The New York Herald Newspaper, March 18, 1876, Page 3

YEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, MARCH 18 1876.—TRIPLE SHEET. ‘ting greund” of the | Danforth that it cost mach more to grease certain | the proceedings postponed i) Monday in conse- one of the best reform measures of the seseiot - WASHINGTON. '- The Reign of Investigation at the National Capital. - RESUME OF THE WORK OF COMMITTEES. Post Traders, Straw Bidders, Safe Conspirators and Cadetship Sellers to the Front. Republican Senators Anxious About the Effi- . ¢ieitey of the Government Service. * FROM QGUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT. Wasuinetox, March 17, 1876, MORN STARTLING DEVELOPMENTS PROMISED BEFOR® CLYMER'S COMMITTER—-THE SALE OF An| SUPPLIES. A Congressman says that it can be proved that Reynojds, of Lee & Reynolds, post traders at Camp Supply, mailed money in October, 1875, to the smount of $),000 to a iate inmate of the White House, The firm have made $100,000 out of their trading wstablishment there, and have divided the profits with | he War ent, Peck, of the firm of Durfee & Peck, whe statement, and says “that the fa will all come out in ‘Tew days Clymer’s committee. Two | men will be ruined if the truth is told. The Congress- wan has givea the , documents, &c., to two com- mittees and bave been summoned, During theexam: n of Peck to-day by Mr. Cly- | mer, he jat Mr. Thum, his agent at Fort Peck, told bim ho had taken affidavits showing that the LeightodMat Fort Peck had taken Indian sup- * plies from the there and sent them to.Fort Belknap and other to be sold. The particulars of the robbery werepublished in the Hxnaxo last fall, THE NEGOTIATIONS YOR MARSH'S RETURN. It is said that the Attorney General quietly sent an \gent to Canada lastTuesday to confer with Marsh and vite him to returMo Washington. The terms upon vhich the exiled wif ‘5 ts to come back have not wen made publi ection with this report & is mid that te S ready reported as having im the interest of parties Secretary of Wir, and parti ibe Kentucky fentral Rail MRS. BELKNAP NOT BE C, Tho Commttee on Expendi of the War Depart- ment are rt anxious to call Belknap as a witness to strenthon the case against her husband, and will not do? if they can secure cient testimony with- wut be. They say they will not let the ends of justice tnffe, however, whatever may their feehngs in the mater. OIS}OLUTION OF THE COP. ERSHIP OF SHER- AN & GRANT, BANKERS, AND THE REASONS THEREFOR. ; An advertisement in the Washington papers gives sotice, under date of March 16, that the copartnership + ander the firm name of Sherman & Grant, doing busi- aes as Daukers at 1,425 F strevt, Washington, D. C., is dissoived by mutual consent. Mr. John Sher- | nan, Jr., is authorized to close the accounts of the ‘Im, and all depositors and correspondents aro re- huested to present or forward bank books or Matement of balances due them without felay, for immediate payment. This separation ‘@ the final result. of a misunderstanding «and almost estrangement between the members of the | firm which began with the pyplication of General » Bherman’s book and was aggravated by the publication of General Boynton’s reply, the official data for the lat- | ler being furnished by the President and the late Sec- | tetary of War. The quarrel of the seniors descended w the juniors, and now that Colooel Fred Grant has re- milled his original intention of resigning from the army and has gone away to the frontier, a graceful dis- . dolution of the firm was possible. "HE LIABILITY OF OWNERS OF VESSELS NAVI- _ GATING INLAND WATERS, The Committee on Commerce has favorably enter. ‘Bined a proposition to limit the Nability ot owners of navigating inland waters to tho extent of the of such owners, i GENERAL WASHINGTON DESPATCHES. —_—-—__—_ Wasurarox, March 17, 1876. WUMBER AND EXTENT OF THE INVESTIGA- TIONS IN PROGRESS BY COMMITTEES OF THE ROUSE. The number and extent of the investigations that are being carried on before the various committees of 1 the House are unprecedented in any previous Con- | qress, as the following partial list of them will show:— The Judiciary Committee, through several sub. sommittees, ts taking testimony in the matter of the 3elknap impeachment, of the Beardsley cadetship | purchase and of the Texas and Pacific Railroad legis- i ‘ation, | The Committee on Foreign Affairs, besides the ques- fon of Cuban complications in counection with the ‘tate Department, has to grapple with the Emma mine andal, which is to ve reopened early next week. The Conymittee ot Ways and Means in the intervals of its di jons on the Tariff bill, and of its giving audience to bankers in connection with the funding law, and to deputations of the wine and spirit trade, pursues an investigation into the operations of the alaska Fur Trade Company. The members of the Committee on Naval Affairs give heir whole time to tho investigation of supposed frauds im the Navy Department and in the several mavy yards. Not more than two-thirds of the testi- mony taken atthe Norfolk Navy Yard has yet been | twanseribed by the stenographers, and now a sub- “Committee ts at work at the Kittery Navy Yard; and after finishing op that investigation the Charies- town Navy Yard is to be overhauled by the same gentlemen. Mr. Willis, of New York, in the meantime has been pursuing, as a committee of one, ' mibute searches into everything connected with the discipline of the navy, and expects next week to open ‘Up an investigation at the Brooklyn Navy Yard = This Naval Committee, with its several branches, is accumu- lating material that will make as many volumes as the Ku Klux outrage report or the report on the conduct of (he war. The Committee on Military Affairs finds work * enough in endeavoring to throw light on some of the | dark spots conuected with the soldiers’ tombstone con- tracts, It gota history of the contract to-day from Maurice J. Walsh, of New York, who claims that, al- though bis bid for first class Carrara marble was only some $900,000 (out of which $200,000 was to come back | to the government in the shape of duty the imported article), the contract was Bridges, of Keokuk, lowa, for for American marble of very inferior quality and without any such advantage to the govern- ment. He charges also that Bridges’ bid was put in after the hour fixed for opening tue bids and after two of bis own (Walsh's) had been opened, He asserts that Bridges was also favored to the extent of $75,000 in a chauge of requirements in the specilicatious after the |’ bids were in, Tne Post Office Committee and the Committee on Ex- Penditures in the Post Uftice Department are !requeutly | ut work eliciting testimony about mail gontracts, spo chal agents, &c, The Cowmittec on Printing labors quietly but assida- ously in piling up