The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-13
THE SWAIN CASE.
The Secretary of War Testifies in Behalf of
the Prosecution.

The Secretary of War Testifies in Behalf of
the Prosecution.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.-When the Swain
court-martial convened, Robert T. Lincoln, Sec
rotary of War, appeared as a witness called by
the prosecution. His direct examination was
confined simply to an inquiry whether he had
received any report or communication from Gen.
Swain prior to the 18th of April 1884, relative
to the pay accounts of Col Morrow. The Sec
rotary replied that he had received no informa-
ton on the subject from General Swain prior to
the date mentioned. The cross examination was
conducted by General Grosvenor and was di-
rected to showing that the Secretary had inform
alton, prior to the 18th of April, 1884, of the
duplication of Colonel Morrow's pay accounts,
The first question asked was VIII ether
at the time General Swain referred
to the alleged duplication of Morrow's pay ac-
counts, the Secretary had not full knowledge of
those accounts. This question was objected to
by the judge advocate and a long argument
ensued. General Grosvenor asserted that the
defense would show that at the the date on
which it is alleged General Swain knew of the
alleged duplication of Colonel Morrow's accounts,
the Secretary or War and the general of the
army had knowledge of such alleged duplication,
had known it for weeks, and had taken official
action IN the matter lie SalQ ne would STATE TO
the court, professionally that the defense will
prove that official knowledge came to the Secre-
tary of War as early as the 9Th of April, 1888,
not only of the duplication of the pay accounts,
but of an arrangement to pool these pay &C
counts, and that General Swain knew, at the
date of this pooling arrangement, that the Secre-
tary of War had that information,
The court refused to sustain the objection in
terposed by the judge-advocate, and the question
was again put TO the Secretary of War. He
answered that he had no knowledge whatever of
the duplication of Colonel Morrows pay accounts
prior TO the announcement by General Swain.
He was then asked if he had read reports of the
fact but the question was objected to, and the
objection sustained. Objection was also made
to the next question-whether the Secretary
had had information that the accounts were said
to be fraudulent.
The court sustained the objection, and held
that the question should be confined to the Sec
retarv's 'oflicial" information. The Secretary
testified that he had had no official information
IN the subject.
In answer to further questions he testified
that Major Carey then acting paymaster- Gener
al, came to see him about the letter he had re
,eived from Col. Morrow asking that his Nor
row'sl pay be stopped, except in order to settle
certain debts. His impression was that Major
Carey simply asked for instructions and he did
not know what debts Col Morrow wished to set
tie He 1.-THE Secretary thought Morrow's re
uuest Unusual His reply to Major Carey was
that he would not consent to put the officers
name on a Stop-pay circular except Tor some re
cognized cause, but that he had no objection to
making the arrangement under which it would
be understood that Col. Morrow's pay accounts
would only be paid by one paymaster.
General Grosvenor said they had reached
point where an anomalous, a unique, and never
before heard-of paper-an assignment by an
Office of three years pay in advance-an assign
ment al solutely forbidden by law to be made or
recogniled-had been brought to the Secretary of
War aid they wanted to show that at that time
the Secretary Of War knew the circumstances
under which it had been made. General Gros
venor then asked if the Secretary had ever had
a conversation with General Sherman on the
subject of Colonel Morrow's pay accounts
The witness said he had never had a CONVERSE
ton with General Sherman on the subject and
had not received any communication from him
with regard to pay accounts he had, however,
he said, conversation, IN the
spring of 1883, with Geneaal Sherman
touching complaints that lad come to him
concerning the Indebtedness of Colonel Morrow.
do vas asked if newspaper correspondent