The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-07-01


IMPORTANT ARREsrs.--A series of the most
extensive frauds that have been perpetrated in
this country within a period of number OF
years past, against the government of the United
States, has recently been brought to light. 1t
appears that about two months since, Justice
Stuart became aware of the fact that certain
parties were in the constant practice Of forging
land warrants, applications for back pay for SER
vice rendered in the Mexican war, applications
for bounty lands and for pension certificates
and after much exertion on his part, in order to
ascertain the names of the parties, he wrote to
Richard w. Heath, esq. agent for the Depart
ment of the Interior and deputy United States
Commissioner of Pensions at Washington
This gentleman then commenced an investigation
relative to the truth or falsity of large number
of applications for pensions, back pay, land
warrants &C., and which have within period of
eighteen months past been made TO the depart
ment, and found to bis astonishment that the
government had been defrauded out of land and
money to an immense amount.
While these Investigations were going on at
Washington, Justice Stuart was engaged in
probing the matter in this city, and in connection
with Asst Capt. Taft, Of the ninth ward police,
discovered other gross frauds besides those pre-
viously found out by him, and Captain Taft was
about ten days since dispatched to Washington
with further information to the government au
thorities. While 10 that city, through information
rendered by him, it was discovered that in one
single Instance a fraud involving a loss to the
government of $4,000 acres of land had been
perpetrated. A few days since the Commissioner
of Pensions, Mr.. Heath, having prepared himself
with what he considered the necessary proof Of
the guilt Of certain parties, came to this city and
preferred complaints against about eighteen in
dividuals, charging them with forging the names
of different parties to applications of back pay,
pensions, land warrants &C., with intent to de-
fraud the government Of the United States.
Warrants were then issued by Justice Stuart
and United States Commissioner Brigham for
the arrest of the parties.
These warrants were placed in the hands of
Capt. Lovett, Assistant Capt. Taft of the ninth
ward police, and officers Clark, Van Buskirk and
Hanifen of the same ward, who, during Saturday
evening and yesterday morning, arrested Thos.
Lawson, land broker, of No. Ill Murray st. !;
Horace d. Pike, land broker, doing business at
the corner of Wall and William sts; VIM. Mer-
rihue, of Brooklyn; Hamilton r Boone, doing
business in Broadway; VIM. A. Griswold, law
yer, of No. ll8 Nassau st., and Edward +. Mex.
son, broker, of No. &c Wall st., all of whom
were taken before Justice Stuart, and with the
exception of Mr.. Nexson, were committed to
prison for examination. The latter was placed
in custody of Capt Taft. Against him the only
charge appears to be that of sending false APP
plicaton for pension for widow, which he states
had been handed to him by one of the parties
above naDod, for the purpose of having it sent
on to Washington, he at the time believing it to
be a genuine document, and having no idea Of
i.s beng fraudulent
Pike is the same person who was arrested be,
tween three and four months ago, charged with
presenting forged check for $4,000 at the
counter of the Bank of the State of New York,
and is now under indictment and awaiting trial
on the charge. When arrested and taken before
Justice Stuart a number of land warrants were
found on his person, but the justice having no
proof to show that they were not genuine, re-
turned them to him. He soon afterward, how
ever, heard that he was engaged in getting up
false applications for warrants to government,
and this led him to make further inquiries, and
the result has been the discovery that frauds of
this nature have been perpetrated upon the gov
eminent by land brokers and others, throughout
the country, to the amount of hundreds of thou
sands of dollars. The rest of the parties i'm
pcated have not been arrested, though the of.
fcers are out in every direction after them.
Most of them reside out Of the city, and some
in other States.--N Y. Tribune.
Destructive INuNDATIoN TN GERMANY.-The
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