tacts and figures bearing on the cost | of the goverument printing office, which, according to the estimate of experts outside, i ful ly Atty per cent Tore than it ought to be if it was uot run as a great political machine. The Committee on Expenditures in the Interior De- | partment and the Department of Justice are going very | deeply nto the maladminmistration of officials in Georgia | and elsewhere, and are dlso looking scratimizingly into | the minor expenses of these departments, particularly tm the m of turoiture, &e, , The Commitice on Expenditures in the War Depart. thont looms up over all the rest by its “big bonanza’, dwcovery of tno Fort Sill tradership, It holus daily | mewber what bad been told him on this subject. | tracts, He did not remember that he said to Mr, sessions, and is the “happy gentlemen of the press. ‘The Select Committee on the Freedman’s Bank is the most methodical of all the committees, Ever since its appointment, early in the session, it has met on alter- nate days and satfrom ten till twelve, The testimony taken by it is very important, particularly as revealing the manner in which the funds of the bank were frittered away in loans without adequate security, the most notable instanee of which was in connection with the famous Seneca Stone Ring, of which Governor Cooke and William 8. Huntington were the leading spirits, and of the stock of which certificates for 200 sharos each were held by various high officials of the goveru- ment. ‘THE POST TRADERSHIPS—GOVERNOR CAMPBELL BEFORE TRE COMMITTEZ—APPOINTMENTS MADE BY ORDER OF THE PRESIDENT—THE INFLUENCE OF ORVILLE GRAXT AND C. W. BABCOCK. s Ex-Governor Campbell, of Wyoming, now one of the Assistant Secretaries of State, was before the Commit- tee on Expenditures in the War Department to-day, and read a despatch published in the New York Henao, dated Bismarck, meluding him with others in the sale of post traderships, and said he appeared voluntarily to deny under oath every statement concerning him in | that article. He had never, im any way, directly or in- directly, been concerned in the sale of post traderships, | or in any bargain im any way affecting post traderships, and no one, by ham, had been authorized to use his | namo in connection with the sale or barter of post traderships. The Chairman said he had never seen the article until Governor Campbell called his attention to it. The Governor said his brother, J. N. Campbell, was appointed to a post tradership, not by the Secretary of War, but under the old council system, by General Auger, on the 11th of May, 1870, at Fort Fetterman. His brother was appointed on his recommendation, but never held the position, the appointment having | been revoked within four days. He said he did not know of any post traders having paid money to the | Secretary of War or to any other person for the privi- { Jege. Hoe bad heard such charges in Wyoming, but nothing definite; nor could he say who told him, In reply to a question he said he supposed it had always been the case that the satlers or tradors extorted ex- orbitant prices of the soldiers, they having a mo- nopoly. C. K. Peck testified that he was of the firm of Durfeo & Peck, who wore post traders at Forts Sully, Rice, Stevenson apd Buford; they were appointed as such by the Army Council of Administration; in 1870 an act was passed giving the appointment to the Secre- tary of War, when the tradersh‘p at Fort Buford was taken from the frm avd givon to A. C. Layton; Gen- eral Hedrich was » partner of Layton; the witness did not know whether Layton paid the Secretary of War of any ottfer person for the appointment; he had never heard unybody say 80; he did not kvew whether Or- ville Grant had an Interest in tho business; he had never spoken to Grant; J, W. Vaughn was designated to succeed the firm of Durfee & Peck at Fort Ste son; Mr. Peck informed him that there were only two companies at the post, and his impres- sion was that Vaughan wanted $1,000 for the privilege of the post, but he did not receive the money from the firm. The Secretary of War not naving been | advised that Vaughn would accept the position the firm continued to supply the post for a while, but was sub- sequently put out, as Mr. Peck understood, through Orville Grant. James P, Fitz succeeded tho firm at Fort Rice. Fitz, in conversation with him, attributed his appointment to the fact that he (Fitz) had been atten- tive to Mr. Tomlinson, an imvalid, who had been placed in nis care, Tomlinson brother of Mrs. Belknap. Athey was appointed to sugeeed the firm at Fort Sully. Mr. Peck said he had @ conversation with the Secre- tarv of War, who” told him the appointment had been given to Athey by order of President Grant, and that was the reason why his firm was put out, Athey had been a clerk for W. C. Babeock, Surveyor General of Kansas, and a brotherof Gencral Babcock, late the President’s Private . There were four com- panies at the post, It was@ valuable post when the firm had tt, netting about $10,000 a year, Tho firm en_ tered into a contract with Athey, who had no means, W. C, Babcock came to see the firm about a contract to employ Athey at the rate of $1,500 a year until be could furnish jnéans to purchase tho S10CK aNG suppres oF") jee reck, Athey subse- quently obtained such means. The witness supposed the appointment was procured through the intluence of Surveyor General Babcock; in fact, it was so under_ stood between him and Athey, lt further appeare from the testimony that Durlee & Peck were Indian traders at Cheyenne under licenso from the Interior Department, ana were succeeded by George Felt, to whom the firm sold their stock at natisfactory prices, Witness understood Feit’s appoint- ment was through the influence of Orville Grant. ‘The post was worth froin $8,000 to $10,000 a year. The trade at Standing Rock was worth about $10,000 a year, The witness attributed the removal of the firm at that place to Orville Grant, order for 4 revocation of the license of Durfee & Peck was issued from the Indian OMco the wit- ness asked the Secretary of the Interior about it, and the Secretary informed him that the order was issued by the direction of the Presivent. The Secre- lary said that if he did not cut off a head when he was ordered to do so the President would cut bis head off. ‘There was no complaint whatever against the firm of | Durtee & Peck. The witness detailed the character of the contract with Athey. In consideration that he would buy up the stock of Duifee & Peck he was to re- ceive a salary atthe rate of $1,500 a year until he should do so. This was done to protect the interests of the firm, as they had $40,000 worth of goods at the post, and as Athey might have goodsthere at any | time, and until Athey should buy the goods of the frm they were to pay