Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 June 1885 — Rascality in Naval Affairs. [ARTICLE]

Rascality in Naval Affairs.

The Navy, under Republican man* agement, was undoubtedly one of the most corrupt departments of the public service. A New York paper repeated some interesting testimony the other day that was recently given before the Paymaster Smith Court of Inquiry. The witness gave evidence to show an improper connection between the Paymaster General and certain favored contractors who are now forbidden to bid for supplies upon any of the present navy contracts. The first witness was George W. Simpson, of the firm of Simpson, Mclntyre & Co., Boston, the butter firm. They have a patent for packing butter to go long distances or to be kept a long time, and have supplied butter to the navy for years. This firm furnished 30,000 pounds in 1882 to the navy. The next year Smith was Paymaster General and the Boston butter people received no contracts. Simpson came to Washington to find out why, arriving just before the supplies were being bought for the Greely Relief Expedition. Simpson, continuing his evidence, said that the Paymaster General told him that the butter of the Boston firm was the best that had ever been put up for the navy. There was no objection made to it in any way, and Simpson rested in the full belief that his firm would get the contract, or at least an opportunity to put in a bid. The contract was soon after given to a favorite of the Paymaster General, and he found out why through a man by the name of Brown, who was the purchaser of large supplies for the department. He told the butter man that he could have secured for him the contract for 10,000 pounds of butter for the Greely expedition, but that he had turned the order over to George H. Goff, because Goff had claimed that he was not getting his share of the contracts. He said that Goff was very jealous of him. Brown then went on to say that if the Boston butter firm wanted any more contracts, to come to him and he would procure them for him. Mr. Simpson said: “I asked him what commission he would charge to secure the order. He asked me if the butter would stand five cents a pound above the regular price, and I replied, no. He then offered to procure the contract for 10 per cent, commission.”

Further testimony goes to show that the butter was bought at forty-five cents when the Boston firm would have furnished it at thirty-three cents, and the man Goff referred to in the foregoing pocketed the difference, and it was detected in the following manner: The contract for furnishing the butter for the Greely expedition, which was turned over to Goff, was filled by W. 1. Young, of South Market street, New York. Goff is a professional contractor, and had to go to a butter firm to get his supplies. Charles M. Young, who retired last year from the firm, but who is still working for it until his account with it is settled up, testified that he saw a check made out in New York payable to the order of Goff for SBOO. As 10,000 pounds of butter were furnished, this would make the difference between the contract price of forty-five cents and the market price, tbirtythree cents. It shows that this eight cents was put on to give Goff his commission. Simpson says that he reported to Paymaster General Smith the improper overtures made to him by Brown. Simpson said to Smith: “I stated that I had come to him frankly, and did not believe that a man of his reputation could afford to associate with such a man as I believed A, P. Brown to be, as any boy would have had better judgment than to divulge secrets to a stranger, as Mr. Brown did to me. He thanked me for coming to him, and stated with an oath, that Mr. Brown was a fool, and in this statement I agreed with him.” Mr. Simpson also stated in this conversation that he did not understand why the navy should purchase butter at forty-five cents a pound when he could have furnished the butter of a much better grade at thirty-three cents. Smith replied to this that he was very busy at the time, and gave the order to Mr. Goff, without kuowing that other people had had a chance to make a bid.

Thus the money used to go under Republican administrations. That SBOO was not missed the other day when the public money was counted, simply because it was in Goff’s pocket.—lndianapolis Sentinel.

President Cleveland, according to all reports, seems to have some of Mr. Lincoln’s readiness of reply and aptness of retort when he wishes to state his own side of the case without offending his visitors. His answer to the man who opposed a certain appointee because his backer bet thousands of dollars on Blaine—“ Well, he lost his money, didn’t he?”—is already public property. Even more convincing was his remark to Senator Vest, who came to tell him that he should certainly vote against the confirmation of Mr. Pearson as Postmaster of New York. “Let’s look at this a moment,” was Mr. Cleveland’s reply. And then he went on to say that if he had a Missouri appointment to make he would consult Senator Vest and other Missouri Democrats. “But at New York,” he said, “I’m at home. I know something about that State. I observed and studied its politics long before its politics observed and studied me, and since I came into public life I may be presumed to have watched its affairs a little. If I should conclude in a single instance to do differently from what you think I ought to do—with your larger knowledge of the State—you ought to bear with me a little. Don’t you think so yourself?” “Mr. President,” shouted Vest, “I quit. Send in any New-Yorker you please, and I’ll vote for him right off,”