Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-04-05
khan won,d be snbnnnaed. and wou,d

"Mr. Robbins-In the conversation
had with her or another person at
ANY time, was it the understanding
shat the money you were to pay and
'were paying,was to be the money of
'Mrs. Bclknap, the present wife of the
Secretary of WARP"
"Answer-It was not"
OF course it was not, for standing
by the cradle of the infant in the nur-
sery had he not said "Thls child will
have money coming to ii before a
great while" and was there not tacit
understanding between Marsh and
Mrs. Belknap that upon the death of
the child the payments would revert
to her, while there is not the least
shadow of an intimation that the Sec
rotary retained the instalments which |
regularly continued to be sent.
1t is important to notice that after
all this statement which, smooth as it
is, proves nothing against the Secre-
tary, there is but one question of
cross-cxamination put by Judge
Blair, but that question is enough. 1t
is as follows:
90. by Judge Blair-In your ex-
ssamination-in-chief you say that Sec
sretary Belknap demonstrated against
"your going away without appearing
"before the committee. Did the Sec
''retary, in desiring you to go before
"the committee to testify, ask you to
sstestify to any untruth? Al GER
"tainly don't think he did"
Certainly not, for at that time the
Secretary was not aware of the ma
ture of his wife's transactions with
Marsh and was strong in the con-
seriousness of his own integrity.
Mrs. Belknap invites Mr.. Black
burn to an interview which he re-
ports in part thus:
an this interview Mrs. Belknap
s'said that the testimony of one Caleb
sMarsh before the Committee ON Ex-
Expenditures in the War Department,
swould tend to implicate herself in a
.smanner that would occasion criti-
s'cism, but acould ultimately fail to
"sho,c any completely upon the part Of
general Belknap IN the matter of the
"Fort Sill leadership, and she asked
"that she might not be made the sub
"ject of investigation where the testi-
ssmony did not tend to involve the
Secretary of War
A number of exhibits are appended
to this precious report of these con
spirators, but while, rs against the
Secretary, they prove nothing, bu
!. rather tending to acquit him of al
suspicion of knowledge of the salt
. and price paid for the appointment
|, these precious exhibits do, on thu
> other hand, furnish strong cumula
i tive testimony that these gentlemen
(by courtesy were meeting by stealth
unknown to their colleagues, ant
were literally conspiring to manufac
ture prima facie case.
; When the sworn statement of Marsl
: has been secured, Mr.. Belknap is in
vited to appear before the committe
the sworn statement is read to him
! and he realizes for the first time tn
! nature of the money transactions be
> tween Marsh and his own wife, an,
what follows! He says:
!. EsGentleman, this is a terrible SUI
t'pyise to me. I shall haze to ask go
= ssto dltoU me time to make an e.cpldao
!. 1stion. know Mr.. Marsh, and hay
s'heard his statement read. am S
). s'bewildered that l can't remembe
4 'much that is i'm the statement, but {
v "what l do remember some is tru
r "some is false, and some things / d
f mot know anything about"
Can any honest man read the who
l.. of this affair and point to single sci
~ tence duplicating the Secretary, will
n out being able to point to halfa doze
facts that effectually relieve him frol
q. such implication?
10 But the Secretary, amazed, contour
I ded, overwhelmed by this ''terrib
III SURPRISE" asks for time to make q
70 explanation and retires. Reachin
n home it may well be imagined TIL
:" he seeks his wife and for the fir
= time realizes the joint indiscretion
- - the two ladies.
~ To confront the conspirators al
~ vindicatc himself is easy, provided
- - have no regard for his dead wife al
- for her surviving sister-but in h
. breast this regard is superior to ever
- other consideration and manhood
= never such noble manhood, as WHIT
~ taking upon itself the blame for VIII
it has not done, in order to SHE
lg woman from reproach. This the Sc
he rotary has done, and for this he
re branded as a criminal in every pap
n upon evidence not strong enough
~ authorize any honest magistrate
ia commit common tramp to a cal
y bOose.
OF course the first thought of Il
IN Secretary, in his official relations
is that this has compromised his CHI
OF and he promptly tenders his resign
n ton, requesting its immediate acceI
"a ance.
I'd General Grant accepts it with |
id greet having no idea of the serio
re nature of the accusations against hi
ut The fact is ignored that:
! 'sThe President in cOnversati,
swith friends stated emphatically til
~ she was not aware of the enormity
- ''the charges against Belknap at t
~ ''timc he rendered and the Preside
" accepted his resignation. From 4
~ "hurried and incoherent manner
III "Belknap's communication to him
y "President drew the conclusion til
= "Mrs. Belknap and not her husbal
~ "was the guilty party, and that t
s'Gcneral assumed all responsible
ne ''and censure in order to shield l
Il "wife."
as just SO land with no evidence VIII.
ne ever against Mr.. Belknap, the who
ne Nation has united to fix upon him t
IN accusation Of crime, when he merit
AZ sympathy of all men, i'm his misft
IN tune, and their honor, for his ma
We hood.
in The conclusion of the whole matt
is on a par with the onslaught up
We the victim.
I Now that the worst is told a
If nothing remains to be concealed
IN vindication is denied to him.
The conspirators aid and abet t
l escape of the witness, drive the il
D. parchment through with indece
II, haste, are convicted by their cxclud
D. colleagues of lying, and stand d
id graced before the Nation by their
L capacity and shameless conspiracy
e. build up their party upon the ruin
i'd reputation of an innocent man.
w General Belknap may have no
that time will yet vindicate him
he any thing more heinous than havi
he been deceived by woman whom
Mt loved and honored.
as And the Republican party too, m
". learn, that it is not well, howey
81 eager to root out and punish CORFU
sh ton, to allow any panic terror
drive it into forsaking tried and no
of orable men, without just cause.
Leap Year Advice.
~ tMetropolitan)
is When you are sitting in the parl
is with a young lady and she works h
at chair close to yours, looks drea1
on and sentimental and signs as S
nd raises her eyes to yours, don't {
le- confused and blush and move aw,
IN just sit right still, and chew the CT
n ner of your handkerchief and wa
You're in no danger. But if s
to leads you to the sofa, sits by W
takes your hand in hers or rather |
rs, tween hers, looks up into your ia
'er with firm yet resolute expressit
he and gently whispers it is leap we