Surveyor General Babcock $750 a quarter. This thoy did for three quarters, making the sum of $2,250, This was in consideration of Babcock having procured the contract, In further testimony the witness said the effect of making the posta monopolies increased the prices re- | quired to be paid for goods by both soldiers and In- | | dians, The witness said the proclamation of the Presi- dent extending the Great Sioux Reservation enhanced — the value of the posts on that reservation, Cheyenne | and Standing Rock were on the Great Sioux Reserv: tion. The effect of the proclamation was to drive away all competition. @ Do you know the reason which imduced the issu- ance of the proclamation? A. It was generally un- derstood out there that it was through the influence of Orville Grant. @ To close out all competition? A. Yes. it did. ‘The witness said of the profits on goods bought at St | Louis and sold at the posts that on staple articles from | fifteen to twenty-five per cent was made; on fancy arti- | cles the profits were avout fifty per cent; the officers usually got their goods lower than the men; it was de- sirable to favor the officers. ! On furtuer examination the witness said that C, W. | Babcock was Surveyor General of Kansas at the time he became a party to the contract to which reterence | is above made, Adjourned until to-morrow, | INVESTIGATING THE POST OFFICE DEPART- MENT--BRIBING OF OFFICIALS—STRAW BID _ DEVICES. The Hotse Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads to-day examined William A. Dantorth, of Chicago, Ho | Acstified that Mr. Sanderson, of the firm of Barlow, Sanderson & Co., had informed him that they paid | Jarge sums of money to officials iu the Post Oflee De- | partment, under Postmaster General Creswoll’s ad- | ministration, to secure Valuable Western ma!i contracts by means of straw bidding devices, Sanderson roomed | with the witness in Kansas City and they were inti- mate friends, Sanderson told him that the firm were bled heavily by Post Office officials, and that they paid to one of them uot less than $5,000 per quarter; to another they bad given a carriace and pair of borses, and to snother a diamond pin worth $1,000 No names were given by Sanderson in making these agser: | tions, Witness said he one of the books of the firm which showed that they set aside a considerable pro- portion of their receipts from mail contracts to be de voted tu such payments. Mr. Barlow lived East and | attended to paying out the money, Witness sard th subsequently Sanderson informed him they had burned | their books and suggested that he haa better not re- | ; Which | Toe committee examined J. A. Griffin, formerly bookkeeper for Messrs. Barlow & Sanderson, He did not seem to kuow much about the business and was jot aware that money had been used to procure con- Having understood an | ) talked | am deprived of my liberty. | won be given by persons here in office nelping to procure contracts for Messrs. Barlow & Sanderson. He said each of these gentiemen drew $580 a quarter for travelling expenses, although Mr, Barlow never travelled out West. He was subjected to a long and thorough examination, but he was not found to be a communicative witness, ‘THE SPENCER INVESTIGATION—GENERAL DENIAL OF TESTIMONY PREVIOUSLY GIVEN BY A POST- MASTER. The Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections to-day began an investigation of the charges brought against Senator Spencer, of Alabama, that he secured his election by corrupt means, Mr. Spencer was present with his counsel, Hon, Matt, Carpenter, assisted by Charles E. Meyer, chairman of one of the two republican State committees of Alabama. General John T. Morgan appeared in behalf of the memorial- ists of the Alabama Legislature, A number of other citizens of Alabama were present. John J. Moulton, Postmaster at Mobile at the time of Spencer's election, and now Deputy Collector of Iuter_ nal Revenue at that point, was examined by General Morgan especially in reference to his testimony given before a committee of the Alabama Legislature last April, im which be (Moulton) stated that money was used to secure Spencer’s election, General Morgan read from the testimony of this witness and asked if the answers as printed were correct, Mr. Moulton in every instance where tho printed answer contained an ntimation of his knowledge of corruption emphatically denied that he had ever given any such testimony, He had aided by contributions of money for legitimate expenses, &c, the election of the Legisiature which elected Spencer, but he denied posi- tively any knowledge of corruption.” He specially de- nied the statement attributed to him in the printed Vestimony that he had asked Spencer for $10,000, but said he had requested a loan of $5,000, and that subse- quently Spencer handed him a check for $2,500, which he (Spencer) said was all he could spare at that time, The witness afterward repaid the money, General Morgan then asked the witness if he had not heard Jerome J. Hind say that a certain State Sonator had been ‘ fixed.’ Mr. Carpenter objected to the question on the ground that no couspiracy had been shown to exist between Spencer and Hind. General Morgan rejoined that the connection would be established at a subsequent stage of the proceedings. Mr. Carpenter insisted that his objection was based ona well known principle of law, andsaid he thought a United States Senator before a Senate committee should bave as fair treatment as a circait court would accord to a horse thief or murderer. The committee, after closing the doors for consulta- tion, reopened them shortly and announced that Mr, Carpenter's objection would be sustained. ‘The witness Moulton was themasked if the report of his testimouy before the Legislative committee was not read to him, and if he had uot signed it after mak- ng certain material alterations. In reply ho denied, in the most emphatic manner, that a singlo line or word of that testimony was ever read to him. He ad- mitted having signed one page that was then placed before hin, but 1¢ was discounccted, and he subscribed to nothing else, In the furthor examination it ap- peared that the reporter who took down the testimony for the committee of the Logislature was not a short- hand writer, ‘The investigation will be resumed to-morrow. THE BYARDSLEY CADETSHIP CASE—THE CADET BEFORE THE COMMITTEE. * Inthe Beardsley cadetship case to day, before a sub- committee of the Judiciary Committee, young Beards- ley himself was examined. He testified that on his way to Alabama (to take up a constructive residence) he called at the house of Mr. Lilley, the Washington broker, who obtained the appomtment for bim (receiv- ing $3,000 therefor), and was there introduced to Mr. Charles Hays, of Alabama (the mefaber who gave the appointment); that Mr. Hays