The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-05
The Cattells.

The Cattetls.
Investigation by the House OF Represent
stives has made plain as day, that the real
object of SEcoR RoBEsoN in ousting the
BARINos as the financial agents OF the
navy, and replacing them with JAY COOKE,
McCULLocu 4 Co.. was to convert that
agency into an instrument of the same
corruption with which every other branch
Of that department was already tainted.
In order to make the agency more profit
able to all concerned, squadrons were kept
In Europe and elsewhere, without Q pre-
tence of utility, and really for no other
purpose than to swell the expenditures
abroad for the beneft OF the hands through
which all the drafts passed, and to enlarge
the margin for collusive contracts and pur-
ohases. In plain terms. the service was
fubordinated to the interests of a corrupt
combination, mt the head of which was the
Secretary himself, with some Of his offi-
eials and confederates outside, who served
d blinds for carrying on the jobbery.
When the committee called upon RoBE-
son for statement of the transactions be-
tween the Department and JAY COOKE.
McCULLoCH & Co., with the reasons for
Diminishing the BARINas after more than
half a century of faithful service, he pre-
tended among other things that the former
had given larger bond than the latter
or to use his own words:
The said appointment snd agreement being N. same
m all respects a. had been prev ousy made and sted
with Messrs. BAmgo, BROTHERS 4 Co., the previous
,.a cooskr Mccu tns e we're srse ls
give ws Zone S az reqr n the sum
The sum previously required Of and given By hessrs
The impression is here sought to be
made by RoBEsoN that he was care-
full of the public interest, and that COOKIES
rotten concern protected IL better than
the DARINes with their capital, charao-
ter. and credit established all over the
world. He took care to conceal, however,
who constituted this approved security"
and the committee had to address him an
other letter TO discover that rather i'm
portant fact. His extorted answer dis
closes the names that were expect
ed. A. @. and Il. G. CArTELL were
the bondsmen. A strong suspicion ex-
ists that they were secret partners,
and were mostly instrumental with SE-
COR robson in procuring the dismissal
Of the BARINGs in order TO get control of
Il
formal partners, they were at least bene-
nciaries in all the transactions which
passed through that agency.
These CATTEJIs substantially managed
the Navy Department in everything that
involved contracts, claims, jobs, or specu-
lations. They stood behind robson,
pulled the wires and directed his official
setion. They had free access TO all in
formation on the files. were looked upon
In the department as supreme In author
ity, and controlled the bureaus as II
they were personal property. Al
though they have sworn that they did
not divide the spoils with RoBEsoN, It is
impossible to reconcile the relations of
these parties with honest dealings, or the
exceptional advantages which they were
allowed, with anything like integrity. 1t
was easy enough TO cover up the plumber
through third or fourth parties, as was
due in their real estate operations at
Washington, in order TO enable them to
swear through aud to AVOID an indictment
for perjury.
From the precautions taken In other
respects, It may be fairly supposed these
coIfederates adopted some plan OF protec-
ton by which direct proof of their collu-
SION would be hidden from view, so that
they might take custom house oaths with
comparative ease. But the extent OF their
transactions through the whole service
their intimate familiarity with the inside
OF the Department, their connections with
contracts obtained alone through this
knowledge, and the universal belief that
n. fol hot m for.
acted the effect OF this plan.
Long success in fact, emboldened them
70 abandon some of their early precautions
Tue withdrawing of robson and the
favor extended to HIM by the Naval Com
mlttees Of Congress in excessive appropri-
ations, turned their heads, and almost Justi-
ned the conviction that there would never
b. day of reckoning. The tidal wave OF
1874 swept away that delusion in part, and
although efforts Were made to put the
department in trim for the meeting OF
Congress, the Investigation now going Oh
will show up this thievlng combination in
Its true light and ought TO send the princi
pals to the penitentary.
Not only did CArTELL run the Navy De
partment, but he grasped at other patron
age through the influence OF RoBEsoN ant
GRANT. While he was operating through
COOKE, McCULLOCH Il Co.. Is has beeI
shown, he was also appointed an agent o
tbe Treasury to place the loans abroad
and Ia said to have utilized that opportu
nifty by favors to members of the Syndi
Gaze who put their money where II woult
do the most good.
When Mr. BRIsTow came into the Treas
ury, unusual efforts were made to hav,
CATrELL reappointed to that agency. Mr.
BRIsTow resisted for sufficient reasons, anC
she President directly requested the ap
s0ial@sRl at least twice. Tho seQFelar!