Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-10-16
BELhNAP,s oAKEER.
story OF Hais DownfnI,-so,d ,
PATRONAGE slmal., e....,... -.

I
story OF Hais DownfnII-Soid Hft
Ea'ronaKe While Secretary OF WA
o The Washington correspondent or m
+ New York Herald writes;
a AHe principal event In the political caree
General Belknap was the allegation
aneoaaihg MS Official integrity made durlnl
/ sns ntst session OF the Forty-iourth Don
. Sress, Waeh ne was Secretary OF War. Tn
dramatic circumstances attending hIs az
pulsion from the cabinet, for that was VIVA
~ avtuaily amounted to- although covered
~ tils tormality OF resignation, was re-
.aiao To-day by the only living witness o
tnS remarkable scene i'll the White House
neIore giving this narration, however. Ii
VIII not be amiss to tell In brief the story
Of General Belknap's downfall, His resiena.
,iCn was rendered and accepted in March,
4ofo' he had already bsen imp aehed on
eharge OF having received bribes for the
ltppolntment OF post traders, and after hts
resignation was tried by the senate. but
OF Jurisdiction. Dir. Caleb p. Marsh of New
1otE city, was the complainant. His claim
was that the Secretary of War had asked
ior and mad received q bribe from MIN in
Toy, and had promised In return to ap-
pollt MN TO post leadership. The Secre-
W uly wire seems to have moved first Ia
tne transaction. II was said that she adj
Vlsed Marsh to apply for post leadership
anu gave MIN clearly to understand that
| ne would have to pay for Ii, Acting on her
advice, Marsh had several intorvlsws with
the Secretary OF War. aud WINS finally as-
sutea py MIN that be would be appointed
70 q post leadership. provided he could fur.
nish satisfactory Recommendations. The
ounce Tor which Marsh was an applicant
was az mat time held by John S. Evans
ana secretary Belknap intima.ed that
Evans would os rather ioath to give up his
VII nnEaus9ne petquisites, ana suggested that
aarsh have an Interview with him.
Marsh acted on this advice and the resplt
was that Evans agreed to retain mis- position
ana 10 pay Marsh $4,000 year as con.
tidefatlOn. This sum was subsequently re-
uueeu 70 Sl2.UOO, which was to be paid In
quarterly instruments, On receipt of fra
ALsl lnstalment Marsh sent half OF the
amount 10 Mrs. Belknap She dIed soon |
afterward and secretary Bslknap marrIed /
her sister. For time things went |
smoothly, but Marsh and Mrs. Belknan
eventually mad some misunderstanding
about the money, and according TO Aiarsh's 7
testimony, the quarterly instruments were
y ttnetsatel forwarded regularly by him TO
Tue secretary OF War. The annual payment
was dl4lly reduced to $4,000.
RESOLUTIONS o. impeachment against the
secretary Iof nigh crimes aud nisde.
lheahots We're presented by the committee
On expenditures In the war department.
"a me following day Secretary Bek4up
q
anu u was Immediately accepted. rne
matter was then brought to the attention
y the district attorney OF ths District of
Columbia aud he went before tina uTnn6
uty ana ASKED that the late Secretary Of
war DO Indicted under the statute for *.
ottlhB an accepting brides. The result
vas tlat General BelEnaD was arrested On
bench warrant and aTraignad before a
lnlIee justice. He waived examination and =,
vas put under s25,OOO bonds.
Dir. u. l.. Brooks was, at the time 81 tina
touole, editor 81 the National Republican !.
l9 putative organ OF President Gcaut,s ,,
As mir, BROOKS falls ina !
ale, General BelRnap went to ina eanitoI !
attend the meeting OF the committee, on
UT department expenditures, which was :
INVESTIGATING Certain charges imUIicatinu
~ general In scaldalous abuse Of official I
aIonags Tor a consideration. lie wae in -
Atelont spirits when he Went to the 4
AiitOi, out was very soon confronted with :,
Is Information thar discoveries had been
lade lmpiicating him IN corrupt coanec- !.
on with certain military post traders =
hdt happened then and there is well Z
hoWa 10 the general public. Bat MIR.
tUoks ADDS that General Batknap drove q
,teetiy from lhe capitol TO Secretary Zaok n
handler OF tho Interior department, ple y
70 gentlemen drove then to tue dwelling ! !
montgomery Blair, opposite the eEecu- y, "
Ve mansion, and alter Il hurried eousuita. Il
Jn crossed the avenue and went into ~
resident Granite ot1ce. Meanwhile Mr.
fooks mao preceded th5m aud was the !,
ned. "
General Belknap and Mr.. Chandler en-. -
feu the room unannouheeu, OF course. ~
"a the former, with trembling voice and -
90 filled win tears, abruptly began -,
ost painful explanation. 10 quote MIR. IN
ooks' own words: ~
Raj
u as he declared his Innocence OF nny Rr
injection with this affairs mentioned 20
oVe. But said Bslknap, 4 admit that ID
mad been as careful OF my domestic ar
AIRS US should have been | might have da
own that our family expenses were no
sater than they ought 10 be- co,
PRESIDENT Grant for once In h,g lIfe an
owed little nervousness born OF sym.
my for Belknap rather than anythtn1
9, anu asked the latter IL he had never
MS suspicious aroused before that dav OS
9 answer was Repetition or the daelare-
that ma had Only been guilty OF care. q
shess regarding his domestic affairs. a..
en- ne added that his most earnest desire :
! 70 protect the administration from the o.,
nder and annoyance OF an Impeachment ~ ~,
II before the Senate ~
ihe only way out OF that suggested :, ~, :,
Fetary Chandler, Is the acceptance 81 ~ ~
II resignation ~
: Han1 " ~ lnat, answered Belknap, the
u9n'I want 70 drag my wife and ehil. ~
u INTO any more noturiety.' -
president Grant remained silent for ~,
mont, when Balknap said something ~
" being crushed and ruined p1an M
lEg tLat he lelt it TO be his duty though AN AN
ssllne all the responsibility and carry avn
me blame on bis own shoulders, or@
Az ttIs luncture tho President waved Ma -
q TO mo" said Mr.. Brooks, tias m mi. uo ~
Ion that the rest OF that notable inter 80
v should be strictly private, and ieft ~ ~
room As | went out, however, hsard IN
resident say, Nov, ahout your resig- X
oni III stand ny you aid yours IL va 40
MAKE It solid And that was ali heard a 80,
Later Ia the day | called ct General rao,
maps houae, near Twentieth and q M n,
ots, IL company with Mr.. w. i. MUIR =
J, lac proprietor OF the National Repub. n n
2, and we had long talk with MIN. nan
nR which he repeated SUBSTANTIALLY 80
y nave written above, but admon. H.
d me above all things not to saw any, ~, uno
= about his White House interview. Az
lps have been sealed ever since. Dut III
that al The parties of offieial position o,at
leeted With the Grant administration I'M
hsd anything TO do with this and ~
Il are dead, thlnk / may be excused ~,
IN attempt to sst right the memory of n 49,
ant soldier, faithful friend and an iaap
,st official" leatl
- they