expressed the hope that he (Beardsley) would not fail to pass the examination, as the two boys whom he had previously appointed had done, and that no inquiry was made from him by Mr. Hays as to his age, parentage, educa- tion, resideuce or the motive for his going to Alabama. The original documents in connection with the ap- pointment were obtained trom the War Department. The form of acceptance (in which the residence, &c., is set out) was signed by young Beardsley and his Mother, bat both were very positive Tnat they had signed it in blank. The papers also contain a manu. script letter from young Beardsley tothe Secretary of | War, written at the time of the appointment, but the young wan said that he simply copied itfrom a draft written for him by Lilly. Mr. Hays bas been present at the last two days’ ex- amination, but has not asked the witness any ques- thou, 1 is understood that he will submit a statement tothe committer, =~ THE SAFE BURGLARY CONSPIRACY—BOGUS CON- FESSIONS INTENDED TO COVER UP THE FACTS— AN IMPORTANT WITNESS RUN OUT OF THE COUNTRY, ? A letter has been received in this city from a party who was prominently connected with the previous in- vestigation and trial of the Harrington safe burglary couspiracy, stating that the so-called confessions of Nettloship, Cunz and Harrington were but another chapter in this conspiracy, and that the three bad the over matter together, and all told such improbable stories that no one will believe them when they are made public, Instead of implicating a host of official’ and “ringmasters,”” as has been stated, these confessions implicate no one of any particular prominence, The Judiciary Committee do not intend to be hoodwinked by these confessions, which, while they may be true as far as they-go, inten- tionally conceal some of the most important facts and those which the committee are especially destrous of | bringing out, The letter also states that the only man who could and would tell the whole story, Colonel H. C, Whitley, the ex-chief of the Treasury Secret Service, has been run out of the country by members of the District Ring, and is now engaged in sheep and cattle raising in Mexico, Several other letters of a similar character have been received in the city, and the conclusion has been generally arrived at that another conspiracy has beeu contrived to cover the old one, THE RECUSANT WITNESS KILBOURNE—A DE- MAND ON THE SPEAKER THAT HIS CASE BE TURNED OVER TO THE COURTS, The following demand was made on Speaker Kerr to- day :— Ix tur Common om Tim District or Covvmuta, ‘asHiNaton, March 17, 1 Kerr, Speaker of t To rue Hox, Micwaxt ot Representatives : Sin—On the 14th just, 1 was, by virtue of your war- Tant as Speaker of the House of Representatives, is- sued in pursuance of the resolution of the House, imprisoned — in the common jail of the District of Columbia, where 1 bave since been contined. The offence with which 1 stand charged is that, having been sammoned as a witness by the au- thority of the House of Representatives, | refused to produce private letters for examination and to apswer certain questions relating to private affairs. This otfence the House of Representatives bas undertaken to adjudicate and punish, and in pursuance of its action [ am, advised vy counsel that such action is wholly unwarranted by law, and that the alleged offence, sf committed, | to be tried aod puuisied, not by the House of Represewtatives, but by the Judicial of (he government in pursuance of the 102 and 104, chapter aned 1 am turther advised by that by the express terms of section 104 i Departin provisic is made your duty, as Speaker, when such am offence as that with Which | am charged 18 reported to the House, to | eerily the 0 the District Attorney of the District of Columta, that he may brmg the matter before the Grand Jury for its action, and that this duty is volved ou you, is an imperative and ‘absoluto duty, and devolves on you and pot on , the House, and in the exercise Of which neither you nor the House has any discretion whatever. I, therefore, with the greatest respect, alike for the House of Representatives aad for yourself, its Speaker, demand that the certificate Fequited by the ubvvo sec- ‘ou, So that I may enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury guaran- teod by (he constitution of my country. Ihave the honor to be, very respectiully, HALLETT KILBOURNE. SENTENCE OF HALLECK, THE TREASURY THIEF— THE TRIAL OF OTTMAN, B. B. Halleck, convicted yesterday of the larceny of $47,000 trom the Treasury in Juno last, was sentenced to-day by Judge Olin to imprisonment at hard labor in | the Albany County Penitentiary for the period of four years, Mr. Hinkle, his counsel, asked to file a motion to suspend the execution of the sentence. Tho Court answered that he might file such & motion with the motion fora mew trial; that there would be fo anosual haste rrying the prisoner off. W. H. Ottman, charged with the larceny of $47,000 from the Treasury and receiving stolen and embezzled money, was next put on his trial, after an effort to have quence of the absence of ex-Senator Carpenter, who 1s of counsel for Ottman, THE REPUBLICAN SENATORIAL CAUCUS ON THE RETRENCHMENTS PROPOSED BY THE HOUSE— A GENERAL POLICY OF OPPOSITION FORE- SHADOWED. -At the adjourned meeting of the caucus of repuo- lean Senators to-day there was a further interchange of views respecting the general policy that should be adopted in regard to the large reductions made or con- templated in the House of Representatives in the eus- tomary annual appropriations. After a long discussion om the subject it was unanimously agreed, as the sense of the caucus, that the necessary efliciency of the Civil Service would be seriously impaired it @ sweeping reduction be made through all its branches, by the application of the reported policy of the House committee to cut down nearly all salaries ten per cent and the force employed twenty per cent, and also that the action of the House in proposing to abolish a number of our missions to South America and reduce the salaries of our princi- pal Ministers in Europe is unwise snd impolitic. It was, therefore, agreed that the Senate Committee on Appropriations should pass upon each item of reduc- tion im the various bills separately, and should recom- mend concurrence only in those reductions which, after separate examination, are found compatible with a continuance of requisite efficiency. Wherever such reductions can be made the republican majority of the Senate will vote for them, but, on the contrary, unless similar good reasons can be shown for concur- rence in any recommendation of the House touching a matter of importance, the issue will be met with un- yielding firmness, THE PENDLETON SCANDAL. MR, CLYMER'S DISINCLINATION TO INVESTI- GATE-—THE