Daily Kennebec journal., 1876-03-29
Post leadership Frauds.
TESTIMONY BEFORE Mr.. CLY MER's
nMITTEE.
Important Revelations.

Washington, March %.
The committee in the War Department to-day
examined Alex. T. Gray, clerk in the Attorney
Generals office. He testified that B. Gordon Dan
iels called upon him and said that he wanted to
get the trading post at Fort Stanton. That Mr..
Bliss was to go into partnership with him and IN
case Of their appointment they would give him
(Gray) $1,000. Gray went to Senator Carpenter
and reccomme nded him Daniels, obtained the ap-
pointment, but never paid him the $1,000.
Lieut.. K. I. Jacobs, Jr L. S. A, was exam
ined to the conduct of trading posts. He had
been stationed s l-2 years in Indian Ter KS. and
Da. He knew of the payment of money by
Evans and Marsh for the Fort Sill post. The otli-
GERS of the post recommended Evans for Fort Sill,
but no attention was paid to it. Witness said Or.
vile Grant went out there in the fall of 1874, and
it was generally understood that Grant held the
franchises for Standing Rock, Forts Stevenson,
Bufort, Peck, kearney and Barthold. Witness
further said that it was generally understood out
there that all the posts were paid for and for sale.
First Lieut.. Ralet G. Carter, Sth cavalry, test-
fed that Gen. Reynold sent to Gen. Mckenzie
about 50 900 or 10000 bushels of corn bought
from Adams Il Wicks, contractors at San Antonio,
but Gen. Mckenzie, who was commander of the
post, refused to receive it, on the ground that it
was not fit for use and too high in price. Gen.
Reynolds ordered him again to take it, when Gen.
Mckenzie again refused and had an inspection
of the grain. 1t was found to be weevil eaten
and musty and therefore unfit for issue. After
Gen. Mckenze's second protest Gen. Reynolds
made a peremptory order and the former was
obliged to take the grain.
Gen. Mckenzie represented that Adams and
Wicks were bad men; that they had got corner
in corn, and were monopolizing the contracts Of
the department. and that other contractors offered
to furnish good for ID or 20 cts. bushel less
The result was that Reynolds preferred charges to
Gen. IIalltck against Mckenzie, for wilful and
obstinate disobediouce of orders; but he was
never tried.
Witness said damaged corn laid around the post
fo,o 1nnfr nd Wa 10 stal hpranaa
the horses would not eat it.
j. L. Barran testified that he was appointed post
trader at Fort Union, New Mexico, in 1868, thro'
the influence of W. ID. n. Bernard, brother-n-
law of Gen. j. c. Dent. After trying other par
ties, he went to Bernard and promised to give him
one-third of the profits of the post. Bernard
wrote long letter to Gen. Grant, who was then
general of the army, telling him of the PROPOSE
ton made, and detailing the conversation had be-
tween witness and Bernard. Witness saw the
letter. lie enclosed an application for the ap-
pointment, and got it direct from Gen. Grant
through Gen. Smith.
After the witness had put up buildings, accu-
mulated large stock and had gone to ST. Louis
to buy goods, he wss summarily and unexpected
ly dismissed from his post leadership. Barnard
was appointed in his place. Took charge of the
buildings and goods without authority and COM
menced career of profligate management. Bar
nard bet two wagon loads Of coffee and sugar be-
longing to the witness, that Gen. Grant would
carry the State of New York by 10000 majority
and lost.
Witness was placed in very unpleasant posi-
ton, because he owed large amount of money
and said that he required to make an arrange
ment with his creditors. lie went with Deaf to
Fort Union and found Barnard in charge. Wit
ness made an agreement at Fort Union to sell
out to Dent. Witness and Dent then went to
St. Louis where Dent backed out of his bargain.
After some dickering he made a new bargain
with Dent to sell out to him foo 1877 OOO which in
cuded two lots in ST. Louis at $4,000. Witness
creditors for a settlement at 40 cents on the dol
lar turning over Dents notes, &c. Witness said
he had $50 900 worth of goods at Fort Union
when he sold out to Dent. Barnard, few days
after enclosing witness application to Gen. Grant,
wrote to Mrs. Grant, telling her of the witness and
the proposition and asking her influence. Wit
ness says that he read the letter and that Barnard
familiarly addressed her as Julia. Barnard is now
bank examiner at st. Louis.
Edward Walch testified that he had been post
trader at Fort Mcpherson since April %, 1871.
He also had an interest at Camp Sheridan. The
latter goes in with Mcpherson. II. f. Bowers OF
Keokuk, Ia, wholesale grocer and brother-n-law
of Gen. Belknap, is his partner. Witness got the
appointment through military influence. Bowers
put in $i400 and owns 2-3. Witness put in S22OO
ever wrote the Secretary OF War about the place.
He asked him to do so, but Bowers said he did not
want to bother the Secretary of War.
Mr.. Woolsey, post trader at Fort Russel Wyom-
ing, testified that he got the appointment on rec
ommendaton of ex-senator Thayer of Neb. He
got Thayer to come to Washington to explain away
certain charges against him and paid him $1,000
his services. Mr. Thayer was the senator who
proposed the amendment to the bill of 1870, gvi-