The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-27
GENERAL WASHINGTON DISPATCHES.

WAsHrSGroy, April 90, 1876.
THE MOTH ExTERMINAToR INVESTIGATION
TESTIMONY OF GENERAL INGALLS, AND DOM
PIArr--sTATxMKNT OF cowLEs 4 co. or
MONEYS RECEIVED AND DISBURsRD.
General Rufus Ingalls, appeared to-day before the
Committee on Expenditures in the War Department
He sat Board in December, 1872 TO examine into
the Cowlcs moth prevcntvc the Board took much evil
dence which was all Of a favorable character, and In
accordance with this they made favorable report but
no recommendation; the chairman had . letter from
Captain Allcgood, who removed from the Schuyl-
kill Arsenal; he said that the money spent on the
Cowles l. Brcga moth cxtcrminator was SO much
money thrown away; the witness said he believed Cap
tain Allcgood removed before the Board sat in
Philadelphia; when no won't into Office last June no
found long printed argument from Cowes Co., ask
ing that they BIO paid money duo them from previous
years. there had been paragraph inserted in tho APP
preparation bills of 1875 and 1875 to the effect that the
money should DO spent for patented processes; tho
amount from years aud which Cowes
Co. claimed as applicable to them, $50, 900; wit
ness referred tho matter tho War Department, and
after IL went through the Bureau OF Military Justice
went to tho Attorney Gencral It was finally decided
that tho new appropriation could be used in paying for
labor in preserving clothing, &c, from moths and mil
dew witness transmitted tho exact decision Of the At
torncy General order to General Rucker by au-
thoriiy OF the War Department; witness does not
know whether all OF the money under tho rev appro
priation has been spent for labor; he believed that
Cowles Co. applied the process, furnishing the ma
terias and labor the TO General Rucker was not
given with view to avoid the prohibition IN the APP
preparation bill; witness presumed that the Appro
priaton bill did not aim at anything except TO keep
tho government from paying money tor the royal
- tvr uit,a
knows nothing about the matter further than 10 be-
licvc that the process applied properly the Az
torncy General had decided IL should be; had
seen tho accounts because they would him
as Quartermaster General but would 20 to the account
ing officers; witness did not become fully convinced
that the process was good ono until after he had
served on tho second Board OF Examination in 1874;
he guided entirely by the testimony Of experts,
repeated alter years OF steady trial. witness pro-
uounccd the statements of Dom Piatt that he
imcal to tho interests OF the Cowlcs process and al
the insinuatons he had mado In his paper were I'M
qualihcdy false; he did not know what Dom Piatt
meant when no said that witness was interested In
"Burcttizrngr process had never boon interested IN
or heard OF such process; he further pro-
nouncod all OF Patts insinuations charges
absolutely and unqualaedly ialse had nothing do
with sending army clothing Vienna to exhibit the
process except In oihcial way; they sent by
Quarermaster General Meigs; had shown favor to
Cowlcs Co. other than he bound to army
officer said the late Secretary OF War told hun
one day that the CowIes process was discontinued By
OF charges made by Dom Pat that he had been
going around town saying that he could secure alb
rocatc contracts through the influence he had the
secretary of War; that he had sent for Pia,t and
told HIM that, II such statements were mado
they were lies; witness believes that the Sec
rotary OF War has the right 10 spend $780, 900 OF tho
Appropriation for clothing, for labor and material in
the preservation Of the labrcs witness had had
any nancia: transactions with Cowlcs any member
OF the firm; has objections TO producing his bank
account; when the first Board called in Ph,ladel
pha in 1872 moths could DO gathered BY the quart in
siorchouscs but when they had the second Board
meeting. in 1874 It with dimculiy thata moth
moth egg could DO found; from this circumstance no
came TO the conclusion that the former officers
dcreI.ct IN their duty that the moth process c
Gent.
Colonel Dom Piatt was recalled. He desired to
correct his testimony that no had not received any
money from Cowlcs 4 Co after tho trouble he
had with them; he found on looking Mr.
Fanrs books that he had received 500 atcr that
time; witness out OF town and did not know that
this amount was credited from Cowlos Co until now
informed by Mr. Faut; witness said that all he knew
of the good md bad In General ingalls, character no
learned romNhis client. Mr.. Cowlcs
Hamilton G\Fant testified that the firm Of FAINT,
Washington Co. were bankers in Washington, and
financial agents OF George A.. CowIcs Co during the
timc they held tho contracts the amounts received and
duburscd BY him for Cowlcs Co were as follows
Received from tho Army Navy and Ordnance 0niccs
$403 SIS. This distributed Ms foIIows:-
George A. Cowics expense account. SAL Is
George A. Cowcs army account. ......... 63.525 10
Gcorsc A. Cswics personal account........ e2550 "a
George W. Brcca ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $3.50 70
I. n Bacon 57,934 20