INTERVIEW AT THE ARLINGTON. {From the Baltimore American, March 17.] The testimony taken before the Committee on Ex- penditures in the War Department to-day in nowise exonerates Mr, Clymer for want of diligence in inves- tigating the Penuleton charges, nor did it vindicate to any extent the latter. The evidence of General Kid- doo, a retired army officer, went to show that on the day preceding the Belknap disclosure he had had an in- terview with Mrs. Marsh at the Arlington Hotel, . Wherein the claim of the Kentucky Central Railroad was mentioned. At the interview Mrs. Marsh stated that Mrs. Belknap had told her that she did not re- ceive $70,000 on account of the claim, as had been al- leged, as that was the amount the railroad. received. The next night Genoral Kiddoo went to Chairman Cly- mer and told him what Mrs. Marsh had stated on the evening previous. an investigation into the Pendleton matter, and the former said he did not bave sullicient data upon which’ to base an investigation, but that he would uuat it up. With the evident purpose to convince the news- paper correspondents who were in the committee room that he hud proceeded with the utmost possible despatch iu the matter, Mr Clymer asked the witness whether there was avything in his manuer which con- veyed to him the impression that he did not care to make the mvestigation. General Kiddoo replied, Well, you have asked me a square question as to wy impres- sion and I will se answer it’? He then set torth that the manner of Mr, Clymer did not impress him with the conviction that he cared to proceed with the in- Vestigation, inasmuch as Mr. Pendleton belonged to tho democratic party, aud he (Mr. Clymer) was a strict rtisan, General Kiddoo stated aiso that he had met r, Clymer in Vienua in 1873 and had travelled through Germany with him. He had also met Mrs, Marsh and Mrs. Bowers, now Mrs, Belknap, in Paris and Ham- burg. THE EVIDENCE OF GENERAL KIDDOO was quite positive that Mrs. Marsh had left with him the, impression that Mrs, money consideration on account of the railroad claims ‘The inyestigation has now reached a point that it ceed without the testimony of leton, who testified that he did not pay her any money, did not actually turn over to Mrs. Belknap a portion of the proceeds of the claim, who aid? ‘The testimony of the Chief Clerk of the War De- partment, taken to-day, surrounds the claim with even more mystery, It appears trom it that in 1873, at the direction of the Secretary of War, he wrote a letter to the Third Auditor of the Treasury, requesting that the papers in the case of the Kentucky Central Rutlroad claum be sentite the War Office. They were received in due course of mail and came to the Chief Clerk's desk. He read the letter of transmittal, tore off the Levi hs and without any further éxaminat.on rs to ex-Secratary Belknap. For itn in which he had turned fuem over, there being nothing about the appearance of the pack” age which served to indicate that it had even been opened, When they were returned to him it was by General Belknap in person, who gave him no direc- tions as LO how he should dispose ot them, Thinking, perhaps, that they would again be calied for by the Seeretary, he sent them up to the record room and 4 were filed away, he testimony of A. M. Gibson, the correspondent of tho New York Sun, served only to show that Chairinan pee. roa felt that be was incompetent to conduct the in- Vestigation with which his committee is charged with- out tho aid of some mind to direct him, and that he had selected a newspaper correspondent as about the best material he couid call to his assistance, After tuo testimony of the corre: dent 1 would have been hard for 4 stranger to have arrived at the conclusion whether Clymer or the correspondent was the chuir- man Of the committee. passed three months bo testified the papers remained with Dip gaee, the: were returned to him +. in WILDER VS. WELSH, GEORGE H, STUART FOR THE DEFENCE IN THE | LIBEL CASE, To tae Eprror ov Tux HeRato:— It 1 the right of the public to be correctly informed jas to the official acts of their servants, 1 therefore beg to state such of the facts from which originated the ac- tion for libel brought by A. H. Wilder against Mr. Will- am Welsh as are within my own personal knowledge. In November, 1873, in the performance of my duty a Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of | Indian Commissioners I had occasion to examine a voucher for some $1,100 presented for payment for ac- count of Mr. Wilder. The character of that voucher and the impression made upon me by it are sufficiently indicated by my hereinalter meutionod letter to the then Secretary of the loterior. The facts stated in my letter were obtained by me from Mr, Cree, S had any conference with Mr. Welsh on the subject, and, of course, before I received his letter, Before transmitting to the then § etary of the Interior my report disapproving the voucher 1 determined to ob- | tain and forward a letter from Mr. Welsh, and this Ldid, not for the purpose of aiding me to come to a conclu- sion, for | had already come to the very deeited opinion stated in my letter, but solely tor the purpose of show. ing to Mr. Delano how the voucher in question im- pressed Mr. Welsh, for whose personal character and sound judgment Mr, Delano bad projessed to entertam great Fespect. Mr. Welsh wrote to ine, at my request, the subject matter of Mr. Wilder's action aguinst him: Jo the performance of my duty | forwarded that letter to Mr. Delano on the 23d of November, 187%, inclosed in the letter, of which the following ts a co Hon. C, Deano, Segretary of . Wa Biu—T have the fonor to return herew Uered 1,624, rejected. Ri tating! woe We This voucher T most unl pronouwés n fraud, d enclose herewith a tet iiliam Welsh, stving we information in ard regret exceed calling your atten the fret ty ent of the govern ur chase, but that this blank vonette: reitied Go, alitnutel have been forwarded to the and subseqt jews filled ii ab ‘and whose basin amine) of the uceounts ey Jadgient and honesty the Commissioner of Indian Affairs necessity of the ease, required to a cert forme } that all this set of vouchers were made me clerk from memos vant bORG Ie HT. STUART, Chairman Executive Committee. woto tne Mr. Wilder obtained m the Interior Department, and liber, 1 am not thereupon brought aware that Mr. Welsb tore sending it to me. sending it to the Secretary of the Interior, and tainly supposed that the Interior Department would regard Mr. Welsh’s lettor as a contidential communica. tion. GEORGE H. STUART. Puitavenrma, March 17, 1876. NARROW ESCAPE FROM DROWNING. Last evening James Nae, deck hand on the Hoboken ferryvoat James Kumsey, while avout attaching the said ferryboat to the wharf and ouside tho chains, missed bis footing