The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-29
VOL. XLIlL. 1873.
THE SPREAD OF GRANTISM.
a CONTRdCT THIT GIN. M'KENZIE
DENOUNCED As 4 FR4JD.


KeynOldaa
Post Trndcrships while General 81 ths
Army The Posts that Brother Orvii Sold
Tho Profits of Post Trndcrships'
wAsutScToS. March 2s.-The Committee
on the Ex, ndituros In the War Department to-
DAY examined Alex. 4. o. y, clerk In the Al
torney. Generals onice. lie testified that u.
Gordon Daniels called upon him and said no
wanted o. get the trading post at Fort Stanton
that Mr.. Bliss was to go into partnership with
him. and In case OF their receiving the appoint
ment they would give him Gray 1900. Gray
went to senator Carncntcr and recommended
Daniels tn be a good business man, SC, and told
him that he was a constituent OF Mr.. Carpenter.
Senator Carpenter recommended him, and Dam
iels obtlined the appointment, but never paid
him tho 5000
Lieut. Il. 7. j cohe, Jr., Of tho Tenth Infantry,
was examined Ms to the conduct Of trading posts.
He had been stationed for eisht aud half years
In the Indian Territory, Kansas, and Dakota.
lie knew OF the payment OF money by Evans TO
Marsh FOR the Fort sill post. The officers OF
the post recommended Evans for Fort Sill, but
no attention was paid to It. The witness said
Oryil Grant was out there In the fall OF 1874 and
Il was generally understood that Grant sold the
franchise for Standing Rock and Forts Steven
son. Buford, Peck. Kearney, and lierthold. The
witness added that It was generally understood
out there tDht all the posts NtTc phiu ioI auu
for sale The witness gave none but hearsay
Testimony; he knew nothing on the subject ex-
cept what was the general understanding among
army officers.
Lieut. Robert G. Carter of the Fourth Cavalry,
testified that Gen. Reynolds sent to Gen. Nc
Kenzie about 5000 or 5000 bushels OF corn,
bought from Adams & Wi Ks, contractors at san
Antonio. hut Gen. Mckenzie, WHO was com
msnder Of the post, refused to receive 1t. on tho
ground that 1t was not at for issue, and was too
high 10 price. Gen. Reynolds ordered him again
to tax H., when Mckenzie gam refused, and
bad Tn inspection Of the gain. 1t was found
weevil eaten and musy and therefore
uunt for issue. After McKenzie's second
protest. REYNOLDS IN de peremptory or
dor. and the Z rmer w,s ot liz ed to take the
Train Mckenzie represented that Adams &
Wicks wore Dad men; at they had got a " COR
ner' IN corn, and were mOnOpulizng the con-
tracts OF the department, and that other con
~ cents u rushel less The result WAS that Rev
nolds IRE err, d charges to Gen. Hal eek against
OF order. hu; he was never tfied. Witness said
the dam-ced 60 II lay round tho post Tor Il
long time. and WAS nas.ly wisted because the
horses would not eat II.
Mr.. J. L. Barron te.tlned tna; ho was appoint
Cd post trader a, Fort Cui n; New Mexico, IN
iS6S through the ina enc { w ID, I. Barnard.
brotber-in-law OF Gen. j. g. Dent. After trying
other parties, he went to Barnard and pr missed
70 give him one-third Of the profits of the post.
Barnard wrote a long letter TO Gen. Grant, who
was then General Of the Army, telling him Of
the proposition IN ade. aud detailing the convor.
nation had between the witness and Ban
nard. witness saw the letter. He en-
and cot it direct from GEN Grant throush Gen
Smith. After witness had put up the buildings.
accumulated large stock, and had gone to St.
Louis to huv goods. he was sunlmarty and un-
expectediy dismissed from his posttraders hip.
Barnard was apDon nted in his place and took
charge Of the buildings and goods without
authority. and beg a career OF Drofli yatc man
agemcn;. Barnard bet two wagon loads OF
c fee and aug BELONGING to witness Il at Grant
would carry the state u New York by 5000
majority and lost them. Witness was placed IN a
very uui loa-ant poslti n bee tise he owed large
amount OF money, and said he desired to make
Arrangements with his creditors lie went with
Dent To Fort Union and ound Barnard IN hargs.
sell out to Dtnt. Witness and Dent then went to
st Louis. where d, Mt backed ont Of his bargain.
After some dickerlng, he made "A new bargain
with Dent TO sell out to him for $500. when
Included two lots III St. Louis al $1,000 Witness
hold the lots for S45OJ, and conn pounded witt
his creditors for a settlement at forty cents on
the dollar, turning over Dents notes. SC. Wit
ess said ho hnu 10000 worm OF goods at Fort
Union when he sold out to Dent. Mr.. barnard,
q few days after enclosing witnesses appl cation
with The letter o. Cen Grant wrote to Mrs.
Grant, telling her OF witnes~'s proposition and
asking her Influence. The witness saws he read
the letter, and that Barn nd fanliarly addressed
her AS julia barnard Is now Bank Exauliner
Mr.. J. p. wooley, post trader at Fort d. A.
Russell, wyoming Territory, testified that be
was first appointed su Ter there Ia 1867. and was
reaDpoin,ed In March 1871. The original appoint
ment was made through the recommendation
Of tho officers OF the garrison. He employed
ex-senator John M. Thayer OF Nebraska
10 como here three or four tmcs
when attempts were nane to remove him.
lie bad paid 1hayer about $500 to tl 200.
lhe nrst paymont was made ~ August. 1872.
1he highest single payment was $3.50. He never
oonversed with 1hayer about the proposed
eli inge in the manner Of appointing post traders.
and never paid any officer his Influence to
retain the pOst. either Ia money or by allowing
them - have their goods cheap. lie contrib
uted S4J to The Republican cam paign fund dur
lnx the iast Pr siCentlal campaign, one check
Tor $.5l ana one for $50 He never paid any one
20 attend To his matters except Mr.. Thlyer.
Edward Wrch testi1eI that he had been post
trader at Fort AcPhoison since April 25. 1871. lie
also ID an intsresl at Camp Sheridan; that post
Eoes In with the MCPHERSON interest. Mr.. r.
r. hover, Wholesale grocer ot Keokuk,
Iowa, ana brother in-law OF Cen. Delkn p. Is his
partner. Witness got tie appoi intment through
military iuhueUce. Bower put s4.4O0 IN the
t2a0 anl owns one-third. He did not believe
thot IinWer ever wrote the Secretary OF War
hbout the place. He ssked him 10 do so. but
Bower said he dld pot want to oother the Sec
tetsry of Msr. The profits OF the post at Fort
Mrfhers1n were $500 the first yesr. They lost
tEWO nv "a regiment that LETT owing that much.
since then the prnnts have dwindled down to
hothlhf. Lost Year they lost money. This was
becausv tt the decrease OF the military force
thd increase OF competition. rhs witness suo-
tcroed $50 TO inc last Presidential campaign,
shu se1s II to the Chairman OF the CGmpai!n
Committee.
fIGHTIN0 ~ MExICO.