The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-06-14
POSTMASTER FowLER's DEfALcATION.


Letter from the Postmaster General, Transmitting,
in Compliance with Resolution Of the House,
Report in Reference to the Defalcation
Of the Late Postmaster at New York.
Posr OYrts D4PARrnnSr June g. 1850
sn-on the len Nay me House OF Representative,
Rssoly:e Iha. he fo.,asx esssra 3. cad = herey
S.:. !. 3: s I'd e
ds}sssos q ssse lswlsr Pot. seer ss Post.s..~
:; :: s y. q e ~ ::
N: @ 81 & .Ss
ss pr::sssss o S.s -. :ss.ssa ss.a. -
Wat sn0osssss so'sinnss sssa1'd b So.d Or Ssssr
In reply TO which have the honor 70 report that the
defacAson Of Isaac Fowler, ate Postmaster q New
York, communicated 70 mo nor The nrse te on the
10Th Of NAY 16os and have reason 70 believe ha1
ssown 70 this Department u an earlier day. On
reschbg Washington from the South in the last week
81 q he Poss nasssr q New YORK osd
been audited balanced 70 the 8s Of December 1859
bu that hose Tor the quarter ending slst Of March, 1850
bad been adjusted for want Of the account current
which had bean received. requested the Auditor
write once that longer dslay in returning
bat m consequence Of the abs OF Mr.. Fowler,
from some other Unexplained cause, tho account WAS
not placed IN the HANDS Of the Auditor until the Dab Of
nay On the morning Of the 10Th OF Nay the Fra,
Assistant Postmaster General handed wo confidential
letters addressed 70 bin b. M Fowler IN which his
appeal made 70 the Departments 70 forbesr
proceedings against bum until hc could have opportu-
nifty make good the dehctt through the advances Of
friends and the eale Of property which be represented
himself holding Was then informed that The account
h.d been received BY the Auditor on the previous
II, ana would be able 70 announce the result In fee
hosra me chief clerk o. the Auditor tue time
deSAcaton Of upwards Of $l2o COO Dssming this, with
the confession contained Ia the letters, quite sucent 70
justly Immediate action the case VAS Without delay pre-
n&nf al n ffa pvead oh tha IA
order removing Tho Postmaster and directing that the
Office should be placed temporarily In charge Of special
evening and he proceeded New York iith Nay
s VIZ
the funds on hand, amounting 70 $4,000. 90 the
lith Nay distress warrant wss issued By the Solicitor Of
the Treasury for the full amount Of the defHcxton
oertained sganst the person Of Fowler and against
property that OF h suretes 70 the extent OF their a
bity. An accident mentioned In hh Letter hereto sp-
PENDED, prevented the Solicitor from accompanying NJ
Onutt. he, however, arrived d New York abou, SIX H.
Of Saturday, and irediaaey delivered the distress
necessary Instructions - 70 Ne execution Il 10 we'll
known that Fowler then In the city Of New York
az ~: 1s1 Of
dhsent search be could not be found,
guenoe NO arrest was made He r sun fugitive, and
formed on The subject that he has le United Ssates
An explanaiion Of The Mayshals inability
manifested Tor this criminal by hh numerous frends In
New Yosk Thh feeling, instead Of aHording cid and
support 70 the executive officer In enforcing The claims Of
oouoealmsut a the culpvit.
II win be from my letter to the United States Al.
criminal prosecutor Vas urged bu. that officer. N The
exercise OF his discretion determined that this proceeding
should await the arrest which he supposed could DO e
well mace under the civil procees then the Marshals
hands that this mbezzement, justly pro-
n0unced by INV 70 DO feooy ano which had been CON-
united In violation Of official OATH sad was in all is
chsracerisucs and history, unredeemed by single pal
aion, should be prrsuoo and punished with unsartpg
risor An Indictment VII no doubt be found BY tho
prehended the penalties of the statute may yes b In
The dss.,osa,ou no 70 March 81. 1890 amounted TO
slss so a. The late cashier Of Towss s-.., 20
eses the actual deficit To 49,. .or me current
u revenues has not, in coasequenos, been yea a,osr
tanned Judging from the deposits made Il doss not
surs,ss, Who are entirely responsible, IN The penalty
Of but S76 600 Unless The balance can be made out Of
ne estate a the dsfAultng Pcstmaster, will prove
Hsrsbss return ihai be has made lew bat pro-
pssty y undsFssoo1 70 b heavily snounbsred. n =
altogether doubtful whether Tho levy WIN prove q al
On The sysalps Of The iash May The First A.,i.sans
., ,s Ssss
in correcting she many irresularues and abuse which
bad crsps the administration Of that ocs His isbovs
placing The service on footing which promsss ndeuy
and fnSihfu financial accountability for tas future The
Which is, sn,s S "n % e.:
have taken and the csecks and safeguards whica
have been essabaheo upon the esvssd and stainless
reputation OF the present Incumbent Experience hes
sucensly demonstrated that amount OF lesislaton
BY Congress- and exercise Of vigilance The part OF
ne y enc e. - Dos az boas. sa ~ ~
win be observed from the Auditors report that the
q SEQ 70 The emSezzsnsnt may be regarded as
having had is origin al this date. This defat Vas In
...s Y 20 he following y ;sss md .as Vim Inn
first two Of lsS7-tne Increase sss oon,inuef until the
nna exposure On The 3osh June, 1867, had reached
deposit Of $50 COO on the Sab August, 1857, which,
with credi for clerk hire 6c which were allowed,
balanced the account and lef 800 10 70 Mr. Fowers
much a. In consequence Of this special deposit having
been made the weekly Of the current revenues due
equal 70 nearly weeks roosip,s stin remained rne
fsicstion now made fspid progress SCOTS 70 having
s re :sdss 70 ns ss
In November Of that year the books were axsiu bsanc
but this adjustment ike that IN August 1851, was ALTO
ssSos,s q he rsyssass sSssoy 1sosvss IL ss.rssr
essDe Decsnber 81, isss % sxiiasush .. pre- sxs.s
when took charge Of me dspsrpssii March, 1852
x shss moass anosusd % OK, GAS o. Continued %
augment until 81 the Close Of the nrs quarter Of the PRIV
ssS, Ss,s rendered H. oonossnsn. d. for
more ,sas few months ouger. He'd The setuemns,
however, pos been insisted early In Nay, but have
been postponed until Ne end OF the quarter, then BY
peYyertps ~ entire 10 Dcce tho liabilities due
March 81 1880. the books might under this Device have
been again balanced and the aenouemeut Of this drama
Of hpapcal guih been delayed for three mouths
But the imperative demand for The settlement of The
counss the Of The quarter 70 bc despoied
half accrued baBed The sirAfasem which had been
loug successfui and exposure became Inevitable.
he inquiry naturally arises how this embtxzemeos
could have eissed 20 cos have besn constantly IN
creaepg M magnitude, without the kpovlcdge the Post
onoe Department. may Be answered, in the nrst
place, thai there nothing IN the antecciens Of The
Postmaster 70 exc'ts any special vigilance IN the sups~
vsi Of hn Official life. He bore N unsuicd reputa-
ton, and his appointment had been nade ~ the Prcs-
cent reoonmeDdHtons numerous and 70 earnes -
leave doubt but bsf be entitled 70 and enjoyed
the complete confidence Of the people Of New YORK me
could scarcely be-