Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-03-03
SECRETARY BELI<SAP
The Report In His Case 4 SicScu-
ing Record-Res solutions for I'm
penchneRf-Acfion Of the House
Of Representatives.,

4
Of Representatives..
| The announcement in TIE STAR of yes
| teTday OF the serious charges OF corruption
against the Secretary of War. with the de-
tails OF the sad affair for the first time pub
lished ia W ashington, startled the commu-
nifty, and the subject was the theme of Cos
sip In every direction. AS was stated in
yesterdays issue would be the case the COM
mitiee on expenditures in the War depart
ment, reported the damaging testimony soon
after four O'Clock p m to the House of Rep
resentatives, accompanied by resolutions OF
impeachment. The following is a record OF
the proceedings In the case:
Mr. Clymer (Pa.) said he desired TO ask
permission OF the House 10 make a report
t,oin me committee on expenditures of the
war department of so great Importance that
ne felt quite certain that when il was heard
me House would sustain him In makins the
request at this time.
The committee having been aIlowed no
cierR 10 perform the writing for them. he
MI. Clymerl had made the record and he
ieli sure none OF the clerks of the House could
read them. and he asked that he might read
The report himself
Mr. Clymer, in compliance with requests
from all sides of the hall, took the clerks
desk and read
THE REPORT.
The report is as follows: The Committee
on expenditures of the War department re-
spt cuully report that at the very threshold
of their investigation they had found suca
unqualified evidence of malfeasance In Office
by VIM. w. BelkDep, late Secretary of War
that they bad felt ii duty TO lay the same
before the House.
They report further that at IL O'Clock to-
day they had received communication
from the President announcing the resigua-
ton OF Secretary Beiknap, together with a
copy OF his letter accepting the same.
The committee submit this report, and de-
mand that VIM. w. Belknap, late Secretary
of War, be dealt with according TO the law
OF the land, and 10 that end submit the evi.
dence and rescript of the record Of the pro-
ceedlngs OF The committee.
The following resolutions were submitted:
ReSotred, That w. w. Belknap, late Secre-
tsry of War, be impeached of high crimes
ana miscemeanOrs in office.
Resotred. that the testimony in the case of
w. w. Belknap, late Secretary of War, be
referred TO the Committee on the Judiciary,
without unnecessary delay, suitable articles
Of impeachment of w. w. Belknap. late Sec.
reiary of War.
ReSOlred, That a committee of five mem
bers OF the House be appointed and instruct
cd 10 proceed to the bar of the Senate aud
there impeach VIM. w. Belkuap, late Secre-
tary of War, in the name of the House of
Represen tatives and Of all the American peo-
pie. Of high crimes and misdemeanors while
In office, and to inform that body that arti-
Giles ofimpeachment will in due time ba pra-
sented, and to request the Senate TO Ia Ike
such action as they may deem proper in the
premises.
campaigning documents. The first was the
TESTIMONY OF CALEB p. MARSH
herepOrt commencing as follows:
Tuesday, February -, 1876. The commit
tee met at 1880 O'Clock 81. m; present, Messrs
Clymer Blackburn and Robbins Mr.. Caleb
p Marsh, one of The. witnesses ordered to be
summoned by the committee, being present,
was duly sworn according to law.
q. Where do you reside? A. | reside at
No. 80 vest 5. th street, New York; haye re-
sided in New York about eight years.
IN QnsN nj 7f tod or fam lava a
an appointment as post trader at Fort Sill,
in the Indian Territory, in the fall OF 1870, by
the Secretary of War? If so, under what
circumstances was said appointment secured
10 you? state also you were commissioned:
and If any other person was SO commissioned
give his name, the reason why he was COM
Inissioned, and IL any agreement was made
between you and the appontee; state il or
produce IL in writing; and was said agree
ment made with the knowledge OF the Secre-
taTy of War, and state the circumstances
connected with making that agreement aud
ali that transpired hereunder fully and par
ticuiarly as If you were especially interro-
gated in regard TO the several transactions
and so full as TO save the necessity of repeat
cd interrOgations?
ITO this Mr.. Marsh submitted a written
statement. stating, In substance, that in the
summer OF 1870 he spent some time at Long
Branch, and on his return to New York Mrs.
Belknap and Mrs. Bowers went to his house.
shown her, asked witness if he would not
| like post traders position. He replied that
he thought these positions should be given to
hoEorably discharged soldiers. Besides, he
had no political Influence. Mrs. Bowers said
she could secure 1t, but suggested TO Mr..
Marsh not to mention the matter to the Sec
rotary of War, because on one occasion of
the kind he had threatened to kick the appli-
cant down stairs. She added that the post
at Fort Sill was about TO be abandoned, and
that she could obtain ii for Mr.. Marsh. He
Sill. subsequently saw Evans, the former
post trader, and he was alarmed at losing
The place. After consultation with Evans it
was agreed that Marsh should secure the
place; that Evans was TO get the COMMITS
sion, and that he was to pay Marsh sI2 900
annually. After receiving the first Sl2 900
next payment was sent to the Secretary of
War himself, and he had continued to so
send 1T down to the last payment in 1875
Marsh also said that he attended the first
Mrs. Belknap's funeral in December, 1870, in
Washington, and while there he went up
stairs to see the baby, when Mrs. Bowers ex-
planned that all the money sent was in trust
for the baby
After reading the above, Mr.. Marsh was
examined at length, and the following ques-
tions and answers indicate more at length
the contents of the paper:
Question by the Chairman:-State how the
payments were made to the Secretary of
War subsequent to the funeral OF his then
wife, in 1870; whether in cash. by check
draft, certificates OF deposit, bonds, or by
express or Otherwise. a. The money was
sent according TO the Instructions OF the
by Adams express; think on one or more
occasions by certificate of deposit on the
National Bank of Commerce, of New York.
Sometimes have paid him in New York in
person. Except the first payment in the fall
| of 1870, and the last in the fall of 1915, all
were made TO the Secretary in the mode
| have stated, unless. perhaps, on one or two
occasions, at his instance, / bought a gov
| eminent bond with moneys in my hands
| arising from the contract with Evans, and
| which either sent or handed to him.
Question by Mr.. Blackburn:-Can you
| state the sum In the aggregate received by
| you under the contract with Evans, and
| what portion thereof have you paid TO the
| Secretary of War, including the first and
| last payments which you said were not paid
to him? A. have no memoranda whatever
on which to make answer. 1t is a very sim
| pie calculation, however. The first payment
| 10 me by Evans was made in the fall OF 1870,
| at the rate of So 600 year. He paid at that
| rate about year and half, and since then
| at the rate of $4,000 a year. 1t would aggre-
| gate about $40, 900, one half of which l dis
| posed of as above stated.
| By the Chairman:-Did you receive letters
| from the Secretary Of War ACKNOWLEDGING
| the receipt of the sums forwarded TO him in
the manner you have stated, or did he ac-