Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-12

Quashed in the Senate, on the ground
 Ut lack of JurIsuILLIun, out on Ine
 question of guilty or not guilty, 37 sen
 ators voted guilty and 23 not guilty.
 It was generally believed among those
 best informed regarding the details of
 this scandal, that Gen. Belknap was
 innocent of complicity as to the inn
 proper acts charged against him, and
 that he was even ignorant of the facts
 Of the case.
 in February and March, 1876, the House Committee on expenditures in
 are War Department discovered that Secretary Belknap had for six years
 been receiving money for the appoint
 ment, and retention in office of the post-trader at St. Sill, I. T. The total
 amount received was about S24,450
 Belknap resigned on March ', 1876, and his resignation was at once ac- cepted by President Grant. On April 4, the Lnanag ger of the inn
 peachment on the part of the House appeared at the bar of the Senate, and exhibited five articles of impeachment, covering the various receipts of money charged against Belknap. In his reply the defendant claimed to be a private citizen of Iowa, and denied the power of the House to impeach anyone who, Dy res-g ion or otherwise, had | ceased to De @ civil officer of the nited States
 Between May and May 20, the question as to whether Belknap was under ali circumstances ameuable to 1 Crial by impeachment was argued and decided i'll the affirmative by a vote of : to 29: but the vote proved the hope l esSness of conviction, since the minor 1 ty was toe large to allow a two thirds l vote of guilty.
 The evidence and argument on both 1 tides continued from July until Aug ust 1. when the vote stood 36 guilty to 25 not guilty on the second, third and fourth articles; 35 to 25 on the first | and 37 to 9 on the fifth article. 1 The majority for conviction not be- ] ing two thirds a verdict of acquit- | al was entered. When Secretary Bel | knap was first summoned to appear ! before the House to answer the 1 charges he admitted his guilt. The 1 harges against him were presented to l the House by Congressman J. Proctor l Knott.
 While the House and Senate were l debating the Iestion, proceedings in 1 the Criminal Court were being insti- l tuted against the former secretary, ana he was indicted by the Grand Jury l n the early part of May, 1876 The l ease dragged along for several months 1 and was finally dismissed in February ] 1877, on motion of the district attor- l ney, in acordance with the direction ! of the Attorney General, for the req | son that in his opinion, the evidence 1 against BellnRp would not sustain 1 the prosecution.
 After the sensation caused by Gen i Beiknap's fall had Subsided he settled down in Washington as a claim agent making a speciality of looking after railroad interests before the depart mcnts and the committees of Congress He was an able lawyer and soon stepped into an income of S1G.000 to S16.0O0 year
 BeIknap maintained a lxurious home in Washington, and, although for some years he did not go into society, he itinally oyercane- the personal preiu dice existing against him and became popular in the best circles of the cap- lital as gastronomerS c wit and 2 story teller
 Gen. BeIknap was found dead in his bedroom on the morning of Oct i3 1890. having died some time during thC night of fatty degeneration of the heart. His wife at the time was visit ing in New York. Upon the day his death was announced the flag on the ] War Department Building was placed l at half-mast and the building Wa: 1 decorated in mourning.