The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-05-21

Farm

| 70 Ism npr0ve MS
Farm.
From the Baltimore Gazette.l
Information was received at the Office
OF the Gazette on Saturday to the effect
that President Grant had operated his
stock farm, near st. Louis, largely at the
expense OF the Government, and that
the fact Of such misappropriation OF the
public funds was known to more than
one person in Baltimore formerly sta
toned at the st. Louis barracks. It was
intimated that Gen. Grant had by his
own order, as Commander Chief OF
the army, personally directed q detail
from the garrison at st. Louis to lay out
a race track on the Presidents farm,
and that the stock OF the President at
the same place had the regular attend
ance Of veterinary surgeon or farrier
connected with the post OF st. Louis,
and that spch attendance included the
shoeing Of all horses AT the expense of
the Government. The serious charge
was fully and carefully investigated,
and is verified by the statements Of
Capt. George Il. Robinson, an ex-army
officer; Sergeant Coffman, in charge Of
recruiting Office OF the United States
In Baltimore, and Private Ashby, also OF
the regular army, now member OF the
mounted service in Baltimore.
N0Wt. KOUtuAWu AuWteSufuN.
In answer to questions by our repor-
ter, Capt. Robinson said
| was stationed at st. Louis from
March s, 1874, until May 10. 1875. ! was
i'm command OF the permanent troop, or
general garrison. numbering 100 men.
Gen. Grants stock farm was located
about nine miles southwest OF st. Louis.
Gen. B. III. GriersOn, superintendent OF
the general mounting recruiting service,
st. Louis Barracks, came to me with an
order from Gen Grant to detail me to
go to his farm and there lay out a pri
vate race track. which refused to do
! said II 1t was request, l would 40 It
cheerfuily. but refused as Captain OF
United States cavalry to lay out a pri
vate race track on private farm. He
took the letter and went back to his
barracks. 1t read about as follows:
Understanding that you have an engineering
out q race track on my farm u. s. GRANT.
Nearly week after this Gen. Grier-
son presented me with another letter
from Grant Il saw the letter myself
peremptorily ordering me to do the work.
The order read about as follows:
You will detail the officer competent to do this
post. to lay out the track. He will make requi-
sition for instruments. etc. upon Gen, Simpson.
united states Engineer Corps. U. y. thANl.
obeyed the order and made the re-
QUESTION. It was approved by Gen.
Grierson and served upon Gen. Simp- |
son, who furnished me with transit, |
level, chain, rod, back and fore staffs,
and steel taps. at once made a detail
from my company for necessary men to |
perform the work went to Gen. Grants
TAI m and laid out the track on ground
selected by Gen. Grierson. It was a
half mile track. The ground was pointed
out to us by Grants superintendent.
would furthermore state that while in
OF permanent troops at St.
Louis, there was man there named
John Herman, the veterinary surgeon
Of the post, whose pay was $125 per
month. He had charge and instruction OF
cavalry recruits in horseshoeing Twice
a week he was ordered to go to General
Grants farm and attend TO oil veterin-
ary matters; also the shoeing OF all
horses requiring it. The men Of the
United States service were detailed
twice a week to go up in an ambulance
to the Presidents farm and shoe the
horses. They ranged from twenty to
sixty, and were all supposed to belong
TO Grant. Some of them, believe how
'ver, were owned by Mckee and other
of the great whisky st Louis
ing The expense of this work and of
he surveys was paid out Of the United
states IreaSllrY