The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-03-24
From the Dstroit Tubuns. --ruu-uuursu uurur-
PE.vDLETOyv IND MS CZs-al.u.

For the proper public estimatioa Of the tss-
timony given by Mr.. George n. Psndleton on
Tuesday last before the Clymeg Committee
concerning his connection with the payment BY |
Gen. BelknAp, while Secretary Of va. OF the
kentucky Central Claim" the knowledge OF
some facts and dates aIe necessary, which we
win proceed to supply: u.s.
What was this claimi The Kentucky Gen.
trail is short railroad line OF something over
100 mules in length, running from Covington
(opposite Cincinnat) south through Lexington
to Nlcholasvllle. Like all Kentucky railroads,
it was extensively used during the war by the
military authorities, and for such service 1t was
compensated ut the regular so-called military |
rates" The company, accepting this settle |
ment, asked. however, for larger allowance
ON account of the damage done to the line by |
the army movements in that region. Hence
came the " claim" which is thus described in !
one of the official documents relating to 1t:
"This claim, amounting to S148, 80, is
for the difference between the amount paid TO
said company for the transportation OF United
States supplies from May LIST, 1862, to August
LIST, 1864, at the military rates allowed to the
company, and the amount which the company
provided the company had been paid for the
same service 80 per cent OF its ordinary tariff
rates."
The claim was first presented to Secretary
Stanton during the war, when all the facts were
fresh and well-known, and being properly re-
ferred to Quartermaster General Meigs, that
officer, after examination, reported upon it as
follows:
~ have carefully read the papers in the
case cannot recommend the payment to this
road for services due and paid for OF an addl-
tional sum OF many thousand dollars. re-
commend that the settlement heretofore made
be considered final, and be adhered to-
Bat the claimants wore persistent aid the
matter being referred to Gen. Meigs by Mr..
Stanton for further inquiry into what it was
claimed were the equities OF the case. Gen.
Meigs again reported adversely on April 7th,
1864, as follows:
~ respectfully recommend that accounts al
ready paid shall not be re-opened In order 10
grant increased allowances"
Upon the report containing the above recon-
mendation. the following Endorsement was
made by order of Secretary Stanton:
"The conclusions OF the Quartermaster
General in regard to the Kentucky Central
Road are approved"
Thus it will be seen this claim was fully pass
ed upon on its merits at the time it came into
existence and was dlsallowed by the men who
were fully informed in the matter as long ago
as 1854 The claimants are also shown by the
record for Six years to have made no efforts to
enforce their rights" in the courts, or in Con-
gress. But in 1870 Gen. Belknap was asked by
George III. Pendleton 10 reopen the matter and
give it fresh hearing!
What were Mr.. Pendleton's relations to the
BeIknaps? William w. Belknap had become
Secretary OF war IN the preceding year, and
had been recently married to one Of the we'll
known Tomlinson sisters Of Harrodsburg, Ky.
These sisters were intimate friends Gf not rela-
tives) OF the Pendleton family, and the young
er was then a widow (Nlrs Bowers) who spent
much OF her time at the Belknap home, and
whose estate was under the management OF
Mr.. Pendleton. This lady in the end succeed
ed her SITTER as Mrs. Belknap, and it is under
stood that Mr.. Pendletons management or her
property IN two or three years added some tens
of thousands OF dollars to its value. The Pc
culiar views entertained by these wives Of the
ex-Secretary OF war In regard to public and
official responsibility are now known far and
wide.
What we're Mr.. Pendleton's relations to the
claim? The testimony taken before the
Clymer Committee on Tuesday shows that Mr..
Pendleton was in 1870 the President OF the
Kentucky Central Company, that he was also
administrator OF the estate of his sister Mrs.
| I'd a idod mi ritv Of
stock and that an agreement was made with
himself as an attorney by the corporation which
he thus controlled that he should revive and
prosecute this rejected claim and receive fifty
per cent OF the proceeds, should there be any.
The facts that the claim had lain dormant sc
long and that the stockholders were willing to
assent to such an enormous percentage for its
collection constitute strong circumstantial evil
dence that the parties IN interest had no hope
OF realizing a cent on the merits Of their case
and relied wholly upon the hope that Mr.. Pen
dleton had some peculiarly persuasive power"
in the matter. In fact Senator Stevenson, one
of the small stockholders, testified that the,
regarded the award las just so much money
made "
Wuat Is INC CiooiHS uietoty VI luio Cidiui
1t had now been placed in the hands OF mar
enjoying intimate relations with the uxorious
secretary'of war and inspired by large per
sonal interest. Gen. Belknap In November
1870, reopened the case and sent memorial II
regard to the matter to Gen. Meigs who OF
December 18th, 1870, replied, saying:
, "The whole subject was presented during
the war, carefully investigated and considered
and decided by the Secretary of war. l car
! only advise that this action made by the actors
, in the war familiar with the general subject be
, not now disturbed.
" 1t appears to me that to reopen the case
} and reverse the decision then made will be .
bad precedent, and will lead to interminablt
discussions upon claims to be set up by Other
7 corporations for insufficient allowances fol
, military service since or even prior to 1861.
" The decision made by the War Department
} during the war on such subjects, think, SHOULD
, be reopened only by judicial or by Legislative
process. Ii the companies have any lega
, rights the courts provide remedy or appeal
and Congress itself holds full power over the
D subjects"
Mr. Pendleton met this with legal argu
ment which was also sent to Gen. Meigs
whereto that sturdy defender of the Treasur,
responded on January 21st, 1871, a. follows:
= THE argument of Mr.. pendleton has beer
. read and considered I am unable to advise
- 10 rx.A clxl Ia