Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-03-03

and also report of the proceedings Of the COM
mittee during the investigation of this subject, and
| submit the following resolutions,
| Resolved, That VIM. w. Belknap, late Secreta-
ny of War; be impcached of high crimes and mis-
demeanors.
| Resolved, That the testimony in the case Of w.
W. Belknap, late Secretary of War, be referred to
the Judiciary committee, with instructions to pre-
pare and report, without unnecessary delay, suita
Bile articles OF impeachment Of said VIM. W. Bel
KNAPP, late Secretary of War.
Resolved, That a committee Of five members of
the House be appointed and instructed to proceed
Immediately to the bar of the Senate and there
impeach VIM. w. Belknap late Secretary of War,
in the Of the people Of the United states, of
high crimes and mlsdcmeanor5 when in office, and
to inform that body that formal articles Of i'm
parchment will in due time be presented, and to
request the Senate to take such order in the prem
ises as they may deem appropriate.
Mr.. Clymer then proceeded to read the testimo-
ny Of Caleb p. Marsh, taken yesterday before tic
committee, showing that he had paid Secretary
Belknap about $50 900 in consideration of his APP
ponnent as post trader at Fort Sill Indian Tor
ritory
Mr.. Clymer after submitting the unanimous
report of the committee, read the following tcsti-
mony and Accomplishments:
Tuesday Feb. %, 1876.
The committee met at 1870 a. Present,
Messrs Clymer, Blackburn, Robbins.
Mr.. Caleb Z. Marsh, of the witnesses ord
present was duly sworn according to law.
side le y ~ ~
Answcr-I reside at No. 80 West 51th Street.
New York, have resided IN New York about eight
years.
Q-Wcre you not appointed or rendered an APP
poinment as post trader at Fort Sill, Indian Ter
ritory, in the fan of 1870, by the Secretary of
War; If so under what circumstances was said
appointment secured DO you state also If you
we mil by he
trader or if not who was so commissioned, and II
any other person than yourself was so commits
stoned, give his name, the reasons why he was
| commissioned, if any agreement was made be-
tween you and the appointee State 1t or produce
1t if in writing and was such an agreement made
with the knowledge of the Secretary of War; and
state the circumstances connected with the work
ing of that agreement and all the transactions in
detail Hereunder and particularly if you were
| specially INTERCEPTED in regard to the several
transactions, and so fully as to save the necessity
| of repeated interrogations
| In reply to your questions would state that in
the summer of 1870 myself and wife spent some
weeks at Long Branch, and on our return home,
Mrs Belknap and Mrs Bower by our invitation
came for visit to our house. Mrs. Belknap was
i'll during this visit some four or five weeks, and
suppose that in consequence of our kindness to
her ske felt under some obligations, Tor she asked
me one day in the course OF a conversation, why
did not apply for post leadership on the from
tier. | asked what they were and was told that
there were many Of them very lucrative offices or
positions, the gift OF the Secretary of War, and
that if wanted she would ask the secretary
for me. do not remember saying that if had
valuable post Of that kind that would remember
her, but do remember her saying something like
this:
"If can prevail upon the Secretary of War to
reward you q post you must be careful to say
nothing to him about presents for once man OF
fered him $40 900 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. Belhnap
and Mrs. Bower returned to Washington a few
weeks thereafter. Mrs. Beknap sent me word to
come over. | did so. She then told me that the
post leadership at Fort Sill vacant, that it was
a valuable post she understood, and that she
had either asked for it for me or had prevailed up
the Secretary of War to agree to give in to me.
Al all events, called upon the Secretary Of War,
and near as l can remember made application
for this post on regular printed form. The sec
rotary said that he wou Id appoint me if | could
bring proper recommendatory letters, and this
said could do. Either Mrs. Bclknap or the Sec
rotary told me that the present trader, John 5.
Evans, was an applicant for re-appolntment, and
that had better him, he being in the city, as
it would not be fair to turn him out of office with
out some notice. as he would lose largely on his
buildings, merchandise ETC., if the office was TAX
en- from him, and that ii would be proper and just
| for me to make some arrangements with him Tor
| saw Evans and found him alarmed at the pros
| pect of losing the place. | remember that he SAID
firm of Western post traders, who claimed q
good deal of influence with the Secretary of War,
had promised to have him appointed, but ne found
on coming to Washington, this firm to be entirely
without influence. Mr.. Evans first proposed a
partnership, which declined, and then a bonus
OF certain portion of the profits, if would allow
him to hold the position and to continue the buel-
ness.
| We finally agreed upon $4,000 year. Evans
and went to New York together where the con-
tract made and executed which is herewith
submitted. During our trip, however, Evans saw
something 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 $4,000, the same
| being payable quarterly, in advance. When the
first remittance came to me, say probably in Nov
| 1870, l sent one-halt thereof to Mrs. Belknap.
| Being in Washington some time after this l had
| a conversation with Mrs. Bower to the following
went up stars to the nursery, to see the baby.
said This child will have money coming to ii be-
| fore long" She said "Yes." She gave the child
| to me and said the money coming from me she
must take and keep for it. ] said all right, per-
haps the father ought to be consulted. L knew
| the father knew nothing of any money transac-
tons between the mother and myself. Mrs B.
said if | sent the money to the father that 1t be-
| longed to her and that she would get it anyway.
| When the next payment became due and was
paid sent one halt to the Secretary of War, and
have continued to the present time TO do the same.
| About two years ago, after the commencement of
these payments, reduced the amount to 5000.
| The reason of this reduction partly because
of the combined complaints on his part of Evans
and his partner and partly in consequence OF
| newspaper article 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. The above is a true statement of all the
facts in the case and is as complete as l can re-
member occurrences of so many years.
The reading was listened to with intense inter-
est by the members of the House and by large
audience in the galleries.
In the more pathetic portions of the narrative,
Mr.. Clymer was frequently forced by his feelings
to pause until his voice recovered from its trend
lousness and himself from agitation.
| AT the close of the reading, and after the many
members who had taken up positions near the
Clerks desk (the better to hear the testimony and
accompanying statements had returned to their
seats Mr., Clymer, who had also gone to his seat,
rose and said with great emotion:
| MIR. Speaker, would not if | could and could
not in my present condition if | would, add any
| thing to the facts just reported to the House.
Another occasion may be afforded me to do So
| Thev plain thai eyeryW here throughOut this