The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-04-06
CLYMER'S COMMITTEE.
Secretary Chandler Tells W hat he Knows
About Detective Bell.

Secretary Chandler Tells What he Knows
About Detective Bell.
WASHINGTON, April 5.-Secretary Chandler,
Gen. Babcock and Col Lucky are before City,
mers investigating committee on expenditures
in the War Department.
Hon. Zachariah Chandler, Secretary of the
Interior, was sworn. The letter OF appoipt-
ment of Chas S. Bell dated Jauuary 18th, 1876,
was shown and Mr.. Chandler identified il as
regular official document Mr.. Chandler said
that Bells name was the first mentioned at the
cabinet meeting. He (the Secretary had ex-
perenced considerable difficulty in securing a
chief OF the secret service. He had discharged
the one he had and asked members of the cab
met to help him get good chief. A few days
after the President had mentioned Bell as a
spy in the service of the army during the war
Bell called at the Interior Department with a
card from the President. The latter had said
that be would make good man on the force,
but not as chief The card simply announced
that Bell was the man the President had told
him about. Witness told Bell he was not pre-
pared then to make any changes, but to come
again. he called several times in several
weeks, and witness said he believed he had
met Bell twice during that time. One day Gen.
Hurlburt was sitting in witness office at the
Interior Department when Bells card came in
Witenss threw it carelessly upon the table and
told the messenger to say TO Bell he was en-
know that man. He was a spy for me- He
enlisted in the rebel army as a private, stayed
IN the service seven months during which time
he was promoted to be sergeant"
Witness said: eff he could stay in the rebel
army seven months as spy and keep his neck
out of the halter he must be smart fellow and
ought to make a good detective
Witness appointed him more on what Gen.
Gen. Hurlburt said than upon the recommend
alton of the President. Witness was under the
INN ocatn hat a1l hon Iol
failed to find it since and may have been mis-
taken. Witness had never spoken to Gen.
Babcock or Col. Lucky about it, Bell was dis
charged Feb. 18th, 1876, after one months SER
| vice. Witness said that it came about in this
way: He went to a cabinet meeting one day
earlier than the other members and found the
President sitting there with Bells name on the
table. The President asked him if he had
such man in his employ. The answer was
yes. The President then said that Bell was q
scoundrel and ought to be dismissed. Witness
dismissed him as soon as he got back to his
office because he believed him scoundrel.
The President told him that Bell had applied
to some one to certify that he was in govern
ment employ to furnish information for or
against Baboock, he did not care which. Chand-
Ter said he never saw the publication of the
cypher IN the New York Herald until after this
investigation began. Witness said he was not
aware that Bell had performed any service for
| the pension Office. Lebarnes, chief of the
| pension bureau secret service, came to witness
| at the end of the first month and said Bell
wanted his account passed for expenses. Lee
| barnes said he did not know of any service
performed by Bell; that when he was first TAX
| en- on Bell said he had some private matters to
attend to that would perhaps require weeks
| absence and that he stayed away a month.
Witness told Lebarnes not to audit the account
until Bell psoved that he bad rendered the SER
| vice. Witness says Bell had since deceived
Assistant Secretary Cowan into endorsing the
following upon card to Lebarnes: s'Bell has
been legitimately employed ander orders and is
entitled to his allowance per diem. Will Col.
Lebarnes please adjust the account
Witness impression was that the voucher
for the payment Of Bell came in batch of
vouchers, though It may have been brought in
specially; He is not in the habit of reading
Inc vouchers because there are so many that iG
takes two hours day sometimes just to sign
them. He does not believe that the Bell case
was ever mentioned specially and distinctly,
though it possibly might have been. He said
that it did not seem possible for if the witness
had noticed Bells voucher he would not have
paid it,
Witness was not told by Bell that be had
gone to New York on the Bahcock matter If
he had not done any other service than that he
ought not to have been paid. There was no
evidence except his word that he had reu Tered
any service. Gu February 18th the Commits
soner of Indiau Affairs sent number of cases
to Lebarnes for Investigation. On Febru ary
18th Lebarnes turned them over to Bell with
instructions to work them up. On February
10Th Bell was directed By Lebarnes to return
all the papers turned from tho Commissioner
OF Indian Affairs.
