The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-04-06
The Belknap Investigation.

c. NJ. Peck testified before the Committee
on Expenditures in the War Department, on
March %, that post traders were assessed for
political purposes, and that during the last
Presidential canvass he paid from Sc, 900 to
$4,000. He thought he RENTED money to
the chairman of the committee at Wash.
ington. He presumed they we're asked to
subscribe because they held post tradersbips
under the Administration. He did not con.
slider they were obliged to pay, but
were notified that contributions would be
acceptable. He thought that the amount of
contributions from military posts was desg.
mated in proportion to the number of troops
there.
j. Fisher recalled Testified that the firm of
Evans & Co., post-traders, contributed money
for political purposes in pursuance of re-
quest contained in printed circular. He
did not understand the contribution was
compulsory, but he thought it the safer way
to pay the money, apart from political con.
siderations.
j. IS. Evans testified that during the last
Presidential canvass he, i'm compliance
with a circular received at Fort SILL
sent 5000 to the Republican Executive Com.
mittee in Washington, and had paid $3.50 to
the same committee within the last six
months. He voted for Lincoln for President
against Mcclellan, but was not now mixed
up in politics. He would not have paid the
money II he had not been called on to do
so. He sent check for the money to Post.
master Edmunds.
Mr.. Leonard, OF Cincinnati, testified
that he was in the hardware business with
the late Mr.. Bower. The estate of the de.
ceased was from ,0C0 to $4,000, $l5,OOO
being for life insurance. The money he owed
Mrs. Bower was paid, as surviving partner,
to George ii. Pendleton, mutual friend
OF both parties, who was attorney for Mrs.
Bower. The witness never heard what in
vestment was made of the money. He knew
G. p. Marsh, who at that time was in Cincn.
natl, but had no connection with the tran.
saction. Marsh said he was glad to hear that
the widow came out so nicely in her business.
John Fletcher, of indianapolis, testified
that in 1871 he made application for a post
leadership at Fort Dodge. He had an inter.
view with the Secretary of War, but was told
that the position had been pro Used. His
testimony was not important.
Leutenant-ColonelM cCook testified that
the Secretary of War or some middle man
had bee selecting post traderships. This was
q matter OF common conversation at Western
posts.
C. P. Marsh was again before the sub.
committee Of the Judiciary Committee. His
attention was called to the article in the
New York Tribune of March 1872, in relation
to the post traderships at Fort Sill, stating
that Evans has paid Marsh 81, 200 a year for
the place, etc. Marsh testified that he called
General Belknap's attention to the article,
and asked who could have written or in.
spired the article, when General Belknap
replied he supposed IL was the work of Gen.
Hazen. Marsh explained the reason why he
went TO Montreal, after giving his testimony
before the Committee on Expenditures in
the War Department. He unprecedented.
when he read the debate in the House, which
appeared on the morning of the day he left
New York, that he might be indicted for a
criminal ofense, and hence his anxiety to
get out OF the way OF arrest.