and slipped into the water, He wae lost sight of jor a gouple of minutes under the boat, tll Hualiy be was fished out ju a very exhausted condition, A MAD WOMAN. -Mra Mary Ann Mullon, of Willow street, Hoboken, was captured last night by Police Officer Aldoretta, while was attempting to strangle one of hor ebildren, Sbe then attempted to bow! at the officer. He took berto the County Jail, where sho fought everybody aad made herself generally dangereus. She passed the night iu a strait jacket, He urged Mr. Clymer to make | Belknap had received a | * | not bemg misunderstood, tary of the Board, residing in Washington, before I | da lurnished by Me. | THE STATE CAPITAL The Killian Bill Not Com- pletely Dead Yet. ——_——_- . A Reconsideration Moved by Wenzel. REPUBLICAN DISCONTENT. Passage of the Superintendent of | State Prisons Bill. Aupany, March 17, 1876. An effort was made to-day to have the vote by which the House last eveuing agreed to the report adverse to the Killian “No seat no fare’ bill reconsidered, but it was only partially successful. There is a rule of the Assembly which provides that no motion for recon- sideration of any vote shall be in order unless on the same day or the following legislative day to that on which the bill was passed or rejected, 1t was con- tended to-day by some of the, members that if a motion to reconsider was not “acted upon’ the same day or the following legislative day the original disposition of the bill the vote on which it was sought to reconsider remained intact and beyond the power of the House thereafter to alter, It will be seen that this view of the case 18 an erroneous one, for the rule distinctly states that a motion is in order on the same day the vote was taken or on the day. Consequently the mere making of such a motion within the prescribed time is sufficient to place the reconsideration of @ vote in the hands of the House | to ve acted upon at some future time, This is mow the | condition of Affairs so far as the Killian bill is con- | cerned. A motion to,reconsider the vote by which the adverse report of the Railroad Committee was agreed | to, and as a matter of course the bill rejected, having been made and action upon it cut off by a motion to adjourn, which was carried, is stilt pending. ‘The first move looking to ‘ A RECONSIDERATION OF THE VOTS on the bill was made by Mr. Wenzel, of Sullivan, Mr, Killan not being present. Although rule 51 of the House declares a motion to recousider the vote on which a bill hag been passed or rejected a privileged motion, “and shall always be in order” on the same day | the vote on the bill was taken or the following day, the Speaker pro tem. Mr. Sloan, rolod that it was not; rather, that the motion could not be considered until | the regular order (third reading of bills) had been gone | through with, He, however, ruled that the motion, | having been made, would lie upon the table, and could be taken up when its regular order was reached, Mr. | Wenzel prefaced his motion by saying that he did so because Mr, Killian was not present when the regard he entertained personally for the chairman of the Railroad Committee, he thought it but proper that if there were any virtues inthe bill they ought to be brought to light, so that at some future time, at any rate, the Legislature might act imtelligently upon city railroad accommodations without continually every year going over the whole field and causing unnecessary delays. From some unexplained reason Mr. Wenzel was not in his scat when it became possible for him to ask fora vote on his motion; but | Mr. Betts, of New York, seeing how matters stood | | rose and moved a reconsideration of the vote, by which the House agreed to the report of the Railroad Committee, This got the opponents of the vill right by the ears, as they had not anticipated that any motion like Wenzel’s would be pressed during the day, 60 long as Wenzel was not on hand and they were UP IN ARMS. At once the Speaker was about to put the motion, \ when Mr. Worth, of Kings, who isa member of the Railroad Committee, jumped to his foet and asked Mr, Betts to “withdraw his motion” for a moment, as he had a privileged resolution to offer, promis! ‘onow the motion, “I will give way,” suid Mr, it the gentieman will renew the motion,”’ “I will reaow it,”” replied Worth, who thereupon sent up to the Clerk’s desk his “privileged” resolution, which was a resolution of adjournment at one o’clock (it Was a quarter to one at the Lime) out of respect for Speaker Husted, whose tather had died on Wednesday, Mr, Hogeboom contended | that be did not think the resolution was in good taste, and that Mr, Husted, be felt certain, would prefer not to have the death of his father in any manner referred to by resolution of the House, He supplemented this by amouon toadjourn at once, Mr, Betts ‘phy to the Speaker tbat he had only given way to Mr. Worth on condition that be would renew his motion retative to the Kilian bill; but, of course, the Speaker had to rule that the motion to adjourn was inorder. The Clerk, on a demand for the yeas and nays on the mo- tion of Mr. Hogeboom, began to call the roll, when Mr. Botts attempted to renew his motion, when the point of order was raised that the roll having been catled”’ Mr. Betts was not in order. The Speaker ruled that the roll had not been called, (Tho first nane ou the hist, however, had been called.) Mr. | Hogeboom then again moved to adjourn, when the yeas and ways were again cated tor. Although several of the members in voting asked th the question should be fuirly stated whether Mr, Hoge boom had moved an adjournment on account of tho death of the Speaker's father, Mr. Hogeboom ye NO ATTEMPT TO ¥XPLAIN why he had made the motion, and the Speaker very | properly had to reply that he could not tell what tue | motives of the mover of the adjournment | were, Under the circumstances the members who did not desire to cut off Mr. Botts’ motion, especially in view of the way Worth bad obtaimed the floor to offer his resolution, | were left in doubt, aud rather than be placed in the embarrassing position of voting against a sort of con- t following | | Dut its leading and most practical pro pointing a board to regulate the. salaries ployés of the city government and cut off the politi- eal bangers on that swarm ou the payrolls of the de- partments and the courts, has bee through the combined infil f agents §«6of Tammany Hall an the Custom House. Comptrolier Green” declares in bis late report that the expenses of moning the munjeipat machinery can stand a safe reduction of $2,000,000, and id anybody who reads the long list of muluiple eles officers that encumber y bureau, | meat and court and draw money for doing will be apt to think tue Comptroller | is pearly right. There is no otber way of