The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-04-11

- - w Eou possteniou Oh announcer man pf0prty
Ger sise Prescnces foi the purpose OF swlndhng him sot
o. n forever Has any sueh intention been proved
against mo Not at all On the contrary. the eve
deare shows that have used every means in my pow
p discharge the debts owed. fact possible And
what saws my aecuser IN his letter to Mr. Dsbois. Of
see s'h o. February, Ia speaking of the drafts drawn on
him He says ihis-ihat previous 10 his (ny Issv-
ing my command for Philadelphs. the let December.
nc had obtained money credit in settling demands
against him by giving orders" Does this look like
fraud, settling my debts Docs il look like fraud on
my part. Ia authorizing the endorsaoo Of INV psy check
for the month Of December: and 10 giving an order Tor
my allowance Of fuel fof November here on the Quar-
ter Master aud directing that the same FOR the month
Of December in Philadelphia should be forwarded here
TO Col Freeman, TO be appropriated towards the dis
charge Of my debts My pay check had been RECESSED
by Col Freeman as early as the 9th day Of December
Sometimes il was in his hands and sometimes IN the
hands Of Mr. Boles, appears by the evidence Il
not ~ my power 10 il therefore Did refuse
to endorse II. that might be applied towards the
sxtinguishment Of my debts There is evidence
that ibid
Il 10 true that the "a December, did make sppli-
cation TO Col Freeman money on my pay check
an anticipation Of its receipt, by writing him note
under thar date as follows:
Would you be pleased to add to your NUMEROUS
AVER. o.: great aad last one Ny pay accounts not
having arrived, and fbeing much in want Of il u
this time, would respectfully ask the favor Of
you, II you make il convenient let have the
amount OF the account and you take the account its
arrival on Thursday But should il be convenient
te you will you consent to hand the any one
who may be so willing as TO let me have it,"
To this Col Freeman replied under same date as
follows:
" Dear Sir
II have just received yours Of this morning--my
own funds are too short to make the advance you
quest. II twill be an accommodation however | will
give your account, when received with draft to whom
ever you may name having authority to endorse il for
YOU Give me the name Of the other individual beside
Mr. Carleton and Sergean, Collier to whom you wish
payment from the proceeds Of fuel and house to
the last Of this month, and the amour, due him"
Was there any thing like fraud herel any secrecy,
any deception Was the request | made, open,
frank. and candid If such the case why was
not then sdmonished by Col. Freemanl Whou,
any hesitation he granted my request. The permission
granted was not avaled Of.
On the 9th day Of December, Col Freeman wrote
me- as the records show, that he had received check
for "a dollars 80 cents for my pay the preceding month";
&c. On the l3ih of the same month"; | wrote to Col
freeman, as the records show, as follows "My object
in writing to you is TO ask you to be kind enough to
send me at your earliest convenience my pay check
which am led suppose, has been you, as il
has not been received here am in much want Of 1t,
the persons to whom wish the money paid which is
left in your hands, are Sergeant Collier, Mr. Carleton,
and Mr. Bolles, the attorney. The will be suf-
hcient to the demands Of the above named per-
sons" &c. Was there any fraud in this! Was not
JUSTIFIED IN making the request by the permission grant
ed by Col Freeman in his letter TO only eleven days
previous! Had circumstances changed IN the mean
time! Not at all, excepting that the letter signed G.
w. Davis, had been written 10 the Secretary Of the
Navy, dated the 9Th OF December in the interim.
During the trial, Col Freeman has produced a copy
OF letter, which he says was an answer to the above
dated l7lh December. but which letter
ceived by me- in which he says II received Yesterday
with surprise yours Of the l3lh requesting me to
forward your check to Philadelphia and adds, .'when
ind you have drawn orders which | have accepted
and thus enabled yon TO obtain the amounts or settle
ments therefor" lie then enumerstes the ORDERS Eve
in number, amounting to 1871 dollars IS cents But
Of these orders not due TIL the month follow
ing (January,) the amount Of which was S43 10;
making the amount $l3S 46.
He closes tho letter follows "The check referred
to payable to your order only, and shall hear
from you again for further disposition whether to be
applied as above, enclosed you Philadelphia +"
What was the situation of Col Freeman at the time
he wrote this last letter. Why the same as when he
wrote the dated the I'd Of December authorizing
me to raise money my pay amount.
The amount Of these acceptances. deducting there
from the one that not due, $l3S 49, Colonel
Freeman had already in his hands, my pay check for
1854 80, and orders and directions to the Quarter |
Master to place in his hands, which he received. 10
dollars l6 cents; making together the Of 1877 dol |
lars AZ cents Just dollar less than the amount Of
the acceptances.
In relation to the amour, Of debts in the irst second
and third specifications, the aggregate Of them. for which
drafts had been given on Col Freeman, was l06 dol |
lars being 30 dollars 40 less than the Of
my pay check and the forwarded 10 Col Free
man by the Quarter Master.
Under those circumstances and this state Of the |
facts, what there to cali for the precpitae action
of my accnseri Why it that no prepared the three
first spec ifcaons before he was instructed to make
inquiry by the Department into my conduct! Was il
because he knew Of the G: w Davis letter "of Bos
tom having already been forwarded to the Secretary
Or it that the pledge, which that letter contained
should be fulfilled, that inquiries ought and shall be
placed before YOU he Secretary aud giving a coaeet
Of his (my) conduct while here, that
my accusers and enemies painted for the speedy mmo-
laton Of their victim
Where is tho original OF this letter signed G. w.
Davisl Why is it withheld I Why has 1t not been
Produced that possibly the writer might be identified
by examining the handwriting
In all that has occurred what has been my crime
Why, that have not been able TO my engage
ments in the manner, nor as fast as could wish And
have my creditors complained TO the Secretary Of the
Navy But one Of them, and he by the proof con-
tanned in his letter, at the suggestion Of Col
Freeman and late the Sd day Of February and
that too relation the draft referred to IN the third
specification, which fraud alleged against by
my accuser But what is the testimony Of the gentle
man holding the draft, and who made the complaint
given BY him this in the following in
tenogaiory propoundcd to hin What is the chsrac-
ter oil Lieut. Whitney so far as your knowledge ex-
tends 7" The answer was, II know him well has
visited at my house. always considered him high
minded. honorable young man. tie conducted IN
manner at my house"
In relation TO the debt owing to Mr. Lausanne in the
fourth specification, has he made compliant Not
all Does he not show by his testimony that 10 place
OF attempting to swndlc him out Of the money. pro
missed him long time after obtained il, to pay him as
speedily possible And was he not satishcdi So
with the draft referred in the fifth specification.
There is evidence that the draft presented
to lieut.. M Neil but. says Mr. Riddle when ] hoard