Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-03-16
Statement of the Witness Against Sec.
rotary Belknap.

In his evidence before the House Inves-
tigating Committee, on the Goth, Caleb p.
Marsh made the following statement:
"In the summer of 1870, myself and wife
spent three weeks at Long Branch, and on
our return to New York Mrs. Belknap and
(her sister, Mrs. Bowers (the latter the pres
ent wife of the Secretary, the former having
died in 1870 by our invitation came for a
visit to our house. Mrs. Belknap was Ill
during this visit some three or four weeks,
and, / suppose, in consequence OF our kind
ness to her, she felt under some obligations,
for she asked me one day in the course OF q
conversation why did not apply for post
leadership on the frontier. / asked what
they were, and was told that many of them
were very lucrative officers or posi-
tons in the gift of the Secretary Of
War, and that il / wanted one she would
ask the Secretary for one. Upon my re-
plying that thought such Offices belonged
to disabled soldiers, and besides that l was
without political influence, she answered
that politicians got such places, etc, etc.
do not remember saying that II had val
liable post OF that kind would remember
her, but do remember her saying some
thing like this: If / can prevail upon the
Secretary of War to award you post, you
must be careful to say nothing to him about
presents, for man once offered him Sl0,0O0
for leadership of this kind, and he told him
that If he did not leave the office he would
kick him downstairs Remembering
as / do, this story, presume the
antecedcnt statement to be correct. Mrs.
Belknap and Mrs. Bowers returned to wash
ington, and few weeks thereafter Mrs. Bel
KNAPP sent me word to come over. i did so.
She told me the post-tradersbip at Fort Sill
was vacant; that 1t was valuable post as
she understood, and that she had either
asked for 1t for me, or had prevailed upon
the Secretary Of War to agree TO give IL 10
me. At all events called upon the secretary
OF War, and as near as / can remember made
application for this positions regular print.
ed form. The Secretary said he would appoint
me il / could bring the proper letters ana
recommendations, and this said could 40.
Either Mrs. Belknap or the Secretary told
me that the present trader at the post, John
s. Evans, was All applicant for reappoint-
ment, and that had better see MIN, ne pein9
in the city. as il would not be fair to turn
him out Of Office without some notice, as ne
would lose largely on his buildings, mer-
chandjse, etc. II the Office was taken from
him, and that ii would be proper and Just
for me to make some arrangement win MN
for their purchase II ] wished to run the post
myself. saw Evans, and found MIN
alarmed at the prospect of losing the place
7 remember that be said firm OF
Western posttraders who claimed good
deal of influence with the Secretary Of war
promised to have him appointed. but he
found, on coming to Washington, this firm TO
be entirely without influence: Evans nrst
proposed partnership, which ! declinsa,
and then bonus OF certain Port,on Vi tho
profits IL / would allow him TO hold the posi-
ton and continue the business. We final
iy agreed upon $4,000 per year Evans
and myself went on to New York together,
where the contract was made and exc
cuted, which Is herewit. suplni,.ea - sn,nes
thing In the Army and Nary Journal which
led him TO think that some of the troops
were TO be removed from the fort, and mat
he had offered too large sum, and, before
thescontract was drawn, 1t was reduced py
agreement to $4,000, the same being pay
Ill Quarterly In advance When the re-
mittancc came to me, say, probably In
November, 1870, / sent one-half TO
Mrs Belknap, either, presume, oy
certificate OF deposit or bank notes