Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-03-22
The War Department Investigation.
The Post Tradership Busiaes So.
Some Lively Testimony To-Day.


Some Lively Testimony To-Day.
The Committee on Expenditures In the
War department met at O'Clock to-day.
John s. Evans was recalled and stated
that he was mistaken in saying yesterday
that he was introduced TO the Secretary of
War personally by Gen. Rice. Rice went to
see The Secretary about this matter and he
was informed by the Secretary that Marsh
bad been promised the place. L asked him
whether IL would be any use for me to call
on the Secretary, and he said might call
that night on him at his house which did
and Rice was not present.
DIR. j. NJ BRADFORD
was sworn: he testified that in March, IS I,
he made application for leadership at FCtt
ID. A. Russell or any other fort; made appli-
ca ton and had IL endorsed by the Maine del
egation, with one or two EXCEPTIONS; met
one enjam1n ID. Peck; told him what had
done, and ne said he had friend named
HAWKINS Tay Tor who was an intimate friend
of the Secretary of War, and he thought he
could secure for me the post. / agreed to
meet him, and did meet him in the rotnnda
of the Capitol. He said he would do what he
could for me; he saw my papers and said he
would take them and do what he could
when he next saw me he said 1t would be ne
cesSary for me to get the recommendation of
the delegate from New Mexico, aud he
thought be could get me the post at Fort
Craig, In New Mexico, as Fort ID. A Rus
sell had been promised. He came TO me one
morning and said
SECRETARY BELKNAP WANTED TO SEE ME-.
He gave me a card to him. L called, and Sec
rotary Belknap wanted TO know why want
ed the position. l said l wanted To make q
little money outside of my position. He
wanted to know if / hadn't been little
loose about some money transactions. said
l couldn't Tecollect. The Secretary then re-
Quested me to write him a letter, as he al
ways made 1: point, he said, 10 inquire
into the record of any appointment he made.
L wrote him letter, and two days after
met Tay Tor, and he said he had
MY APPOINTMENT IN HIS POCKET,
and when paid what agreed u could
have it, The next day went to Peck's of
fee and paid him SO for his little services.
The next day paid Taylor with a note on a
bank in Santa Fe, and received my appoint
ment. which was addressed To me In the care
of Hawkins Taylor. 1 also signed an agree
ment with Taylor to pay him 81 COO to pro-
tect me at the post as long as 1 remained
there. Peck informed me when met Taylor
that L. had shown him letter from Sacre
tary Belknap stating that he would be happy
to meet him al his office or at his house at
any hour, and would do anything for him or
for his friends. then went to New York
and met Mr.. Spellbeburg, who was an appll-
cant for the post at Fort Wingate. L made
an arrangement with him To furnish my
goods. Every arrangement was made by
which / was to have all the goods / wanted.
| entered into an agreement with Captain
w. t. Bennett, of the 9th cavalry, ana in
consideration OF 81 800 L was to ALLOW a
friend of his to manage the post. He paid
NE in part III notes, which fell into the hands
of Haw kins Taylor. I was about To depart
L
Captain Link, who
OFFERED NE $500 FOR THE POST.
When / next raw him Link said, lyon had
9eeT ta said my Se os ibev bs sad
another man to the post" / inquired into
the matter, and found brother of Delegate
Chaves was appointed. l went TO Taylor
ard asked him why the change was made.
He said because he wanted to MAKE il, and
because l was in the habit of
DRINKING WITH COMMON DEMOCRATS
IT. -
named Coggswell, went to see Secretary
Belknap about IL, and he said he had "re-
moved Bradford because he was a scala
Wag." Coggswell then intimatei that GER
tain parties seemed to be in his confidence,
and could have appointments made and re-
voked at pleas are. Secretary Belknap
showed considerable indignation at this,
and said at was id lie, and he could
lick The man who said it,"
@ Did you inform Secretary Bslknap that
you paid Hawkins Taylor any money?
a. did; l informed Secretary Belknap
myself, and told him Hawkins was my
agent.
@ What did the Secretary say about that?
A That he had nothing TO do with the
agents at all; that he made II point to in
quiIe into the qualifications of all the ap-
pontments that he made.
@ Wien the Secretary appointed you he
knew you were paying Hawktns TaylOf fO-
his influence, or that you were TO pay him?
A. In making my statement that S55fe-
tary Belknap knew / was paying HAWKINS
lDOHey, mean 10 lnItT ne Ulu KNOW
II only from the fact that he ought to have
known it, because Hawkins Taylor was
helping me to get it.
Cross examined by Mr.. Bass:
@. Did you, or did you not, tell Secretary
Belknap that you were 10 pay any compen
satiOn for the post?
A. did not tell the Secretary was going
to offer so much for the post, but that Mr..
Taylor was acting as my agent, for COM
pensation.
BALTIMORE WITNESS.
VIM. Henry Wetgei, of Baltimore, was next
swOrnI-1s q collector; was majOr aud assist
ant adjutant general In the army; was mus
tered out in 1868.
q. Do you know Orvil Grant?
A. By sight. only.
Q. Did you ever have any interview with
him?
A. No, sir; don't want any. know moth
ing of Secretary Belknap receiving money
for appointments. 1 never said so to Mr..
Eichler Of Baltimore, unless was asleep,
certainly not in my sober senses. 1 have
never seen Orvil Grant at Barsher & Co.'s.
Know nothing of any contracts made by the
War department.
At ten minutes past the committee took
a recess until o'clock.