The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-10-26

was extrAvagant. The secretary Of war en-
tertained ike prince, and his wife, who
was beautiful and witty. presided over his
household like . princess.
Well, so it went on till Mrs. Belknap
died. and her sister took her place as the
head Of the household She had known Of
the bargain Of the post leadership, and she
also knew that General Belknap would not
permit It 70 go on int was disclosed to him.
She took her sisters place and received the
money. and the matter would have never
come out had it not been for one thing
She and the post traders wife we're
very thick. They went to London
together and there quarreled. The re-
suit of the quarrel was that the
post traders wife swore she would be re-
venged, and she got her revenge by making
an expose of the whole matter. It came
like thunder clap to Belknap. He was
called before . COMMITTEES of congress, and
upon being asked what he had to say re-
piled: ] have heard the charges read.
Some things are true and some things
know nothing about. But make your
charge and put anything in it you may
please, it makes no difference what. As to
my guilt. Twill acknowledge it without re-
serve. Only grant my wish that this in
vestigation shall be pursued no further a. n
affects any member Of my family.
I'm the meantime, forgot to say, Gen.
eral Belknap had married his wife's sister
and she had q brilliant social career before
the investigation was sprung. As soon
as Belknap knew OF the investigation be
called upon President Grant. and Grant
has told me the story of his call. Said he:
General Belknap came in with Zach
Chandler. He was so changed /
hardly knew him. and he looked as if he
had not slept for week. had not heard
of the scandal. and l got up and shook
hands with him. Chandler then preached
the subject of the investigation. and GEN.
eraI Beiknap said that hewas sure it would
damage him, but he did not want IL to hurt
the administration. He said he had written
his resignation and he thereupon handed me
a paper, bursting into tears. told him that
did not want his resignation, but finally
accepted and handed him letter to that
effect before he left General Grant said
that he knew the whole circumstances,
and that he considered Belknap innocent"
General Belknap was one of the most
sensitive men ever knew, continued this
man. when Grant returned from his
trip around the world / was at Phiiadel-
phia with him. There was great throng
of callers, and the room was crowded when
General Belknap's card was sent it. Gen.
eral Grant looked at the card and replied
to the messenger that he wanted to have
private talk with General Beiknap, and
asked him to call down that evening. In
the newspaper reports of that afternoon
this fact was not mentioned, but the
reports stated that q number of
distin guished gentlemen had called upon
General Grant and that they had all been
received with the exception of General
Belknap. who it would be remembered,
was the hero of the most disgraceful scan
dial in Grants administration. When Gen.
eral Belknap came down to the hotel that
night he was raving He met me in the
lobby and asked me ii had seen the state
ment. told him had, and he asked me
as his friend to go to the newspaper Offices
and have it contradicted. While We were
talking together. Jesse Grant came down.
and taking the generals arm, told
him that his father would see him.
told him that / would fix the
matter if it took me till midnight, and with
that he left Shortly after this some of the
reporters OF the morning newspapers came
in and told them that Grant and Belknap
were spending the evening together. / de-
nounced the ridiculous report in the even
ing papers, and the result was that the
next morning the papers did full credit to
Belknap.
General Belknap always grew angry