870. L sent one half
thereof to Mrs. Belknap, either presume by
certificate of deposit or bank notes by express,
Being in Washington at funeral some weeks
after this, had a conversation with Mrs. Bow.
ers to the following purport as far as can now
remember, but must say that just here my
memory is exceedingly indistinct, and judge
in part perhaps from what followed as to the
details of the conversation.
went up stairs in the nursery with Mrs.
Bowers to see the baby. said to her: ''This
child will have money come to it before great
WHILE" She said, "Yes." The mother gave
the child to me and told me that the money
coming from you she must take and keep for
It, said all right, and it seems to me said
that perhaps the father ought to be consulted.
| say it seems SO, aid yet can give no reason
for it, for as far as knew the father knew
nothing of any money transaction between the
mother and myself. I have faint recollection
of a remark of Mrs. Bowers that if sent The
money 10 Gn0 IaIn0E CnaC IL belonged 10 ner. and
that she would get it any way, / certainly had
some understanding then or subsequently with
her or him, for when the next payment came
due and was paid sent the one half thereof to
the Secretary of War, and have continued SUBJ
stantially from that day to the present time to
do the same.
About, 1 should say, year and half or
two years after the commencement of these
payments l reduced the amount to $4,000 per
annum. The reason of this reduction was
partly because of the combined complaints on
his part, of Mr.. Evans and his partner and
partly SO far as now remember in consequence
of an article in the newspapers about that time
rejecting on the injustice done to soldiers at
this fort, caused by exorbitant charges made
necessary on the part OF the trader by reason of
the payment of this bonus.
To the best of my knowledge and belief the
above is true statement of all the facts in the
case and as complete as l can remember &C.
currences of so many years ago.
Question by chairman-State how the pay.
ments were made to the Secretary of War sub.
sequent to the funeral of his then wife, which
you attended in Washington IN December,
1870, whether in cash, by check, draft, certif-
cate of deposit, bonds, or by express or other
wise?
A-The money was sent according to the in.
structions of the Secretary of War, sometimes
in bank notes by Adams express. 1 think on
one or more occasions by certificates of deposit
in the National Bank of America in New York.
Sometimes have paid him in New York in
person. Except the first payment in the fall
of 1870 and the last in December, 1872, all to be
made to the Secretary in the modes 1 have
stated unless perhaps on one or two occasions
at his instance l bought govern ment bond
with the money in my hands arising from the
contract with Evans, which / either sent or
handed to him. -. -..-
Question by Blackburn-Can you state the
sum in the aggregate received by you under the
contract with Evans, and what portion thereof
have you paid to the Secretary of War, includ-
ing the first and last payments, which you
have stated were not paid to him?
Answer-I have no memorandum whatever
on which to make answer. 1t is a very simple
calculation. The first payment to me by Evans
was made in the fall of 1870 at the rate of
ST., 900 year. He paid at that rate about a
year and a half or two years, and since then at
the rate of $4,000 year. 1t would aggregate
about $4,000, the one-half of which 1 have
disposed of as before stated
Question by chairman-Did you receive let.
ters from the Secretary of War acknowledging
receipts of the sums forwarded to him in the
manner you have stated, or did he acknowl.
edge the receipt of the same in any way?
Answer-Usually when I sent money by
express would send him the receipt Of the
company, which he would either return marked
80. K" or otherwise acknowledge the receipt
of the same. Sometimes paid it to him in
person in New York, when no receipt was
necessary. 1 have not preserved any receipts
hu