The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-21
SwINDLEs.
REPUBLICAN RoTTENNEss IN
NEARLY EVERY DEPART
MENT.
Frauds in the Navy--straw Bids il the
Post Ofice---P POST Tradsrships in
the War Department--Jobber
in the Priating- Cor
ruption Every
where.

WASHINGTON, D. c., March l7.-Day
by day fresh evidence of the corruption
that has so long existed III the war de-
partment are coming to light. This time
it is not post leadership nor sutlership,
but deliberate steal of 100000. A
letter dated Leaveuworth, Kan, March 9,
1876, written by gentleman in that city,
has been received by Mr.. Randall of
Pennsylvania. The writer, whose name,
for sufficient reasons, is withheld is said
to be responsible person The subject of
his letter is the military prison at Leaven-
worth, and the connection OF the late
secretary of war Herewith. At the
earnest solicitation Of Mr.. Belknap in 1874
a military prison was established at Fort
buildings were turned over by the quarter
masters department to be converted to
that use. Congress at the same time
made liberal appropriation of 100000
for the parpose of building a stone wal
about the prison grounds and to make
other trifing alterations, such as fitting UP
200 small pine cells within the main build.
ing. MIR. Belknap is said to have been
especially active in securing this appro'
priatio1. The writer of the letter states
that the first stone of that wall is yet tC
be laid. and all that can be shown for the
appropriation of 100000 is pine fence
around the prison and few cells of coarse
pine lumber within the prison. Shortly
after the prison was organized it became
necessary to warm it, and in 1875 congress
made another appropriation, urged by
Belknap, for the purpose of erecting
machinery to heat the prison with steam
Belknap had the letting Of the contract fol-
the work. and he accepted the highest bid
that of j. o. A. Sargent & Co., of Man
chester, n. II. for $32 ,00O-thus giving
the contract to a firm in an eastern towr
thousands of miles from the prison il
which the heating apparatus was to bt
placed, at the same time rejecting lower
bios made by prominent firms doing bust
ness in St. Louis, Chicago and western
cities. Messrs. Sargent Il Co. farmeC
their contract to the Great Western Boiler
Manufacturing Company of Leavenworth
VINO were one of the original bidders fo
the work. The writer charges that the
ex-secretary of war received in the neigh
bOrhood of $4,000 from Sargent Il Co
for awarding them the contract, Tbs
letter also gives some interesting informa
ton about the management OF the mil
tary prison at Leavenworth. The writel
says; "Wagonloads of costly black walnu
and other costly woods are bought at tn,
government expense and turned int
furniture for the commandant, all o
which becomes his private property. Tel
prison cabinet makers are kept continuously
at this employment There are severa
other rascaiiles not Of general interest
such as keeping the prisoners in state o
semi starvation, ili-treatment, &c. it ma
not be of interest, but nevertheless | thin
it my duty to say that prisoner confine
in the model institution before referred tC
one OBrien, was hrutally beaten to deaf
by man named Hogan, one of the prise
guard. For further particulars of this di:
graceful outrage l would refer you to tn
files Of the Leavenworth Commercial frol
July 18th, 1875, to July 23d, 1875, il
elusive" The writer OF this letter wi
probably be subpenaed to testify befor
the committee on expenditures in the wa
department..