New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-23

Try TELEGRAPH TO TIE 1KBUSEl
WAsHNGToS, March 22.-Thc subcommittee of
! the House Oh Expenditures in the War Department,
after the dismissal of Pcndcton, opened the doors
for the examination OF Caleb p. Marsh, who
was in whiting. Marsh appeared i'll at ease.
He was caroworn in appearance and embar-
rassed and nervous in manner. He made
profession that he desired 10 state the entire truth
without reserve His testimony was not consistent
with his profession. unless it be that his memory Is
unlike that of the majority Of men. lie could re-
member that he was careful TO destroy every shred
of paper which could show a direct connection
with the late Secretary Of War. but he
could not remember the slightest details or even the
subjcct-mattcr Of the most important conversations
with Gen. Brlknap. Marsh admitted his testimony
before the Clymcr Committee with one lnconslderate
exception. That exception was an incomplete
phrase which was omitted from the printed
report. The phrase that Belknap told
him that he would appoint Evans if
Marsh would withdraw in his favor.
The direct testimony then began. Marshs attention
was first called to the leadership at Fort Sill. Mrs
Brlknap sent for him to come To Washington ten
Bclknap knew nothing about it. Marsh came to
Washington and saw the Bcll,naps. lie was then
Intercepted as to each of the statements IN his teS-
tmony before the Clymcr Committee.
Belkuap told Marsh to get letters of reconm"nda-
ton. Member. Of tho Committee stated that letters
were on file in behalf of Marsh from job Stevenson,
an eY-rncmber of Congress from Cincinnati, ana
from Senator sherman. Marsh claimed 10 have
great difficulty IN remembering details ~ the
Transaction occurred 80 many years az" and he
had never charged his mad with it. Marsh
told Bclkuap that he did not imagine
that he GIar,lu was going to run the
post himself. Marsh went to Evans and the latter
agreed To- give him $1,000 annually ~ bonus
Marsh then went to Gen. Bchnap and asked him to
appoint Evans IN his place. The Secretary aaId that
Evans was good man. and il would bc ali Ilghl.
Marsh declined to admit that he told lcILnap any
thing about Nh, bonus offered 10y Evans. Marsh APP
pcarcd SURPRISED thatauy cxpr,ss package connected
with the first transaction aas sent directly 10 Gen
Iclauap in person ard rcccipt,d for by him.
The witness was embarrassed and confused bat II
did not appear from his manner whether h' was
shielding Gen. Brlkuap or was in fact, surprised.
He sent half of the first money received 10 Mis-.
Htlknap hrt sent II rs prc,cu. only. lie imagined
Mis-. BrlGuap hcr..lf was surprised at II. Marsh
himself wa, surprised that E,Irs had sent hin
money. as h, was not certain that anything would
come ont Of the matter. he presumed h" might
hay, told ia. first Mrs alkuap that he would max"
her a present hut could not even remember that.
~, most flyori;c answer wa~ " My impression uP""
this subject is really very Wdstin"t Tie quarterly
rlycnts from Evans cont Uu'd for two-and-ohc-h"il
yr,T.. Marsh sent the money 10 Gen. Bciknap Icy
express and sent 10 Bcll,uap the express receipts.
Eelkuap returned these receipts with 80
written uppn them IN the handwriting al ten. Del
hmm These certificates when returned were
destroy 81 by Marsh Sometime B,lhuap tol"grarh'd
an acknowledgment OF the receipt of money Once
Marsh brought Bclhnapa Government bond at BEL
Lrar,s request Nitrr-, had been careful To destroy
all correspondence with Brhuap. liz would NOT,
however. swear positively that hr ever received u
.Iuglc telegram from B,lkuap.
Na,-hlt every sta 10 ol proceedings manifested
great Nervousness. NJ one time hr had conversation
| with Gen. Bckugp about the art"l" exposing the
Fort sill affair. published m IHE NEW-loE IHH-
rE.iuIN72 Brluap asked Marsh whether hr had
such a contract with Evans, ~ j, described iu TIE
Trr.Ng article and a, did in fact exist. tie could
not rccollrct the details Of that conversation.
lie said that it seemed to him that he told Secrr-
tary B.lI,nap that hc had contract wiki him, but
d,d not think ne told him anything about th" char
accr of the contract. II remembers that III" next
time hc saw Bclknap after the article appeared IN
Tur TriEr.NE he asked if he had a contract. IL"
rrr,Iuir. that AZ the same time hc talked with the
secretary about TnE TEIBrNE article He did not
remember that the Secretary told him th't there
were complaint, about Evans and the Fort
Sill trade. Ia reply To a question
by Mr.. IIoar he said that hc did not remember
ever speaking with Bcknap about the payment OF
money to him or hi, family. The only business
Transactions hc ever had with Bcll,uap or his WIFE,
or either of his wives, was the rnial Of the han oil
the money that hc received from the Fort sill trade
In his various interviews with Bclbuap the latter
never asked HIM why he Tcmittcd these various
sums.
In answer 10 questions by Mr.. Lyndc, the witness
said that he remembered that H. !. Crosby the
Chief Clerk Of the War Department, called at his
hons. To- see the Secretary of War He did not con-
suit with Bclknap in regard 10 the reduction ol Inc
annual paymcnts that reduction was partly IN con
scoueuc, of the complaints of Evans and Fisher
and partly in consequence OF the article III
The Tribune. He had on several occasions
maid money to Bclknap in person. Such payments
were made in bank notes. He diI not remember
having ever explained to Bclknap why 4 reduction
was made i'm the amount. but thought Mrs. Brknap
,ust have known when she received the first remit
lance of III 800 where the money came from. lie
DESTROYED all receipts forthc money IN ORDER lat tcS
might not be made public, and that there might DE
no danger of their being made publlc. Inc witness
certainly thought that if this transaction was
known il would disgrace the Secretary. Inc ply
mcnt of money 10 the Secretary oil war ana HIS
wife was made without any solicitations on thclr
part. The witness got some impression WHO III
Washington, the night OF the funeral or some the
subsequently,; before the next payment became due
that it would be proper 10 send the money TO the
Secretary of War himself He sad that IT was his
custom when ne had money to send to write to Bel
knap that lac had a remittance to make and to ask
how he sbonld send it, Then the Secretary would
reply telling him how TO remit
lNi.,... remembers distinctly he paid money