Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-08-20
NAVY DaPAR TWGGWT.


~ AVX DEP a RTMGN
SKETCHES FRoss'rHE ia AUDIroR's OrEIc1A1 RE-
Case Of George .NGcddniel.
lew days after my appointment to the Office of 4,h
Auditor, was informed by George Macdanel, one of
TIE clerks in this Office, that he Special
Navy Department for the payment of small OF mo-
ncy; that he out # !irds and that he desired me
10 address letter TO h2 Secretary of the Navy request
ing requstion TO ssuc in his favor. In r-rv 10 the
quesuons put by me, he said he knew OF law or re-
CITATION authorizing such an agency, but that he
appointed by the Secretary of the Navy many years ago
mad continued to act ever since in that capacity and
haI received as compensation one per cent ca his
disbursements.
Upon inquiry, directed to the following pas
sage OF an act of Congress, approved March 2h lSe
as originating this agency:
"Bc it enacted, SC. That the President of the Unit
cd States be, and he il hereby authorized TO attach to
The Navy Yard ut Washington, and TO the hgates and
other vessels laid up in ordinary in the Eastern Branch
Captain Of the Navy. vi o shall have the general care
81 sn"erintendencc of the same, and shall perform
the duties of Agen j',s Navy Departments and Shall be
entitled TO receive for AIS services the pay and cmou
service"
"A Ccaptgin Of he nary" was accordingly "aiiact-
ed 10 the Mary Yard at TVdshingtono who for some
years, "perf0rYict The dties IF fgent 10 III. Nirry
Deparimsnt' regular Navy Agent was thea sub.
siuci to perform these duties. Finally without any
change OF the law, they anferrcl Mr. George
Macdanicl, clerk in the Accountant and afterwards
in the fourh Auditors Office.
This arrangement seems to have been rcpugnant not
only to the act oil lSO but TO that OF March 81 1909 the
3 SECTION OF which declares, that Exclusively of The
piyInasers OF the army aud Pursefs Of the Navy and
other officers authorized ~ law Other permanent
agent snail he Gppoi2e9 either for the purpose Of max
Ing contracts or for the purchase Of supplies for the
disbursement in any cfcr manner Of nonevs for ,jo
use OF the military establishment of The .Nauy IF
NE 4. STATES, bat such shdH be appointed on The
President ef The United states tcth fls ddvice and
consent If Tie Senate"
Mr.. mcdaniel appointed by the Secretary of the
Navy, and was never nominated to the Senate. His
agency was 50 permanent that it continued at least
from October, 1872 10 April, 1920. His business was
to diSbWSe the PtGiic money. The sums disbursed
were at first small; but increasing by degrees they be-
considerable, that his average commissions
prior TO 1922 were more than S80O per year. The du-
y was performed mostly, if not entirely during Office
hours, and sometimes employed him for DAYS during
which he rendering no service at The Fourth tuIitors
Office.
As as understood the nature of this agency.
directed Mr. Macdauicl 20 stop payment and prep his
accounts for sctcmen' and his agency was transferred
to the Captain OF the Navy Yard.
Mr. Macdaniel also kept the books OF the Navy PEN
sion Fund. This service was rendered durinG oCIicc
hours For this lie had receiyed for many years an an
nu1l compensation OF $3.50 The origin of Ibis allow
ance may be found in the following, til. original OF
which is in Macddncl's hand writing:
"The Navy Pension Fund.-
To George Maclanel:
For compensation for adjusting and keeping the ac-
counts Of the Fund s. particularly in examining and !
jus;ng the accounts Of the late commissioners of loans
agens Tor paying pensions previous 10 the balances
ing a. nsierred 10 the banks, from LIST July 1917, the
lst July, 1913, (two hundred and City dollars) $3.50
Respectfully submitted TO the Honorable Secretary of
the Navy for his appreciation; be paid and charged TO
the contingent account Of the Fund.
Allowed,
b. w. CrowinshieId."
Although the allowance was more for a sneci1l than
general service as the voucher itself shows vet il has
been made precedent for annual allowance of $3.50
from the lst July 1917 to S1st May, 1920 Under -;
other authority than the abUye "Gii2ced Il. W. Cyocn-
idShGd, there have been paid to MIR. mcdaniel out
oil the Navy Pension Fund, no less than 5000 Is.
Mr.. Macdanic also received various times COM
missions on disbursements and purchase Of stocks on ac-
count oil that fund.- amounting in all TO 81 PTS H. and
claims 1912 more, which havo not been allowed
An opinion of the fidelity gh which he discharged
his duties in relation 90 this fund may be found hv con-
pairing the reports # lis condition made out by him and
sent 10 Congress at the session of 1898 with that made
at the present session. In The former it will be per-
ceyed That no Information given Of the S2S SSl ~
belonging 10 the fund, which remained uninvested from
July Isl 1928 to February l7th 1929 or Of other sums Il
large amount. The accouns Of some of tho Navy
Pension Agents had not been settled from the year 1926
az appears by list made ont at my request after
came into Office.
This business was also done within office hours. Tn
Mr.. Macdancis removal, it was Transferred 10 an
other clerk who, in little than month"; had brough
up all arrearages. The annual allowance &C. z5o ha
been discontinued because ~ IS considered porto,
OF the regu,r 5rlcs OF the Fourth Auditors Office; an,
The clerk entrusted with it has nothing TO do with di.
bursements Of any description.
Mr. Macddnol's salary in this office wa, 81 4O
Allowance Tor keeping books Of the Navy on
sion Fund o.
COmmissions-antu al average Of late years s0
r Annual receipts s,45
,1u Is. suooTalnaie clerk received $3.50, when m
chleI clctH salary Is only ~ 100.
From October, 1872, 10 March 1920 in
elusive MIR. Macdanisl received for
commissions az special agent &f727 g
AZ agent for purchase OF stocks and pay
ment Of Pensie9us I,2ls 7
for keeping accounts Of Navy Pension
fund 2,970 ]
Whole amount OF extra allowance Ss,025 8
D1fing the same time, lee received az re-
guldr salary in this Office 220I3 3
Total receipts s3I $3.50 a
DIInG uAt ume, he al o. bad in iis hand, appeal
ny ''f o.m Cs on i' various settlements, an tvcraq
OF aoor tV"V!" i public money. and portion Of N
Bank Of Columbia Stock for tln pIrcbase Of wiici,
account Of The Navy Pension Fund, he was alIovcd
commission, rms bougH If htmselC on fine r,,. lin,
tcrs htagIcrCd TO him. "a
IIe is now indebted 10 the Navy Pension Fund ,I,o,
Sl2VO' against which he sets up clam 10 euudry con