Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-03-15
TELEGRAPHIC.
WAsHINeTO TON.
Three Prominent DenaOcratI
Accused Of Connection
with Jobs.
Ciymer's Committee Investf
eating Charges Against
Themselves.

Themselves.
Mr. Bass Explains How Marsh
Was Aided to Escape by
Clymer. .,5
WASHINGTON, March 10.
LIGHTNING STRIKING AMONG TALL
DEMOCRATIC TIMER.
Rumors have been privately circu-
lated to the effect that evidence has
been discovered of corruption on the
part of three Democrats of national
reputation, and that the proofs will
be made public with all their start
ling particulars.
II Is mysteriously said the parties
are Geo. II, Pendleton, Thos A. Hen
bricks and Samuel J. Randall.
As TO t#.
PENDLETON,
he will appear before the Committee
on Expenditures of the War Depart
ment, at his own volition next week,
to answer public statement con-
corning his connection with the pay
ment of money by the Secretary of
War, claimed to be due to the LAWYER
estate, of which Pcndleton was trus-
tee. This gentleman has already de-
MED that any improper influence had
been used by him to procure n settle
ment of the claim. The witness to
be named by Gen. Boynton will testi-
fly before the Committee on Expendi-
lures in the War Department and Mr.
Pendleton will be heard in his own
behalf.
The charges against
GOV. HENDRICKS
has also been denied by himself and
his friends say he had nothing to do
with getting government contracts as
charged, while Senator. He mere
ly introduced one of his constituents.
Geo i. Lane, to Secretary Stanton
and there the matter ended so far as
he was concerned.
With regard to Sam Randall, he is
charged with improper connection
with matters affecting the Philadel.
phia navy yard, but there is nothing
before the committe on naval affairs
in the shape of a charge or even an
intimation of wrong doing agains,
him. He asked the committee to
thoroughly examine the matter, al
though he and his friends utterly de-
ny that he has done anything whatev.
er on which even a suspicion of dis
honesty can rest.
In the House, Mr.. Bass. a member
of the Committee on Expenditures in
the War Department, proceeded to
make a personal explanation in re-
ference to insinuations conveyed in
two of the speeches Of his colleague
(Blackburn), that the Republican
members Of that committee had taken
no part in the Belknap Investigation
until the proof was all signed and
sealed. He showed that no notice
whatever had been given to the Re-
publican members of the committee,
until after the testimony of Marsh
had been taken. He called attention
ito the fact that, although the meeting
at which Marsh testified was held on
Tuesday, the regular day of meeting.
the report contained evidence that he
had been before the committee on the
previous day (Monday). He asked
why the Republican members of the
committee had not been advised of
that Mondays meeting. He spoke of
DIR. Tomlinson, whose mission to
Washington had been to fix up the
matter, as having been messenger
between Marsh and the committee.
1t was after such secret proceedings
rs those that the House had been
dramatically told, not once only, but
several times, that certain members
of the committee had not crossed the
threshold of the committee room UNI
til the proof was all in, signed and
sealed. Ifthey had not there was.
therefore, greater reason why they
should have been notified Of this
special and important case. The re-
cord of the committee showed there
had been only two meetings of the
committee up to the time of his re-
signation. Referring to the discharge
of the witness Marsh, he (Bass) dis
sented distinctly and unequivocally
to the statement of Blackburn that
the witness had been discharged with
the knowledge Of the entire commit
tee. One Of the Republican members
of the committee (meaning HIMSELF
had strenuously opposed the dis
charge of the witness and had stated
some reasons why the witness had
been discharged at IL 80 that same
day. Objections had been made in
the presence of the committee alone
after ii O'Clock that day. When the
resignation of Secretary Belknap had
been notified TO the committee the
two subjects had been matter Of dis
cnssion. He (Bass) had argued that
Marsh was the sole witness in the
case, and that his testimony was I'M
corroborated. That if the Secretary
of War should be witness before the
committee and should contradict
Marsh's statement, il would be neces-
sary to recall Marsh. And further.
that the safety Of the committee re-
garding its own reputation would
not allow the discharge of the witness,
pending the proceedings. Discussion
on these two questions-yiz jurlsdic-
ton after the resignation of the Sec
rotary Of War, and the discharge Of
the witness-had lasted several
minutes then a single question had
been put to the witness by Blair.
counsel for Belknap, witness having
been called i'm for that purpose, and
thereupon without any question hav-
ing been asked of any members Of the
committee, and upon the sole request
of the witness, he was discharged by
the chairman. The witness stated
that he desired to leave for New
York on the l O'Clock train as he ex-
pressed it and the chairman offered
to go with him and secure his fees for
him and said that if he had not time
to get there before the train left he
would send them to him by mail.
Marsh then inquired as to the contract
between himself and Evans, and the
chairman stated that he would send it
to him by mail in a few days. Witness
then left the room and he (Rass) had
not seen him since. These were the
facts in the case. This man Marsh
had testified to most grave and scri-
riOus charges against high officer of
the government, and those charges
had been sufficiently proved to justify
the demand for an immediate inn
but the charges were
wholly and utterly uncorroborated.
Evidence had been given by witness
MS to certain certificates Of deposit
that were sent to the Secretary of
War. Would it not have been judi
cions at least to have detained witness
until Bass had been applied to for
corroboratory evidence? Mr.. Bass ar
gued that he could easily and legally
have been detained by the subpoena
which summoned him, or by attach
ment.
Mr.. Clymer replied to Mr.. Bass,
that he would not have said word
on the subject were it not that the rec
of his colleague Bass) diff
fers essentially and thoroughly from
the recollection of every other GENTLE
man on the committee. So that his
stood i'm the attitude of one
wftncsi against four. He proceeded
" fS6ds Extracts from the statements
81 Mcssrs. Danford, Blackburn and
himself and from the records Of the
in order to rcfute Mr..
Bass statement, but he was interrupt
ed by Mr.. Danford, who stated that
n. ~ a =