The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-03-07
Then Appeared Marsh, the Just. Man, Wit
Bought the Two, and He Told
the Sinful Tale.
" hereupon 1t Came to Pass that There
Was LamentatiOn In All the
Streets OF Babylon.

,
Adopted Resolutions OF Impeach.
ment Against Him.
BELKNAP:
His Fall and Its Causes.
Especial Telegram to'the Chicago Times.]
THE FIRST TALE OF THE CRIME
WAsH1NaroN, March 2-On the 10th o.
FAhruarv the crime which has caused the dis
ur.oe of w. w. Belknap was told in these dis.
refches, Il was midnight on yesterday when
fhe last link was set in the chain which con.
victed him. The Committee on Expenditures
IN the War Department took up the charges
re- forth in the Times and pushed them 70 q
conviction. The committee has attained its
success through the merest chance, for, al
though all the facts were in their possession,
q Get forth in the Times, it would have been
impossible to prove them if an accomplice
had not been found. Belknap's present wife
= = sister of his dead wife. She was Mrs.
Bowers, whose husband formed one of the
paxtnership Of Bowers, Marsh q Probasco, in
Cincinnati. Mrs. Bowers's husband died in
1874, and the Marshes on going to Europe,
invited her to go with them. She passed
A GAY SEASON ABROAD,
and came homo filed with luxurious notions
Of life, and it is said rather INSCRIPTIONS as
10 the methods Of their attainment She
visited Washington, and presided with her
sister, Mrs. Belknap, at some Of the most
fashionable receptions in Washington. She
was conspicuous for costly dressing, some
what out of proportion to her previous life
and visible surroundings. Presently, Mrs.
Belknap died and Mrs. Bowers returned to
her old friends, the Marshes. in New York,
visiting Washington occasionally, andreviving
the splendors Of
HER SISTERS RECEPTIONS
at the Secretary's home. Little more than q
rear ago, to the establishment of Washington
society, the Secretary married his dead wIfe's
sister, this same Mrs. Bowers. 1t was the
universal comment that the Secretary's salary
could not support such magni6cence as the
1sw wife displayed. Her diamonds were the
most costly, her laces the most delicate, and
bsr receptions the most lavish in the capital.
Had il not been for this lady, the committee
would probably never have fastened the crime
anon the Secretary. She is o daughter OF
DR.. Tomlinson, OF Harrodsburg, KY, and in
Ririhood was very we'll known to Blackburn,
0no Of the members of the investigating COM
mittee. A suggestion of Marsh's Indian ira
dsrship came to the committee, and, q ely.
megis report narratee,
OoILUsIoN WAS AT ONCE SHOWN.
e vas found that the Secretary of War,
trusting TO the power of office and the facility
Of bribery, paid no attention to the summons
OF the committee. and let the examination 60
ON UNDECIDED. The committee feeling daily
moge sure of their ground. because more
thoroughly convinced Of the truth of it, the
charges and every step in the prosecution
were rigidly concealed and the newspaper men
excluded from information. Belknaps break
down before the committee, which was only
made known long after midnight on yester-
day, finally broke the spell. Though the
committee kept itself
UNDER LOCK AND KEY
until the very moment of its report to the
House. early in the morning, the hotels were
agog with the news in Only the most frag-
mentaxy form. BY noon crowds were surg
only the downfall of Belknap, but the rumors
u his suicide, which filed the air. It was
hardly o'clock when Belknap walked hur-
1isdly down to X street toward the Depart
nent It WAS noticed by the orderlies ct the
door that the Secretary did not move with his
old jaunty swagger. His rudy face had lost
much Of its color; his eyes were heavy and
b1oodshot; he looked like the victim Of
A PROLONGED SPREE;
h spoke abstractedly to the officials of the
once; retired to his private cabinet snd
closed the door. While the outside group
were In wonder over this unusual conduct, |
to door opened suddenly and the Secretary |
appeared, Quilted the Office without further |
semark, and walked rapidly over to the White |
House He met the President just as that |
o1lcial was entering the Executive Office,
where Babcock mt arranging the Presidents /
mail Greetings were passed, the Secretary |
nvoiding the Presidents eye As Gen.
GIANT seated himself, Belknap handed him |
m envelope, which the President opened |
mechanically, presuming it to be an ordinary
uAAcial communication. He read it without |
the fact that it was the resig-
nation Of the Office Of Secretary of War. Bel
knAp.
BURSTING INTO TEARS,
exied TO explain but could not The President
in great agitation rose and left the room with
the disgrsced official At the foot of the stairs
Chandler appeared, and the subject was dis
Uu1sed privately between the three. Presently
md vent out for . ride together. Ar hour
afker this Belknap appeared before the COM
nittee with his counsel, Judge Blair, but pre-
renting no evidence. The case Of the Com
mitteo was read to him and he demanded un-
II this afternoon ct O'Clock to respond. The
committee gave him until hali-past 8, when, as
HE FAILED TO APPEAR,
{ was unanimously resolved to present the
,ass to the House, and demand an impeach-
asnk
Inc Presidents indecent haste in accepting
3elknap's resignation excites the utmost con-
lemnation OF all parties. 1t was asserted by
friend Of the President that he had said to
3elknap: "Mr. Secretary. if you are innocent
won't accept it.; ii you are guilty, l cant
But he did after the Secretary had talked
,alf hour with him. Il is believed that
and Morton urged its acceptance by
he President, as they we're both present when
3elknap came down stairs with Grant from ,
he Executive Office. So soon as Belknap had
.one the President took long walk with his {
ON Fred, and came back to the Treasury De- /
,artment about noon. He is said to have de- /
Jared that be has lost all confidence in hu- !
nan nature-a remark which he made when
Porter's famous letter was published-and i
hAt he y
DON'T KNOW WHOM TO TRUST In
lov. He asserts that Of all mon in public G
" BellnAp seemed 70 him the most straight j