The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-03-13

by him to the collector during the year 1885, we're after
delay Of one or two months, and have ionnd one
esss IN which he held s3s4o 81 for ten mon.hs.
Secondly. In suits Treasury transcripts, and In
ligsted cases generally. and In proceedings Of special
nature, the Treasury officers have Of knowing
officially except from the report Of the district attorney,
what moneys are received by him. This enables an
unfaIthful careless officer retain moneys IN his
hands, and exposes them TO loss. Mr. Prices deslca-
lion commenced with cases Of this nature.
The FIRST instance Of official delinquency which have
discovered was IN not paying over 70 the collector o.
Boston any part Of the sum Of ~ 500 received by Mr.
Price on the I7ih June. 1896. from Eyet A. Bancker,
assignee OF Scovile & Brbeck. against whom chance
~ sui, had been brought for the purpose Of recovering
balance due 10 the United States on a cnsiom-house
bond executed by Scoville and others. This chancery
sui had been pending for several years and tbs officers
Of Boston had no knowledge Of the progress made in it,
except from The communications Of the disrc. attorney.
II only during the last week that ascersined from
Mr. Bancker the fact Of the above payment, no entry
Of il being found in The register Of Mr.. Price and
have reason to believe that it made known TO
the collector Of Boston. On the 7lh September 1885,
Mr.. Price received from Ephraim Tresdwell, Of this
city, on his discharge insovenl debtor, pursuant.
10 an order Of the Secretary Of the Treasury, the sum
OF $1,000. This money not paid over, nor was
the fact Of its payment Of the discharge Of Tread
well, communicated TO the Treasury Department. In
October Of the year, Mr. Price appears. from his
register. TO have received about 066 two chsncey
suits then pending, in which the United States
interested, and which sum has never been paid
Ills dealcatlon, prior to December 1896, according to
the information in my possession, confined almost
exclusively to the sums above mentioned 10 Decem-
Der, 1885, he appears to have received 81 ,22S 81 in
January and February, 1887, S9,646 OF; and in May,
1887 S6,O5l ii, on custon-house bonds, no part OF
which has been paid This increased his de-
falcation to about S25000, at which il appears to have
remained until after the LIST April 1885, between which
time and the 9th day Of December, 1898, it was ex-
tend In alOut he i'm of m
toned.
am not able to state whether or not Mr. Price made
all The returns 10 the Treasury Department at Wash
ngton required by his duty and The instructions Of the
Solicitor; but have TO believe that, when suits
commenced bonds, they were generally report
ed and that the returns Of customhouse bonds in suit
regularly made to the Solicitor up to the end Of
the las. September term Of the ds,ric, court.
But there is auxiliary 10 that OF ineciency
negligence in the administration Of the department
OF the Solicitor Of the Treasury which ascrbabe
the incipent impulses Of Mr. Prices defalcation. tits
to be found in the pecuniay inespopsbly and want OF
trustworthiness, professional man, ut the time OF
his appointment the Office Of district attorney in 1884,
BY President jackson, also at the time Of his reap
pointment in 1888, by President Van Buren,. These
Of Mr. Price appear TO have been noto-
rious at each period of his appointment in the commu-
nifty from which he selected The subjoined proof
establishes the fact.
Alexander Hamilton, witness called by Mr.. Queens.
Examined BY Mr. Curtis
Question a. Did you know William M Price, late
district attorney Of the United States and his general
reputation for pecuniary responsibility What has been
that reputation for fifteen years past
Answer. have known him for the period mentioned,
and during the time have understood him to be entirely
without pecuniary responsibility.
Arent S. De Peyster, formerly weigher in the
tom-house, called by Mr. Wise.
Examined by Mr.. Harlan.
III n -
Price, late district attorney OF the United States! III
yea please state whether he regarded before and
after his appointment, worthy to be intrusted
with collection OF large sums Of money.
Answer. am acquainted with William M. Price,
late district attorney and answer the question in the
negative.
Russell H. Nepias. called and examined by Mr.
Queens.
Question g. What was the reputation Of William M.
Price for pecuniay responsibility at the time Of his late
appointment district attorney Of the United States
Answer II was, in my estimation, and according to
the best Of my knowledge, the geneta opinion that he
was utterly unworthy OF any pecuniay credit. have
known Mr.. Price upwards Of thirty years.
Question g. How long has Mr. Price been thus re-
garded in this community ...
Answer. My opinion Of him has been the same for
the last twenty years. With the public he may have
gained something in the course Of the last few years,
prior to his late departure.
Question T. Do you say that Prices reputation had
Of the United Siatesi
Answer. Not to my knowledge.
Gorham A. Worth, cashier Of the City Bank Of New
York.
Examined By Mr.. Curtis.
Question a. Were you acquainted with William M.
Price, late district attorney of the United States IF
yea, what his sencral reputation for pecunary
sponsbiy prior to, and al The time of his late appoint
ment as district attorney! Was Mr. Price regarded in
this community as Trustworthy in pecunary matters
I tod IN NJ
My impression is, that Mr.. Prices responsibility, in
pecunary point Of view, rery hght Prior to his
appointment district attorney, his would have
had no iceight in bank
Question 5. Was Mr. Prices reputation such that
you would have felt justified in inrusting him with the
collection and receipt Of money for the City Bank, prior
to and at the time Of his late appointment district at
torncy Of the United States
Answer was not, at the time alluded to, sufficiently
acquainted with Mr. Price TO have done so without
first making the necessary inquiries.
Question Was 1t not notorious in the community at
the time Of Mr.. Prices appointment district attorney
Of the United States, and before that me that he
regardless Of pccuniary obligations
Answer have no distinct knoicledgc that will au-
thorze me to answer that question. How Mr.. Price
may have stood in pecuniary matters with others know
not
Question 2. You are asked concerning the common
report the general reputation in respect to Mr. Price,
and not concerning your own knowledge of him. Would
YOU f /, had been within the scope Of your dotes as
cashier Of the City Bank relying upon the general
puation Of Mr.. Price, at the time above alluded to,
have ntrusted him with the collection and receipt Of any
considerable sum Of money from your bauk!
Answer No.
James b. Murray late president Of the Morris Canal
Company, called by Mr.. Queens.
Examined By Mr.. Curtis
Question 5. Were you acquainted with William M.
Price, late district attorney Of the United States IF
yea, how long! Was Mr. Price prior to- and at the
time Of his late appointment SAID Office regarded in
this community as worthy Of confidence in pecuniary
matters
Answer have been acquainted with Mr. Price for
thirty years, and have known him to be considered
caniaru L