The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-03-11
RAsgaluTIEs OF robson.
lsUw the Secretary Of the Navy Builds
ana DecOrates n House.

4
| Washington Correspondence Chicago Times.
A watch, however, has been set on the
navy yard to see that neither Robson
nor Belknap makes use OF this cOnven.
lent method Of escape.
The points Of evidence against RObe-
son are gradually leaking out. and they
| disclose that, as in the BeIknap case, the
wife has been one of the active partici-
pants in the husbands corruption. The
| testimony of Captain William =. Fergu.
son, former chief clerk TO General
Franklin A. Stratton, civil engineer OF
the Washington navy yard, Is full Of in
corruptions have extended to the small
est branches of the service. His testi-
mony in brief is that Robson has had
his new house on X street finished of
and deliberately furnished by Govern
ment workmen, who brought with them
material from the navy yard. This Is
also testified to by the former chief
clerk OF the pay-rolls, and the muster
clerk, who had charge Of the men g
time and has alleged to know the duties
and objects of the mems work. He
noticed that the object Of the men IS
work was misrepresented to him under
and the like, and that this misrepresen-
tation was afterwards corrected upon
the books Of Gen. Stratton. The FORE
man Of the yard, William p. Childs, a
protege of Senator Dawes, Of Massa-
chusetts, was the main instrument en-
ployed In perverting Government ma
terial to private use. He was made
much of by Mrs. Robson, and he in
turn to show his gratitude, worked
a large number OF his men in
this lady's service. When Robe
son first came here he lived in humble
bachelor style upon Vermont avenue,
/ street. When he became married, Of
course he had to branch out in style to
correspond to Mrs. Robeson's ideas of
what, was due their situation. The Sec
rotary bought a lot upon X street, just
below the Hamilton House, and here he
erected u snowy dwelling. The interior
OF this building evidences unlimited
wealth and expenditure. Every room,
from basement to attic, is wainscOted
with elegant black walnut, here and
there beautifully carved with excellent
Judgment and taste. This work would
have cost upward Of $4,000 had 1t been
done by private hands. Here the adj
vantage OF being Secretary OF the Navy
is made to appear. ALI of this work
who received their pay from the United
States Government. The black wal
nut employed was also gov
eminent property. Besides trim
ming this house throughout
in the most expensive manner, the
genial foreman Of the navy yard, Mr..
Childs, also took occasion to further in
gratiate himself into the good graces Of
Mrs. Robson by manufacturing various
valuable articles Of household furniture.
An elegant and deliberately carved side
board in Robeson's dining-room is the
work of Mr.. Childs 1t cost the Treas
ury Of the United States 5000. under the
item Of incidental labor. Hatracks,
card tables and kitchen-dressers are
few Of the numerous articles manufac-
tured by this Industrious and patient
soul, Childs, for the sole purpose OF
pleasing Mrs. Robson. One day Mr..
Childs assumed a. lavish mood and Or
dered two Of the best wood cutters at
hand, Fred. Boettscher and VIM. Noak,
Germans, to go to work and make up a
lot OF work boxes for distribution among
Mrs. Robeson's friends. These work
boxes were very costly, and occupied
the attention OF Boettscher and Noak
for several months. Capt. Ferguson 8
testimony shows that upwards Of 81, 900
worth Of time and material have been
diverted from the navy yard to the pri-
vate house Of RCbeson for his domestic