The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-03-09
Democratic Statesmen Involved.
Messers. PendIeion and CIymer Accused
OF Fraud.


ton Herald says the rumors which have gained
such wide circulation connecting the name of
Hon. George n. Pendleton with the payment
OF a large sum to Mrs. 3elknap to secure favor
able action on the claim of the Kentucky Gen.
trail Railroad have resulted from certain de.
velopments made in the course of Clymer's in
qniry regarding post traderships. The facts are
of character to bring deep disgrace upon the
Democratic managers of that committee, what
ever the result for Mr.. Pendleton may be.
They show beyond question that Clymer and
bis associates were not seeking to expose cor
ruption except where it involved Republicans,
and that they declined to even go through the
forms of inquiring whether certain direct
charges made against one of the prominent
Democratic candidates fer the presidency were
true.
THE CHARGES MADE
are OF character to demand and inevitably re.
ceve national attention. In brief, they are
these: When Mr. and Mrs. Marsh reached
Washington last week, and before the former
appeared before the committee, there was q
conference at the Arlington between Mrs. Bel
KNAPP and Mrs. Marsh, several other persons
being p1esent, all being a:quaintances, and
most privy to the facts which Clymer's commit
tee was charged with inquiring about, At that
iheSA'iOW hAAo. Vi tuc NdTlOuS
transactions of which she knew, alluded to the
statements in circulation in certain circles in
regard to the Pendleton railroad claim. Mrs.
Belknap said that the stories were gross exag-
gerations; that while it had been believed
among some of her friends that
SHE RECEIVED $4,000 FROM THAT cLAIM,
she had in fact, obtained only about half that
amount. The Republican members of the
committee knew nothing of this branch
of the subject till last Saturday night.
The first thing Monday Mr.. Danford caused a
subpoena to be issued for Mrs. Marsh and an
officer started yesterday for New York to serve
it; but Mrs. Marsh, having as is supposed, had
an intimat1on OF what was going on, left for
Canada. Still, if ever brought before the COM
mittee, her friends say she will certainly testify
to the main fact given above. In regard to the
course of Mr.. Clymer concerning this matter,
the case, as reported by those in position to
know, is of character which
THE DEMOCRATIC HOUSE MUST TAKE NOTICE OF,
or stand fzlly condemned before the country.
Mr.. Clymer and Mrs. Marsh, Mrs Bowers, now
Mrs. Belknap Hon. George +. Pendleton and
others, made tour of Europe or good part
of it, together During this trip the whole
party became pretty well acquainted with the
main facts thus far developed and others of
similar character. When it became known
to some who were OF this party that Mr.. Cly-
mer had determined to bring Gen. Belknap
down, he was reminded in the most pointed
terms that if he was determined to do this he
could not decline to bring Pendleton down too.
MR.. CLYMER CONSTANTLY EvADED THE RE-
sPoNs sBILITY
by saying that he did not have sufficient data
to reach Mr.. Pendlaton. He was pressed with
the counter statement that Mrs. Marsh would
testify to it, and that he had reasons to know
something concerning the matter, and that the
records of the departments would throw some
light on the case. He, however, refused to go
into the matter, land the result was that Mr.
and Mrs. Marsh were allowed to go without an
attempt to ascertain whether they could throw
any light upon the Pendleton case. These
facts have caused belief in some quarters that
it was
TO SAVE PENDLETON THESE WITNESSES WERE
ALLOWED TO LEAVE TOWN,
and that Mrs. Marsh, for tile same purpose
was advised to follow her husband to Canada.
For some reason there has been for three days
past noticeable stampede on the subject of the
investigation among prominent Democrats.
The reason was not apparent; but the tact has
attracted much attention. Speaker Kerr has
for the past week been most earnest aud en-
phatic in his declarations against the policy OF
more Investigations He has carried this so
far as to threaten refusal to appoint such COM
mittees if ordered, and the only explanation
credited is that it has been ascsrtained that
Democrats of high position are certain to suffer
if the campaign against corruption goes on,
The record of
PENDLEToN'S SETTLEMENT OF THE KENTUCKY
CENTRAL RAILROAD CLAIMS
is briefly this: The road, after having been
paid the usual military rates. filed claim for
the difference between these rates and 80 pei
cent of the usual rates to private parties The
amount was $14S,553. Secretary Stanton re
ferred it to Quartermaster-Genera Meigs, who
twice reported strongly against it, and Stanton
refused to pay. In the fall of 1870 Pendeton
wrote to Belknap, asking another considera-
tion of the case. 1t was again referred to Gen
Meigs, who recalled and restated his former
action, and twice again reported adversely
1t was then referred to Gen. Mckee Dunn,
Assistantl Judge-Adyocate.Ge General. who de-
cided that
BELKNAp HAD THE RIGHT TO REOPEN THE
CASE;
that the claim was good one, and that the
third auditor should be asked to settle it
Belknap approved this, and requistion war
rant was issued to Pendeton and payment
| rushed through the War aud Treasury Depart
ments lin one day, and the whole face of the
claim paid to Pendleton, June II, 1871.