Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-03-22

|
HONEST JOIN.
| s>~----s.-a--z-.r.---.-z..-
RoBEsoN's TURN NEXT.
How He Furnished his House---Nu
| merous Presents to Lady.
The points of evidence against Robson
are gradually leaking out, and they dis.
close that, as in the Bclknap case, the
wife has been one Of the active partci.
pants in the husbands corruption. The
testimony of Capt. Wm P. Ferguson
former chief clerk to Gen. Franklin A.
Stratton, Civil Engineer of the Washing
ton Navy Yard, is full Of interest in show
ing how Robeson's corruptions have ex-
tended to the smallest branches of the
service. His testimony in brief is that
Robson has had his new house on X.
street finished off and elaborately furnish
cd Ly Government workmen, who brought
with them material from the navy yard
This is also testified to by the former
chief clerk of pay rolls, and the muster
clerk, who had charge of the mems time
and has alleged to know the duties and
objects of the mems work. He noticed
that the object of the mems work was
misrepresented to him under the head of
incidental labor, furniture and the like,
and that this Misrepresentation was after
ward corrected upon the books of Gen.
Stratton.
The foreman of the yard, Vim, 2. Cmlds,
a protege of Senator Dawes of MaSsa-
chusetts, was the main instrument en-
ployed in pcrverting Government material
to private use. lie was made much Of by
Mrs. Robson, aud he, in turn, to show
his gratitude, worked Il large number Of
his men in this lady's service. When
Robson first came here, he lived in hum
BILE bachelor style upon Vermont avenue.
near street. When he became married,
of course he had to branch out in style to
SoilCopouu W MIS-. hODcSOll luchS VI
what was due their situation. The Sec
retary bought lot upon X street, just
below the Hamilton House, and here he
erected snowy dwelling. The interior
of this building evidences unlimited
wealth and expenditure. Every room,
from basement to attic, is wainscosed
with elegant black walnut, here and there
beautifully carved with excellent judg-
cost upward Of $4,000 had it been done
by private hands. Here the advantage Of
being Secretary Of the Navy is made to
appear.
All Of this work was done by men from
the navy yard, who received their pay
from the United States Government. The
black walnut employed was also Govern
ment property Besides trimming this
house throughout in the most expensive
manner, the genial foreman of the navy
yard Mr. ChldS, also took occasion to
further ingratiate himself into the good
graccs of Mrs. Robeson by manufacturing
various valuable articles of household
furniture. An elegant elaborately carved
sideboard in Robeson's dining room is the
work of Mr.. Childs 1t cost the Treasury
5000 under the item Of incidental labor
Hat racks, carl tables, and kitchen drcS-
sers are few Of the numerous articles
by this Industrious and
patient soul, Chi(s, for the sole purpose
of pleasing Mrs. Robson. One day Mr..
Childs assumed lavish mood and order
ed two of the best wood cutters at hand,
Fred. Boettscher and VIM. Noak, Ger
mans, to 90 to work and make up lot OF
work boxes for distribution among Mrs.
Robeson's friends. These work boxes
were very costly, and occupied the atten-
tion of Boettscher and Noak for several
Capt. Fcrguson's testimony
shows that upwards of $4,000 worth of
time and material have been diverted from
the navy yard to the private house of.
Robeson for his private use.
Another case against Robson is related
by Il former employee Of the Navy De-
...tment, who was in position to know
he speaks. He desires Joseph l..
a former well known hardware
merchant and naval contractor OF this
city, to be summoned before the commit
tee. He had claim against the Navy De-
partment before the day of Robson OF
S32 900, which had been thrown out by
former Secretaries. When Robson came
in, Murtagh, proprietor Of the kitchen
organ here, became very intimate with
the Secretary Of the Navy, and had no
little influence with him. Murtagh at that
time was friend Of Savage, and, it is
charged, asked Savage how much he
would give him if he would get the claim
through. Savage said one-half. At this
secured an allowance Of 500, 900
upon the claim, $4,000 Of which went to
Murtagh. 1t is said that he aftcrward
divided with Robson, or, at any rate,
matters by making Mrs.
Robson present of a very handsome
set of diamonds upon the occasion of her
Washington Correspondent
Chicago Times.
Women do more head work than