The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-27
Trial Of Governor Prioc, - New .5exsey, 1or
Dcfalcaslon Of Public Funds wnile .,
kul1cr In tAe Navy.


fulscr IN the Navy.
From the Trenton Gazette March 2b{
Considerable interest created the city yesterday
By the opening Of the term Of the United Estates Circuit
Court before which the important of toe United
states government against Rodman II. Price; sor sup
have occurred whe Governor Price purser Ia the
nayy, and the amount claimed by the g'verhnsen. is
08 A. and the action brought OF for hst
deficiency in the settlement of accounts.
Before opening the case the District Attorney stated
Marshal upon James Van Nostrand of New York one Of
the Witnesses in this case but that he had failed ap
pesr end n asked Ss that Sta s0%py % ss
to be issued Mr.. Cannon ther opened the e the
Court and jury Hs first stated tho bonds whis the
rc,e the facts Of tho case as folows:- ''o0''~
In lS48 Purser Price was ordered by TIE Secretary OF
the Navy to proceed to San Francisco Monterey for
the purpose of obtaining funds for naval obects in the
Pacific by means of bills Of exchange DO on tho
1s4S Price vet out ior California about the sth Of d.
cember, 1s4S He had then in his hands public money
amounting to $6a, ,ss2 o.
After his arrival there he received large and made
disbursements of which he did not quarterly
count - it his duty do. On the 4th OF August
S49 the Secretary OF ts Navy sent an order to the
rnsndant Of the Pacific station, dea hing Price
DUTY and directing him to transfer ali moneys books
&C., to successor who should be appointed. This
communicated to Price uctober TO- 1Sa9.
On the 10th OF December, lSA9, having
rived the ssp,intes Asrt Van NostIsnd
he directed the successor to call upon Price and ,e
all books papers, funds &C., belonging TO the Depart
Van Ncstrapd $40 O0O Pt,is the govsrnmeu denies
and the accounting officers disalowet the its This
On tho 10Th Of January 1850 Price s.artea for wash
ngton and while on his way on the Aabama river che
boat took IRE ard Price aeges by This disaster he lost
large amount Of vouc aers 5vering the OF $2a0o0
This the government Also delies and this constitutes
another item Of controversy.
On the 18th of MSrch, 1Bso Price rendered
OF bis receipts ana disbursements In this a,csunt he
charges $4,000 ~ cash tnrnea over to Van Nostano
May TO- 1850 balance cs $is2 100 40 was ,ound 70 be
due from him To the uotted Ststes.
-, On ,hs 29th of aprl 1882 Price by his attorney,
claiming balance OF %4,770 "a. In ths account he
charged $4,000 Is having been transferred by him to
BY rsstlement whish took place Aug Q, 1852, q ia
lance Of $S8 III 90 found dae to the United states
.ssse ] be sa.sa
Nth With ns,.nss tsaaa nd on s,so fsr @ sstsnsas :sd
beng the amount lost by vouchers.
or the 18th Of May, 1904 be charged himself With the
balaAc. found due from him in the government settle
ment Of the 9th OF August 1852 Ut $8S Ill o. and IN
which he credited himself with the $40 0OO in 1t hs
omitted $50 217 81 which no had previously claimed
credit by the loss his vouchers by the burning the
boat the Alabama river, and credited himself With
only s. S2 g. covering the account lost by the ois
astsr.
This account he proposed TO substitute for the one Of
10th Of August 1862 This refused by the account
ing officers Price appealed to the Secretary OF the rrea
sury, ard be confirmed their decision.
By this account appears thai the accounting occrs
sad Price agree in the balance due to The United States
~ unnecessary
show bow that balance arose. Both parties ADMIT it to
be correct.
After this under The direction of the Secretary the
Treasury they proceeded TO anal settlement wni,h
completed November "a 1862, and by which the Of
SIT SIS AZ appeared to be dus from Price 10 the United
States.
On the 10Th of December 1864 Price rendered through
his attorney another account.
This statement OF his account Is commenced by
dtng the United States with the s77,sls 4-the
claimed to be due by Treasury settlement OF Nov.
"a, 1862-And admits balance claimed by United States
and dsplnses with the necessity OF making 1t out BY
proof and the controversy between him and the
United States to our ens OF credit claimed by him and
dsAllowed, viz
J. Amount raid Van Nos rand $50 900 90
=. Amount Of vouchers lost by burning Of
boat not yet suppfied d................ 81 S35 a.
8. Amount paid Van Nostrand Purser's clerk $40 As
L. Amount paid Chas. Hall. ................. 5I4 81
Amounting TO- sfs2, ,sse 81
The question to be submitted TO the jury ia whether
these dssffowances a~u and right the evidence
The part OF the plaintiffs will be in great measure
confined to sustaining the affirmative Of this proposition.
Mr.. Cannon then produced documentary evidence to
sustain rhe points alluded to in his opening
-stipg Of certified copies of the various accounts &C.,
/ and restsd the the part of the government
sumed The position that the suretes in this case could
only be held liable the last bond, the having
been given in lieu OF the first. After Argument, tue
Court said they would take ths matter into consiiera
ton, and charge the jury accordingly.
Mr. adey opened the case on the part o the defence,
and admitted the controversy between the parties was
reduced TO . very compass, embracing the
ceipts OF Van Nostrand amounting TO $120 0OO alleged
10 be paid to him BY Price; and the Of $50 0O0 al
That the accounts Of Price, from 1910 lS4s
controversy in this suit He then road the insruo.
tons from the department 70 Price, and stated the
grounds upon which he should rest for the deencs Of
CLIENT
l. By the production Of vouchers from Van NostrAnd
hovDg the transfer OF money to him BY Price, amount
ing 70 S120, 900.
3 The loss OF Prise's vouchsrs amounting $3s ooo