This order was received by Bell ia St. Louis,
Witness had no intimation that Bell was
employed to assist Babcock in his defence at
St Louis He discharged bell because he be-
lieved him scoundreL Witness knew of no
subscription being taken up to defray the ex-
penses of Gen. Babcock at st. Louis. He re-
celved a letter from Mr. Borie of PHILADELPHIA
week after the acquittal of Babcock to the
effect that Babcack's trial expenses were
about $40, 900; that he was utterly ruined, and
that as he was young man no could over.
come his difficulty and set upon his feet and be
encouraged by friends.
Chandler then sent Gen. Babcock check for
$1,000. When Lebarnes finally told the witness
that Bell had something to do with the Bah
COCK trial, be told Lebarnes not to pay him un-
less he found him in legitimate employment of
the pension bureau. He did not know that
Bell had been paid until after reading the tes-
timony before this committee
Mr.. Danford read seriatm the questions and
answers given in Bells testimony relating to a
conversation Bell says be had with Chandler
about the Babcock case. Chandler branded
the testimony in whole and in part, so far as it
referred to himself as absolutely and unuuali.
fiedly false. Luckey never had a conversation
with him about Bells connection with the Bah
cock case.
Az Bradley was called but asked permis.
sion to postpone giving his testimony until to-
morrow, because OF the absence paper upon
which bis testimony must be based.
Gen. Babcock and Col. Luckey were also
present, and the three were requested to appear
tomorrow
Robert Wilson of Bismarck, Dakota, testified
that be was partner of Dickey the post trad
er at Fort Lincoln, opposite Bismarck. He
said Leighton went out there and examined the
books OF the concern. He and Dickey were
removed, and man named Sipe was appoint
ed in their place. Gen. Hedrick of Iowa, and
Kice were interested as partners. Orville Grant
sent despatch to the Commissioners OF Indian
Affairs, SAYING: Appoint Raymond Indian
trader at Fort Berthold.' The answer came
that Raymond would be appointed, Witness
was trader at Fort Fetterman, but was re-
T moved IN l119 to give way to man named
ming. Witness showed a letter whereby he
proposed to Campbell to put 10 his nephew, a
man named States, and give Campbell share
OF the profits but the arrangement fell through.
witness was once trader at the Omaha bar
racks. Witness had no knowledge of the sale
OF post traderships, never had any money for
procuring either of the positions as trader a.
Forts Fetterma0, Lincoln or Riley or.the Oma-
ha barracks Mr.. Coffee Of Fort Laramie. told
him be paid Gen. Hedrick $500 to get an an
pointment but he did not get it, and Mr., Leigh
ton returned him the money.
Robert Y. Slpe, post trader at Fort Lincoln,
Dakota, testified his position was secured
through Mr.. A. G. Leighton. The post was
occupied by Sipe and Leighton's brother-in-
law. Leighton put in $4,000 and witness $4,000.
The distribution of the profits were to be three
fourths to Leighton aud one-fourth to witness.
He had understood from Leighton that the lat .
ter was to have one quarter and Gen. Hedrick
one half He did not understand that Gen. E.
81. Rice of this city was to get half of He'd
ricks half, which would make the firm Spe,
Leighton, Hedrck & Rice, with each quarter
interest, but he has reason now to believe that
Gen. Rice was never interested. Witness said
no money had been drawn out of the business
but the stock has been allowed to accumulate
The profits were about $4,000 a year. The
agreement with Leighton was made early in
June verbally in Baltimore, and was written
ont at ST IOulS Adiourued