Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 February 1882 — The Treasury Investigation. [ARTICLE]

The Treasury Investigation.

Ex-Custodian Pitney, of the treasury, has revived interest in the contingent-fund investigation by adding something to his former testimony. Pitney, says a Washington telegram, asked to be recalled, and when he appeared he stated that he had been informed that Upton and Lamphere had contradicted his testimony with regard to employes of the treasury having done work for Secretary Sherman, for which they were paid out of the contingent fund. He asked that that portion of the testimony of Upton and Lamphere referring to his evidence be read to him. This was done ; it showed that Pitney had been correctly informed. Upton and Lamphere had contradicted him, and had testified positively that no employe of the treasury had ever been paid out of the contingent fund for work done for Mr. Sherman. Pitney then reaffirmed his testimony, that they had done such work, and had been paid for it out of that fund, ana said he was prepared to prove it, and also to prove that Secretary Sherman and Mrs. Sherman knew that this work was so paid for. Senator Hale sprung to his feet, and, with some show of indignation, asked : “ How dare you charge that Mrs. Sherman knew this ?’’ Pitney replied: “ Because I received notes from her asking me to send men to do certain work on certain occasions, and I have the notes here now.” He then produced certain notes purporting to have been written by Mrs. Sherman, and requesting that workmen be sent to the Secretary’s assistance. Pitney added that lie had received notes of the same kind from Secretary Sherman, and also produced them. Pitney then entered into details with regard to this work, and maintained that he could prove by the books and records of the treasury that the work was paid for out of the contingent fund. The committee finally decided to call U pton and Lamphere and confront them with Pitney; also to have the books and records of the contingent expenditures present for examination in connection with the testimony.