Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-18
THE ROBBER ROBESON.
HIs Political Career Correctly sum-
med UP. . .
New York Co1,rrier des Ftnts. L1,lis

NeU York Courier des Etats- Unis
The appointment of Mr.. George NJ. Robe
son, OF New Jersey, to a place in the Cabi-
net Of General Grant was due principally TO
the services of Mr.. Alexander G. Cattell,
then United States Senator for that State
Catteil was at the head of a commission
house of small Importance, having its head
quarters in Philadelphia. Soon after the
nomination of Robson Mr.. Cattell retired
from the firm, leaving his interest in the
hands Of his brother, E. q. Cattell, who i'm
mediately became the confidential INFERNO
diary of the Secretary of the Navy for the
granting of numerous navy contracts. In
this business he rapidly acquired fortune.
Before Robson came into power he had
practiced lawyer in New Jersey. He
was anything but rich then. In fact, his
Decuniary position was below the average.
But In the investigation which took place
afterward TIE committee engaged iD the
inquiry proved that only few months after
his nomination as Secretary of the Navy he
had personal account In five different
banks, with total credit of $467, $40 81.
Where this fortune came from has never
been shown, but 1t can be surmised from
series of facts showing the relations OF E G,
Cattell with the Navy Department. Daring
the period corresponding with the proved
changes In the financial co ldition of Robe
son, E. G. Cattell made a contract with one
Matthews in New York, who dealt in marir e
articles. By the terms of this contract Mr.
Cattell was to receive a commission Of five
per cent. upon the gross amount of all the
merchandise ordered of Matthews by the
government through Cattell's influence.
Now, in less than five years Matthews fur
nished three million dollars worth of
material TO the department.. In this single
transaction, therefore, there was a com
mission of $150,00O. Cattell admitted before
the committee that these commissions
amounted in all to 1921 500. II there is no
absolute proof that Robson had an imme-
diate share In these profits there is a general
impression to that effect in the public mind.
and it has never been removed. 1t was also
admitted without contradiction that Mr..
Robeson's cottage at Long Branch, as well
as certain lots of land in Washington, were
paid for out Of Cattell's percentages, and
the same thing is true Of other investments.
unnecessary to specify. And this is only
one incident In the obscure history of the
Navy Department contracts.
II we pass from the item of supplies TO
that Of repairs and construction. we find
shady transactions still queerer and more
equivocsl. A few examples will suffice.
In 1868, Congress, after appraisement, or
dered the payment to Secor & Co, and to
Perrine, Secor & Co., of $I15, ,539 in full
discharge on the part of the United States
vessels. The money was paid and the re-.
ceipt signed in proper form. Nevertheless,
when Mr.. Robson entered upon the duties
of his office It was found that on his own
account, without consulting Congress
and in accordance with private
agreement with Secor & Co, he paid
over to this company an additional sum of
S93 900, for which he has never been justi-
fed. Other allowances Of the same charac-
ter amounting to $7S9, 500 have likewise
never been explained. But here is some
thing worse yet. Mr.. Robson, when he
took charge Of the Navy Department, found
upon the list Of active service 2O3 vessels
of all kinds, the best remaining of the 600
vessels that the nation possessed at the end
of the war. During the eight years of his
administration, with appropriations amount
ing to $lS2, 49o O53, he caused eight new
vessels TO be built, and condemned seventy,
from the material OF which, Joined to the
enormous quantity of material in the
arsenals and workshops, he realized
an additional sum of $4,000 600. |
What became of all this money the accounts
Of the department have never satisfactorily
shown. All that is known is that conidere-
BILE material was disposed of under his ad-
Observation-Disclosures, engines, etc., which
might still be used-st nominal prices, aud
for the benefit of favorite jobbers; and that
in some cases these materials were repur-
chased at a profit of 1000 per cent. For
example, one lot of 4,53S, ,781 pounds of iron,
sold as sold iron," for which three cents a
pound could be easily got,was exchanged at
the rate of eight pounds of old for one
pound OF new. This was a clear gift of
3 200, 600 pounds of iron.
ALI these facts have been thoroughly
proved IN the past, and It is these facts that
made Admiral Porter declare that at the
lowest estimate from sixty to seventy mil
Hon dollars expended by Mr.. Robson would
have been saved by wise and honest ad-
ministration. 1t will also be remembered
That at the time when he was about to re-
tire, during the first week Of the HAYES ad-
ministration, Mr. Robson hurriedly dis
triouted among his favorites contracts for
boilers, repairs, ETC., amounting to millions
OF dollars, and in these, his latest transac-
tions, the malversation was so obvious that
one OF the first acts Of Secretary Thompson
was to annUl the contracts.