The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-05-23
From the New York Evening Post.
EEeaVy Dcfalcati0n im the New
Work POStOfgfcc

The rumor from Washington, respecting
the heavy defalcations in the New York City
Postoffice, on which we comment in our
First Edition, has been found to be substsn
TALLY correct. An investigation ordered by
the Department, and conducted by the spe-
cial agent Of the General Postotfice, thus
far exhibits deficiency of over one hundred
and fifty thousand dollars on the part oil
Isaac V. Fowler, the Postmaster of this
city.
The criminality consists in his failing to
deposit at the Subtreasury the full amount
of postal revenue collected for the Govern
ment. There is evidence that there is now
due in such deposits the amount above sta
ted. 1t may be found, as the investigation
proceeds that the deficit amounts 10 much
larger sum. The law applicable to this
case, and which describes the felony con-
tanned in the United States statistics at
large, v. tx, p. 63. "An act to provide for the
collection, safe.keeping, transfer and dis.
bursement of the public revenue" which
states that if any "of those connected with
the Postoffice Department, shall convert to
his own use, if in any way whatever, or shall
use, by way of investment in any kind OF
property or merchandise, or shall loan, with
or without interest, or shall deposit in ony
bank, or shall exchange for other funds, ex-
cept as allowed by this act, any portion of
the pub ic moneys intrusted to him for safe
keeping, disbursement, transfer, or for any
| other purpose, every such act shall be deem.
ed and adjudged to On embezzlement of 60
much Of the said moneys as shall be thus
taken, converted, invested used, loaned, de-
posted, or exchanged, which is hereby de-
cIared to be felony; and any failure to pay
over or produce the public moneys intrusted
to such person, shull be held and taken to
be prima faeie evidence Of such embezzle-
ment.'
1t will be understood by the above extract
that Mr.. Fowler has placed himself in q
fatal position, and one from which be will
His bondsmen, G. A. Conover and George
Law, are bound in the sum of seventy. five
thousand dollars, which will not cover one
half the embezzlement.
There were rumors short time since
that there was a deficiency In q quarters
report of Mr.. Fowler, but they were imn,e-
dately set at rest, by his depositing the fif.
teen thousand dollars claimed in the Sub.
Treasury.
The cashiers department, from which ad.
vances have always been made to the Post.
master, now holds full and satisfactory
vouchers for all sums paid to him. so that
whatever criminality attaches must be pla.
ced to the account of Fowler alone. He
had the absolute right to withdraw funds by
giving his receipts for the various amounts.
Mr.. Fowler it will be recollected was ap.
pointed by franklin Pierce, and was con-
tinued in Office under the present admins.
tratlon' lie has, therefore, been in his pre-.
sent position seven years. The investiea.
ton is still going forward. and Mr., Fowler
is at his hotel awaiting the result.
The Post Office has been placed in tho
hands Of other agents of the government.
AS these frauds are not sudden thing.
but have been going on for a long time, the
question arises as to how they could have
occurred without the knowledge or impiica.
ton Of the authorities at Washington. o.
is Mr. Fowler to be made the ecapegoat Of
bis superiors. . d