The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-05-30
rHE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL WEDNESDAY, MAY 30 1883

of the Treasury Department. Ii was at the
time the Sherman civil service training school
was in full blast when French, UPTON, Lam
phere Pitney and their confederstes were
going it with a free rein. These gentlemen
wanted COY les. too, and forthwith they set
the shop at work turning them out by the
dozen. In the testimony taken by the Sen
ate Committee which investigated John
Sherman's operations in the Department the
desk figures frequently. According to the
r, collection OF the workmen in the Treasury
Department shop, testifying with extreme
reluctance, and more disposed to Keep back
the truth than to let il out fifty copies of
the precious relic were made, and were
distributed chiefly among the Sherman
crowd. Taking up the book, which Sherman
tried so hard to suppress, one will find some
thing about the matter almost anywhere.
Hessler being on the stand and Senator
Cockrell the examiner. the testimony runs
as follows:
Q-DO you know anything about those Jefferson
desks2 Al made those, and made these for
QCHoW many % Of them did You @1Fe9 Al DO
not remember the exact number, but l must have
made about ten. in that neighborhOOd.
Mr. Pit1 eys orders and some by the Assistant Sec
retarys orders.
French.
On page 664, John f. Degges testifes as fol-
lows:
Q.-Do you know anything about the Jefferson
desks that were made in the cabinet shop-imita-
tiOns2 Ayes sir.
GLOW many OF them were made? Al saw
at one time think four or five; at another time
four or i've; but the exact number can't say.
have been less.
Q-Give the names of the mechanics who made
them. flames A. Degges made one lot Thomas
III. Paul made a lot of them
On page csc. Frank r. Hessler testifes:
Q.-Did you send one OF these desks 10 Mr..
Lamphere with your compliments" written on q
card attached to it? Ayes, sir. I think did.
Q-You sent one to Mr.. Lamphere, aud did Mr.
Pliney send for one ana get it? Al presume he
Q.-who sent one to Mayor Power? Did Mayor
Power send for 1t? A.-No, sir. think Mr.. Pit
ney sent for IL, and sent il to Aayor Power.
Q.-Were not three sent to Mr.. Upton? Al
can not say.
Q-Were there not six or eight sent to Assistant
Secretary French? A.-There were six made for
Judge French, and he sent for four at one time,
for two at another time, or two st time.
The precious relic was scattered around
promis ,uously, Judge French, the Assistant
Secretary OF the Treasury, taking the lead in
the business. 1t is in evidence that one man
would make single desk in about three
days. The workmen were paid So day.
The material was mahogany. The trimming
cost something. Then came the dressing,
vanishing, etc. So each desk cost about
SIS. The witness said one man "InignU'
make q desk in three days. Each desk might
have cost six days work. The presumption
was that way. If each desk cost no me. e
than $40. he work for French, Upton, Power,
Lsmphele, Pitney & Co. cost the Govern
meDt $3.50 1t may have been twice that
amount. Whatever the sum was, it is GER
tain that French e. Co. had no more right or
authority to the desks than they had to an
equal number OF $50 gold pieces in the
L .asury vault.
Upton. Power, Lamphere and Pitney are
out of office. Judge French is still the AS
slslant Secretary OF the Treasury. Frequent
ly he is the Acting Secretary of the Treasury.