roaching the host of sinecurisis Wha live on the Treasury except by thi board with authority to iiquire into the r: naine that appears on the city pay roils to average sense of the Legislature recognizes the need and importance of a law that will accomplish (his object, and the reformers of both parties, if ielt te their honest instincts, would have bo hesitation ia passing it, but it appears the hesitation already alluded to has been tod powerful, and hence the dis- Satisfaction awong those republicans Who are earnestly in tavor of the bill and requrdless of the outside pres~ sure against it, Tbe majority in the Assembly are at war between themselves, and until they become united ho genuine reiorm measures have #chauce of boing passed. A CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION, On constitutional as well as on common sense grounds it appears wrong and arbitrary to legistate a 194an out of un office to which he had Veen duly elected by the votes of the people. Yetab has been done, in several instances, and a bill that ately passed the As- sembly turning out tue Board of Charity Commissionert of Kings county contemplates an offence of a simi- jar kind. lt seems a gros breach of good faith on the part of the Legislature to create an olhea to which a mau may be clecied tor a certain term of years, and after the people have placed him there by their votes with the understanding that he isto hold it so long as he does not violate his tust, to turn bim out before his term expires, or, peruaps, after it has only just begun. Impressed with this conviction, and hav- ing im View the Dill relating to the Board of Charity Commussioners in Kings county, Senator Jucobsollereda resolution requesting the suliciary Committee to re. port to the Senate whether in their opinion the Legis: lature can constitutionally remove from ofiice ollicialt eiected by the people, The Vourt of Appeals has al- ready decided that it capnot; but it will be no harm w have the option ofthe Judiciary Committee, with sucty w clear headed jurst as Senator Koberisou at its head, STATE PRISON SUPERINTRNDET. The concurrent resolutions proposing an amendment to the constitution giving the Governor, with the con- sent of the Senate, the appointment of a superintends ent of Slate prisons were passed in the Assembly \o- day. A similar bill baying passed io the Senate it only now remains tor the Senate to sub stitute House bill tor the. Assembly b:il, have done with. the State won, Ever since Mr. Sherman n hand in the Jower house be hus had to contend with many diilicuities, and atone ime an attempt to have them recommitted to the Commitice ov State Prisons came within one vote of being a s cess. Had this move not failed the chanves were agains: the resolutions ever seeingduylightagain. To appreciate the danger they ipcurred, it 18 only necessary to bear m mind that they were passed by the last Legisiatare, and that if they full to pass the present Legislature they could not be submitted to the people until they were adopted by the Legisl ‘~ Of 1578. Mr. G, J. Post has been the head and fr of the opposition im the Assembly, and to-day helost his balapes completely when the resolutions having come up in the order of third reading of bills, Mr. Sherman moved the previoug question. Post declared when bis name way called that he was deprived trom debating the resolutions by the a trick, and insinuated that the Speaker had refused to recognize bim before Mr, Sher- man although he had made his voivo heard before Mr. Sherman had tinie to geton his feet Iu fact he spoke #o insultingly that the Speaker had ta call him w order several Umes aftor having treated him with wonderful forbearance trom the moment he report of the Railroad Committee was handed | characterized the proveedings a8 a trick. After voting in, and because of the support given to | he sat ~— trys jor af Peay andra ie | certain that if he ba ir. usted to eal j the bill by the Hxnaty in the interost | ith instead of the iniid-mannered Mr, loan, he | of the travelling public, Notwithstanding the high | would have been brought up with a sharp turn whew he more than intimated that the Speaker had ruled in- partially in order to prevent the universe from being enlgbtened by an arguinent against the vill, That hut conduct alienated from him the support of many of the members who had ou previous occasions voted with bun in opposition to the resolutions is shown by the vote, which stood 83 to U6, A majority of the demo crats voted in the negative, on the ground that os the present State Prison Inspectors were democrats thoy did not want them legislated out of ollie, Mr. Ingaila to-day presented the supplementary report of Lhe Stato Prison Committee, which adds but little new iutormu- tion to that given in the conmumittee’s previous report, relating to What they saw and heard at their late visit to the prisons. LEGISLATIVE NOT! Half an hour of the Senate's time was devoted tor day to culogics on the late Vice President. Veuder and Carpenter, republicans, and Starbuck and Gerard, democrats, rolled off each a brief and neat address, ‘The Coubty Treasurers bill passed the Senate by @ nearly unanimous voie, ‘The bill to enlarge the powers of the Canal Board so ag to permit ft to go on With the investigation of the canal frauds was laid over till next week, Sevator Morrissey presented u petition from 700 owners of cratt plying on the Hudson, aud others in- terested ‘in the navigation of that river, provesting agalust the passage of the bill to build a bridge acrosa the Hudson, iu connection with the Newburg and Fish- kill Kailroad, In executive session the nomination of William H, Henderson for Judge of the Kighth Judicial district, for which Judge Southworth was receutly nominated and rejected, was referred to a committee of Senators be- Jonging to the district—Messrs. Rogers, Cole, Wellman al Vedder. Henderson ts a democrat and a member of the Democratic State Central Comiitiee. The Commissioners of the Sinking Fand are author. ized by the bill that passed to-day td sell the lease of the Grand street ferry, New York. ‘The joint committee of Senate and Assemply to see about redacing the numberof olficers aud the expenses of the Legislature will meet Taesday next, The bill to secure the Metropolitan Fire Department Relief Fund in its share of the late Volunteer Fire De- partment Benevolent Fund passed the Senate, and also the bill repealing the law of 1869 levying halt the as- sessments for strect openings and improvements above Fourteenth street on the city at large, THE CANAL FRAUD SUITS. AN ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE WHY A STRUCK JURY SHOULD NOT BE ORDERED. Aunany, March 17, 1876. ‘The affidavit of E, W. Paige, upon which the order te show cause why a struck jury in the