Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-03-09
A STARTLING DEVELOPMENT.

A STARTLING DEVELOPMENT,
The Secretary Of War Inpenchcd for
Selling a Post 1radershiP.
A great sensation was made through
out the entire country, on the I'd inst,
by the report of the House Committee on
War Expenditures, showing that Sccrc-
tary Belknap had sold the post trader
ship at Fort Sill, in the Indian Territory,
to one G. p. Marsh, for 100000 and an
annual payment Of $4,000. Belknap ten.
derea his resignation to the President
without going before the committee and
it was accepted, but notwithstanding his
resignation the House adopted the fol.
lowing impeachment resolutions:
Resolred, That VIM. Belknap, late secretary
Of war, be impeached Of high crimes and mis-
deMeaEOrs.
Resolped, That the testimony in the case Of |
VIM. W. Belkn.p, late secretary Of war. be re-
ferred to the judiciary committee, with instruc- |
tons to prepare and report without unneces |
sary delay snitable articles OF impeachment !
of said VIM. w. Belknap, late secretary of
war.
Rcsolvcd, That committee offive members of |
the house he appointed and instructed to pro- !
ceed immediately to the bar Of the senate and
there impeach VIM. w. Belknap. late secre- !
tary of war, in the name Of the people of the !
United States, of high crimes and misdemean-
Q, when in Office, and to inform that body !
that formal articles of impeachment will in |
due time he presented, and to request the sem /
ate to take such order in the premises as they
deem appropriate.
The committee appointed to present
the matter to the Senate was Messrs.
Clymcr, Robbins, Blackburn, Bass and
Danforth.
Ex.Sccrctary Belknap declined to
make any public statement at present, on
the ground that he has his defence to
make in response to the impeachment
proceedings.
Washington Special (AIarch p Chicago Times)
On the 10th Of February the crime
which has caused the disgrace of w. W.
Bclknap was told in these dispatches.
1t was midnight on yesterday when the
last link was set in the chain which con-
victed him. The committee on expen-
ditures Of the war department took up
|
and pursued them to conviction. The
committee has attained its success
through the mcrest chance, for although
all the facts were in their possession, as
set forth in the Times, it would have
been impossible to prove them if an
accomplicc had not been found. Bel
knap's present wife is a sister of his dead
wife. She was q Mrs. Bowers, whose
husband formed one of the partnership
of Bowers, Marsh & Probasco, at Cincin-
natl. Mrs. Bowers 'ehusband died in 1872,
and the Marshes on going to Europe. in
vited her to 20 with them. She passed
| AGAY SEASON ABROAD,
and came home filled with luxurious no.
tions of life, and it is said rather unscru.
pulous as to the method Of their attain
ment. She visited Washington, and pre-
sided with her sister, Mrs. Belknap, al
some Of the most fashionable receptions in
Washington. She was conspicuous 70,
costly dressing, somewhat out of proper
ton to her previous life and visible sur
roundings. Presently Mrs. Belknap dice
and Mrs. B1wers returned to her olt
friends, the Marshes, in New York, visit
ing Washington occasionally. and rcviv
ing the splcndors of
HER SISTERS RECEPTIONS
at the Secrctary's house. Little NOR
} than year ago, to the astonishment O
. Washington society, the Secretary mar
ried his dead wife's sister, this same Mrs
Bowers. 1t was the universal commen
that the Secretary's salary could no
support such magnificence as the rev
wife displayed. Her diamonds were tn
most costly. her laccs the most delicate
and her receptions the most lavish in tn
capital. Had it not been for this lady
the committee would probably nevc
have fastened the crime upon the Secre
tary. She is daughter Of DR.. Tomljn
son, of Harrodsburg, KY, and in girl
hood was very we'll known to blackburn
one Of the members of the investigation
committee. A suggestion of Marsh's In
dian leadership came to the committee
and, as Clymer's report narrates,
CoLIUs1oN WAS At ONCE SHOWN.
1t was found that the Secretary Of War
: trusting to the power Of Office and tn
) facility Of bribery, paid no attention t
c the summons Of the committee, and lc
4 the examination go on unheeded. TIL
!, committee, feeling daily more sure c
e their ground, because more thorough
;, convinced of the truth Of it, the charge
c and every step in the prosecution wcr
d rigidly concealed, and the newspaper me
c excluded from information. Belknap
e breakdown before the committee, whic
d was only made known long after midnigl
I on yesterday, finally broke the spe]
o Though the committee kept itself
e UNDER LOCK AND KEY
y until the very moment of its report to Il
d House, early in the morning, the hote
e were agog with the news in only Il
n most fragmentary form. BY no.
II crowds were surging around all new
n centres discussing not only the downf;
D. Of Bclknap but the rumors Of his suicid
le which filed the air. 1t was hardly
ID o'clock when Belknap walked hurried
n down K street toward ihe departmer
rs It was noticed by the orderlies at Il
* door that the Secretary did not mo
,e with his old jaunty swagger. His rud,
K. face had lost much of its color; his ey
l: we're heavy and bloodshot; he looked Ii
se the victim Of
e" A PROLONGED SPREE;
uo SpOhc 6OStTaCtcuIy W tue OulCIalS
!: the Office; retired to his private cabir
" and closed the door. While the outsi
. group were in wonder over this unus,
=. IS conduct, the door opened suddenly .
10 the Secretary appeared, quilted the off
without further remark, and walked r,
idly over to the White House. He n
he the President just as that official was
D. tcring the Executive office, where Bs
y, cock sat arranging the Presidents ms
q. Greetings were passed, the Secreta
r. avoiding the Presidents eye. As Gene,
n. Grant seated himself, Belknap hand
&c him an envelope, which the Preside
at opened mechanically, presuming it to
es an ordinary official communication.
st read it without comprehending the +;
er that it was the resignation Of the office
re- Secretary of War. Belknap "
ut BURSTING INTO TEARS, -
c. tried to explain, but could not. I
er President in great agitation rose and
i'd the room with the disgraced official.
he tho foot IF tho 81 oipc Tho uI1n, >r~>.,