The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-21

aHalrS give their WnOie time TO the lnveStl-
CATION of supposed frauds in the navy de-
partment and In the several navy yards.
Not more than two-thirds Of the testimony
taken at the Norfolk navy yard has yet
been transcribed by the stenographers
and now b-committee is at work at the
kittery navy yard, and after finishing up
that investigation, the Charlestown navy
yard is to be oyerhauled by the same gen.
tlemen. Mr.. Willis, of New York, in the
meantime, has been pursuing, as a COM
mittee Of one, minute searches into every
thing connected with the discipline of the
navy, aud expects next week to open up an
investigation at the Brooklyn navy yard.
This naval committee, with its several
branches, is accommodating material that
will make as many volumes as the ku-klux
outrage report or the report on the conduct
of the war;
The committee on military affairs finds
work enough in endeavorlng to throw light
on some of the dark spots connected with
the soldiers tombstone contracts. 1t got a
history OF the contract to day from Maur
ice j. Walsh, of New York, who claims
that, although his bid for first-class Cara.
ra marble was only some 100000 tout of
which 100000 was to come back to the
government in the shape of duty on the
imported article), the contract was given
TO a Mr.. Bridges, of keokuk, Iowa, for
100000 for American marble OF very in
terior quality and without any such advan-
tage to the government. He charges also
that Bridges bid was put in after the hour
fixed for opening the bids, and after two of
his own walsh 81 had been opened He
asserts that Bridges was also favored to
the extent of $4,000 10 change of re-
quirements in the specifications after the
bids were in.
The postofice committee and the com
mittee on expenditures in the postof1ice
department are frequently at work eliciting
testimony about mail contracts, special
agents, &c.
The committee on printing labors quietly
but assiduously in piling up facts and fig
ures bearing on the cost of the government
printing office, which, according to the es-
innate Of experts outside, is fully so per
cent more than it ought to be if it was not
run as a great political machine.
The committee on expenditures in the
interior department and the department
Of justice is going very deeply into the
mal-administration of officials in Georgia
and elsewhere, and also looking scrutiniz
ing lily into the minor expenses of these de-
partments.. particularly in the matter Of
furniture, &c.
The committee on expenditures of the
war department looms up over all the rest
by its big Bonanza" discovery of the
Fort Sill leadership. 1t holds daily SEES
sions, and is the happy hunting-ground'
Of the gentlemen of the press.
The select committee on the Freedmen
bank is the most methodical of all the
committees Ever since its appointment,
early In the session. it has met on alternate
days, and sat from 10 to -. The testi-
mony taken by it is very important, par
tlcularly as revealing the manner in which
; the funds of the bank were fritted away il
loans without adequate security, the most
notable instance OF which was in connec
ton with the famous Seneca stone ring, OF
which Governor Cooke and VIM. s. Hunt
ington were the leading spirits, and of the
stock OF which certificates for 200 shares
each were held by various high officials Of
/ the government.
In the Bcardsey cadetship case to-day
, before subcommittee Of the judiciary
/ committee, young Beardsl3y himself wa:
examined. He testified that on his way t.
Alabama Ito take Up constructive resi-
dencel he called at the house of Mr.
Liiley, the Washington broker, who OBJ
tanned the appointment for him (receivine
? $4,000 thereforl, and was there introduced
to Mr.. Charles Hayes, of Alabama 9TH,
member who gave the appointment); thai
i, Mr.. Hays expressed the hope that h
A (Beardsleyl would not fail to pass til
D examination, as the two boys whom h
had previously appointed had done, an
e that no inquiry was made from him
n Mr.. Hays as to his parentage, education
= Continued on third uage.l