The New York herald., 1876-07-09
THE IMPEACHMENT.

Yesterdays PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE SEN
ATE AS TO Ex-sEcRETARY BELKNAP-TEs1I-
MoNY OF ADJuTANr GENERAL TOWNSEND
EVIDENCE AS TO CAPTAIN ROBINSON, OF
THE TENTH CAVALRY
WASHINGTON, July s. 1876.
The Senate this morning resumed the consideration
of the articles of Impeachment against W. W. Belknap,
late Secretary OF War
TESTIMONY ADJUTAYr GENERAL TOWNSEND.
The examination of +. d. Townsend, Adjutant Gen.
eral United States Army, q witness tor the prosecu-
tion was resumed by Mr.. Manager McMahon. Wit
testified that there were two copies Of the letter
of army officers at Fort Sill recommending John s.
Evans for appointment post trader there; one copy
was trans smitted directly TO the War Department and
the other came 10 the department through Caleb b.
Marsh; there two letters from Evans accepting
the position OF post trader one dated November
Is, 1870, and tho other November 26, 1870; did not
know # those letters passed through the hands of Sec
rotary Bcknap before they came to the Adjutan Gen.
erals office Witness then produced the order OF jan
uary a. 1871 OF the Secretary OF War to General Gri
crson to remove all traders from Fort Sill except J.
s. Evans, and testified that the manuscript came
to him in the handwriting of tho Secretary Of War;
witness also produced letter from General Grerson,
commandant at Fort Sill, acknowledging the receipt OF
order of January H. and testified that that order
applied only to Fort Sill.
Question by Mr. McMahon-Do you know OF any
similar order having been issued to any other specific
post A. l do not recall any other case; there may
be some
Witness then produced the circular OF June 1871,
defining the status OF post traders
The managers then proposed to offer testimony to
the effect that charges made against Evans by the
Solicitor Of the Treasury OF introducing liquor into the
Indian country.
Solicitor of the Treasury dated October Is, 1871 ad
dressed to the Secretary of War with two enclosures
signed by j. S. Huckelberry United States Attorney
for the Western District of Arkansas charging that
liquor had been introduced in the Indian country by
Evans and others.
Witness rcsuming testified that he had no personal
knowledge OF the persons having been considered by
the Secretary OF War he could only judge by the office
marks upon them the papers came to his ONCE 10 be
filed
Witness then produced the letters of the Secretary of
War IN renly TO MIR BanGel: the Grst dated November
9 ISL stating that Evans had authority TO take ten
gallons OF brandy and ten gallons OF whiskcy to Fort
Sill for the of the officers there and tho second.
dated November 1871, stating that Mr. Evans denied
having taken liquor to Fort sill without authority,
that complaint had been made by the officers OF the
post, and requesting that no proceedings be com
menced against him until after full investigation of
the charges made against him.
He also produced letter from General Grerson, dated
February 49, 1879 relating to the POST trader Evans,
that his character as business man was good,
but that he was absent from the post and left II IL
charge OF j. Fisher, who was assocutcd with him;
that repeated complaints had been made OF high prices
charged by the post traders that he Grierson) had
invests ed them and was told by Fisher that they
had to pay S12 600 per annum to man in New York
for the appointment as post traders, aud that he
(Grcrson) had requested them to make the statement
in writing that he might lay It before the proper
thorities, but hey would not do so Tor fear that the
license to trade would be taken from them In regard
to this letter witness testified that camo to his Office
the 9th Of March, and was submitted to the Secre-
tary OF War on the llth.
Cross examined by Mr. Carpenter-Witness examined
the letter OF Marsh, asking the appointment OF post
trader Fort Sill that OF Hon. job Stevenson re-
commencing Marsh, heretofore put to evidence. and
testified that they filed officially by the Secretary
War; the letter Of Marsh had written ON it. "File
officially W. W. b."
MIR Carpener then had read and offered in evidence
n letter OF General r. b. Marcy, President OF the
Board to Revise the Army REGULATIONS
a. to the status OF post traders and the reply OF
General Holt expressing tho opinion that post traders,
having been established Tor the convenience OF emf
grants and Others not under exclusive control
OF the military authorities He also had read the per-
nit OF General Schoied to Evans allowing certnin
quantity OF liquor TO be taken to Fort Si and tele-
gram Of the Secretary OF War to General Sherman,
requesting Information OF him as to the permit gwen
to Marsh. Mr.. Carpenter then offered TO submit
circular issued the 7h of March, 1876 by order Of
the President directing the Cou. Gil OF Administration
to examine the post traders throughout the country
end report any abuses found exist He stated that
he proposed show that pursuance of that circular
the Council OF Administration did meet Fort Sill
the llth OF April 1875 aud every officer OF the Council
recommended the appointment OF John 3 Evans rs
post trader
cular and recommendation ON the ground that they
were dated subsequent to the time when Mr. Belknap
retired rom the war department..
The objection was sustained by the Senate.
The sepatc tncn. at quarter after two ?. NJ. took
recess for fifteen minutes
AFTER RECESS
Upon cmblng the examination OF Adjutant
General Townsend was resumed by Mr.: Carpenter.
The witness knew Captain George T. Robinson, for
merry OF the Tenth cavalry, who was courtmartalled
and dismissed from the army.
Mr. Carpenter then offered to put In evidence tho
finding Of the court In the case Of Captain Robinson
and letter written by HIM to the Secretary OF War TO
The effect that he Rooinson knew of the abuse in the
Fort Sill post leadership and threatened that II the
Secretary did not disapprove OF the tndng OF the
court he tRobinson would expose the whole liter.
Mr. Carpenter said he would follow this up with tosti-
mony to show that the secretary did approve OF the
finding of the court; that the officer was dismissed and
his threatening letter placed file in the War Depart
mcnt by secretary Belknap
Witness testified that he received the letter from the
Judge Advocate General OF The United States tho 81
Of March, 1875, after Mr. Belknsp left the War Depart
ment
The managers objected to the admission OF the tes-
timony.
was ordered that the evidence be sdmuted-ycas II,
nays lS
Witness then testified to the court martial OF Cap
tain Robinson date Of his dismissal from the army,
&c The letter OF Captain Robinson was then read II
was dated ST. Louis barracks MO- Apr Is 1919, ana
The writer stated that he was preparing charge
against j. 3. Evans Co, post traders at Fort sill,
where he (Robnson) stationed before he tried
by court martial; that one OF the charges
against Evans was one OF gross and ma
OF tho writer, General Gr,rson, General Hazen
and others, that he paid TO the Secretary OF War
$40 per annum at one time and <l2 900 annum
at ano her for the privilege OF trading there; that he
could sell his goois cheaper because he obliged
to pay the Secretary OF War this monthly in ad-
vance. rh, writer further stated that every man and
officer at Fort sill had been outragcousy swinded by
these traders, and If he tRobnson) remained In the
army he would transmit all the evidence to Secretary
Bclknap
Witness resuming testified he had served as Adju-
taut General under Secretaries stanton. Grant, Raw
Inns Scholeld Belknap, TAFT and Cameron; Secretary
Beknap impressed him as person who took great
to Understand all the business that came before
him ana transact it efficiently and justly.
The other witnesses examined Mr. +. V.
Smaley OF the New York Tribune; Mr.. Barnard, pri-
vate secretary of Mr. Bciknap and clerks Of Adams
Express and Western Union Tec. raph Offices, but
nothing OF importance was ELECTED.
The Senate then, At a quarter to hve sitting as a
Court OF Impeachment, adjourned until Monday, at
twelve O'Clock.