Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1854-03-04
THE PENSION FRAUDS IN LANCASTER
COUNNY.

The Philadelphia Ledger says that since
the alleged extensive frauds on the United
States Government have been feIreted out,
the city of Lancaster has lost two of its most
prominent citizens. The parties referred 10,
are Judge d. P. Vondersmith and General |
George Ford, men of wealth and of the high |
est standing in society heretofore. The |
charges against these two men have already
| been mentioned, but the amount OF the frauds
which /, is alleged have been carried ON for
period Of nine years, has not been stated
| The sum total of which the Government, II
is alleged, has been defrauded, is said to be
upwards of $4,000, of which Judge Won
dersmh is alleged TO have been the princi-
pal receiver--his supposed share being Toll
two-thirds The names Of the females used
to perperate the frauds in the cases which
have Thus far been investigated are: MIS-
Susan Long, Margaret Lylel, Magdalena
Russell Rebecca Harley, Eva Caaghan,
Margaret Hartman, Maria Gray, Julana Par
ker Chrisiana Watson, aud Jane Wnnere.
On one of the claims, that Of Mrs. Lytle,
, ONGl ~lO, OOO was pau uIl llNbNu'Slt peUSlDl
papers, In the cases given the most careful
search has been made for the parties or their
relatives, and in several Of them no traces
can be fonnd that they ever existed. In the
case of Mrs. Susan Long the reputed claim
ant for pension, which claim was issued in
1914 and presented to Judge Vondersmilh
for period OF Is years, it is alleged, was
. paid to that peIson, as appears from the Off
cial records, and regularly from that time up
TO 1854, when fraud was suspected The
n amount paid on this claim was about So 000'
The husband, Andrew Long, moved from
Il Lancaster county 10 Virginia, in 1904 where
n he and his vile soon after died, without
e leaving any descendants--at least snch is the
statement Of the officers who have not been
e able 10 learn o! their whereabouts. if there
% are any living. Two or three other cases
is are similar in their character.
h The mode of operating in these alleged
A. frauds. is said 10 be the most ingenious and
m deceptive. For instance, there is filed il
oil the Pension Bureau al Washington, letter.
TX from several distinguished Pennsvlvanian.
e. recommending The consideration Of The
al claims on the government, al the solicitation
~ of the persons implicated in The frauds, it
er whose integrity. the parties prevailed upon ,t
ask the aid of government for alleged seryi
le ces rendered, had the fullest confidence
ne Among the gentlemen ,hus yilnously an,
ie seameiuly outraged and imposed upon, ar
III James Buchanan, Simon Cameron, and JON
ld Strohm--all well and l;yofatly know
a throughou, the State and country. Anon
as the names forged, are those OF Judge Schaet
lie fer, Post Master Regarl, Alderman Musset
n and other respectable citizens of Lancaster
o. as has appeared since the delendenls wer
ad taken into custody. 1t was before judy
ID. Long they Were taken on writ of kuJcc
We corpus, and were admitted 10 bail in $1,000
I'D after the strongest rcmonsirance had bee
made By Marshal Wynkoop against takin
i'd snch limited bail.
Several days after the defendants wei
admitted 10 bail in $4,000 each, il was il
creased 10 So 900,
Nothing has been heard Of either of then
except a rumor in New Yolk that Ford toe
, passage in the steamer Baltic for Europe, {
r the 18th inst, and lha, Yonhsrsmith had l.
m ken steamer for a southern port.
Ell lN late Abolition speech in New Yor
me Miss Lucy Stone said;
ere 'BuI know so well there is cotton in Il
III ears of men, lie, us look for hope in the /
ent SONS Of women"
bic Won'' you find cotton there too, Miss L
ces cy?
,re'
nav The Clay Monument in Pousyilc will
any 'on nP'e'eu III moN'h or lWo'