St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-05-09
COL. MORROW'S ACCOUNTS.
In the Swain Trial Banker Bateman
Reveals a Scandal.
Paymaster General and War Department Aid
ing MorrOw's Rascality.

| dy i1dSter Ueu6fdI dIlu w DIT Dtpdr Alu-
ing MOrrOw's Rascality.
WASHINGTON, May S.-The entire session of
the Swain court inquiry up to ? clock, when
q recess was taken, was occupied in the cross
examination of Batemun. This cross-examina-
tion was directed principally to showing that
| there had been dissatisfaction the part of
Swain in regard to certain matters that had
been transacted for him by Bateman 6 Co.
Mr. Calkins, counsel for Swain, explained to
the court, showing that there might have been
an honest difference Of opinion between Swain
and Bateman as to the accounts of the former
The principal transactions about which Bateman
was examined were claim claiming to be for the
! American and French commissioners, or an
award made by that commission and the pur-
| chase of 4, 1000 shares of Columbia copper mining
| stock. Calkins endeavored to show from Gen.
| Swain, that he had authorized Bateman to pur-
chase an award made to one D .Antri by the French
and American claims commission, instead of the
unsettled claim purchased by witness. The latter,
however, insisted that his instructions were to
purchase the claim, and he asserted at the time
| those instructions were given, that no awards
had been made by the commissioner. The claim
purchased was for 81, 200 and Gen. Swain had
uepOSiGeQ WILL lu6 Ol Ddleiudu 90 Co., u
check for 81, 900, with which to purchase it. The
amount thus deposited was credited
not to Swain, but to D. Antri, who gave his
note, secured by the transfer of his claim to
Bateman & Co. for s., OOo This claim had not
yet been decided, and the $1,000 paid in by Gen
eral Swain remained on the books Of Bateman s.
| Co. to the credit of D. Antri Witness was ques-
| toned about the Columbia copper mines stock
| hv Ratema on 81 ~ for GaDaraI S,uoir,
and said, he advised Swain. He told him GER
tain gentlemen, including ex-senator Window,
had organized the Columbia Copper Mine and
got their stock 'the ground foor,'' the
| plan having paid 35 and 40 cents for what was
| then selling on the market for $3.50, that the
| company had got controlo the outlaying mining
district in Minnesota, and proposes to organize
Columbia No. 2 and Columbia No. g. that had
been offered the chance to get in, in fact, had
been offered the presidenc! of one of the COM
panies, but temporarily, because certain sena-
tor who was to be president did not care to act
till his election came off In Wisconsin. Wi.aess
| suggested to Swain itwas good investment
Swain was engaged IN stock speculation and
statements of his accounts were furnished him.
Gen. Swain sometimes complained of not under
standing them, and came to the bank to have
them explained. He once complained he had
given ali order to sell his Omaha preferred at
103H, and instead that the firm had sold it at
market rates, making a difference of $62. So
which the bank thereupon credited to his ac-
count.
In conversation with Gen. Swain,
after he learned of the duplica-
| ton of Morrow's pay accounts, Swain, in
| talking Of the matter, tapped himself on the
head with his finger and said, The old man
didn't get left" The witness supposed he al
| luded to his having secured his loan to Morrow
| by bill of sale Morrow's piano. Witness
| said on investigation, he had found two banks
| in Washington holding Col. Morrows pay vouch-
ers for SO, 900 each, besides his bank, which
was involved for 81 500, and two other banks that
had 1880 between hem. Col. Morrow drew up
an agreement which witness took to these bank
| ers, that all his pay, except reasonable sum for
| living expenses, should be assigned
| to trustee to be appointed by
| the bankers, and he signed power of attorney
authorizing the trustee to receive his pay. Gen.
| Swaim witness said, was aware of this arrange
ment Witness had asked his advice about GER
| tain details of the arrangement. The witness
| thought the arrangement was known of at the
| war department. l understand, said witness
| the terms Of compromise submitted to the
secretary Of war by the paymaster general. This
| statement caused little sensation in the court
You say you understand that! said Gen.
Pope. Do you know that9
| was so informed, said witness, by Assistant
Postmaster General Cary He said, as l recol-
| lect, that the matter had been submitted to the
| secretary, who had issued an order that no pay
ment should be made to Col Morrow at any other
| point than here. will say right here that am
not clearly satisfied whether he referred to the
| secretary Of war or to the general of the army.
1t was the one in authority here at that time
| Bateman questioned to the circum-
! stances leading up to the suit entered against
| I,rc I, D. cH
said, when he heard Humphry had presented the
due bill for payment he sent for him and said to
him, ''Swaim is making cats paw of you,' and
I showed him Swaim's check drawing out his
| balance, whereupon Humphry said 'Swaim can't
make cats paw of me- and left. About two
months afterwards suit was brought on the note
Meantime witness had not gone to see Swain
about it.
Being asked, why he had not. he replied, ssBe-
cause considered it a mild species of blackmai
and paid no attention to it,
WAR DEPARTMENT EXPLANATION.
| 1t is learned at the war department that no
charges for duplication of pay accounts were ever
preferred against Col. Morrow, at the depart
ment, nor any communication or information on
that subject ever required there. The only ac.
| tion ever taken in his case by the secretary of
war, was to pass upon the request made by Col
Morrow to the paymaster general, that his pay be
| stopped in all places save Washington, to enable
| him to relieve himself from debt. This was sub
mitted to the secretary of war by the acting paw
master general. The secretary declined to place
his name upon the usual stoppage circular, on
the ground that he had not the right to do
so, but to enable Col Morrow to arrange to free
himself from his Indebtedness. The secretary
| informed the paymaster general that he had no
objection to his making such arrangements as
would ensure the payment Of Col. Morrow pay
vouchers, by only one paymaster stationed in
Washington. The question Of prosecuting him
or refraining from prosecuting him was never
considered by the secretary OF war When, how
ever, short time subsequently, the charges of
drunkenness were preferred against Col Morrow.
the secretary of promptly appoin ted court
| for his trial
| DhCHkI DIlCC