canal fraud suite should not be called was issued, after reviewing the testimony elicited by the Caval Commission, proceeds to state substantially that the defendants for years had lurge contracts upon the canals within the limits of the county of Albany, and have during that time employed @ great number of workmen within such county. In dolence resolution relative to Mr, Husted's bercave- | ment, they voted to adjouro, many who bad voted agaipst the adjournment changing their votes before the final result was announced, for the very purpose of Mr. Worth explains that ho offered his resolution at the time he did because he felt assured the discussion of Betts’ mo- py considerable ume, and he wanted Ww have 1 acted upon betore the debate began, But | xplanation ts rather a poor one, and is regarded | avery clever but rather dishonorable par- | | on Mr, Betts have b his resolution | | could have otter at its close jas well as it began. It is but Just to Mr, the chairman of the Railroad Co: the opinion of the ailiant, therefore, the only way to secure u fair, impartial trial of the case, without the enormous labor and expense of obtaining the biogra- phies of all the persons whose mn: are now iu the jury box, is to have n special J composed of men | whose bigh position and well kuown personal charac- ter will be a sufficient guarantee that right and justice will be secured, Aside from the difflcuity of otherwise securing # fair and impartial trial iu the afliant’s opin- jou, a special jury ix, required by tbe importance and intricacy of the causes, The detendants, the ailidavit further alleges, have been for many years politicians of great prominence and power and worrvalled in their ine ence over legislation affecting the causes and the ex, ive olliees Lerewith connected, both State and The trial of these actions, will be.a test wheth ts’ motion. On the - |} from such frauds as appear to mend! yt to Mr. Worth’s moti | clowed in the testimony stated in Canal | postponiny, ume of the adjournment, with the ex- | Investigating Commission's reports as having been press purpose of having the report of His committee | taken on two occasions, und they Will involve the offi. | settiod one way or the other, | clul action of various State officers und the character of | NOT DEAD YET, | As the matter now stands it Is believed that Mr. | Betts’ motion, notwithstanding that the Speaker raled that it would be in order when the reports of mit. tees wou d be in order, is bow of no account. Worta, “| st will be borne in mind, got the floor by asking Mr. | Betts, “before the 0.” to give way. Aud asl enticman puts that motior tie did give way and Wort h aia | | tue means used to obtarn the altering of contracts upon the canais, The afidavit further alleges that the | evidence will largely cous of the testimony of co. | couspirutors, and also of evidence in regard to the ex. | pepse of keeping the sections of the Erie Canal reterred | toon the complaints in repair, embracing the coustrac- | tion of mauy miles of wall abd many private detailg und very large amoupts, aod also ot the matter of ex. yt renew the motion according hd lis promise, and | pense of dredging in the Hadson River to the amount ' did not. ruccee yan getting the floor, it is a very | oF over — $400,000, air the — compariso: ion whether oF hot the motion caw be eou- | or ‘similar’ work aun cabibene ‘alti lnugpber Je having been made wt all However, Mr. | of detailed and intricate items of expense and a ! Wenzel’s motion having been made before Me. Betts | ion, aud all requiring ina large degree the nee mate tis, and that motion being on the table, @ vote | jon of experts in order that the ease ma can yet be laken to reconsider the vote by whielt tie | Rartroad Commaitweo were sustuined in thetr report against ie i ) fuk LORBY aT WORK. ‘The one unfortunave eireamstaneo aboat the bill now 1 that the with the prospect of a prov ng carried, are lyiag their paranye a | atnike The lobby is companies, uppearn all | to see the bul referred t9 the Co: | to 3 of the Whole is Charles Kd jaa whom the Judiowry Com , Investigating t r fure them some wi eks ago, His dears eviden . Wilt gets 1p ibe House, to ply the arts of th make money out of it by aiding in its defeat, only avother ilias Uy Wo wake a reall, interests, ui inv in thes pockets, / Edwards and ihe other lovbyists will need watebing, ly KIMAAN AND MMS POSITION, Considerable taik has been occasioned by the abseace | of Killian trom the House last evenmg, when the com- the very | mittee made its report, aud to-day, when the motion | | Was made to reconsider the vote on Lhe committee's re- port, Mis triends say that he was given to wnderstand that the report would not be made this week; but it is asserted on the other hand that be was seen in (he Aggembly charaber about half an hour be- fore the committee reported, It is the genoral im- Pression that as he bolas the position of freight agent, ' | OF something of that kind, under the Central | Raiiroad Company, that company had something | todo with bis absence, Some people here to-night o wae told that he bad gone aboat persisted in | far enougn wi pusbing the bill alter the | port he would fo position. DIS ATH TION AMONG REPUBLICANS, ‘There 1s much crimination aud reerinu the republican members of the Assembly | the relorm bills from Now York city have | been managed, or rather mismanaged The Salary bili has deen lamentably tnkered and kuocked about, That introduced by Mr, Peabody properly understocd and appreciated by persons | business capacity, intelligenes aud accustomed vo th for work inv rous and imtricate details, | eonelusion th that the cases ai | Jor trial at the adjourned Circuit Court, on the 20th is not sufticient to ale the cham. bers of Justice Westbrook at Kingston to-morrow afternoon at twu o'clock, when the questions theream | der will be 1ully argued. | TRADES UNION MEETING. | A crowded meeting of tho Trades Union was held ab | No. 10 Stanton street last night, at which it was ree | solved | ‘That a mass meeting be held at Cooper Institute on Mone ; dng. March £0. ‘That the thanks of the Association be sent to Governoe | Tide of the Convict Labor by That THE STOLEN LIGHTER, the Central Office yesterday that Officers Frazer and | Kehoe, of bis command, bad tound the lighter which | was stolen from pier No. 18 the night of the 16th inst, as reported in yesterday’ ERALD, lying at Com. « munipaw ferry, N. J., baying on board. Joshua A. Con. nell, of the barge James Kent Mr, Cot he bad found the hgbter adeift | thieves had carried away tifteen Lierces of lard, leaving | ten tierceson board. The case was rej to the | United States Marshal, who authorszed Mie Connell a | Temain in charge as keeper, | | | Captain Irving, of the police boat Seneca, reported a¥ |