Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-08-27

ding, nave WhlLeO tlii tney got 10 tnt
lsest OF war before commencing opera
tions. but this unprincipled man ap-
pears to have commenced plucking bis
victims from the very organisation o.
the regiment. From the contractors
who boarded bis men he exacted a
heavv per centage on the price paid by
the Union Defence Committee. and Is
said to have taken his share Of extor-
tionate bills for equipments and clothing
which we're presented TO and csshed by
that over.eon6ding body. PISTOLS which
we're donated to his officers by the Com
mittee and placed 10 bis hands for dis
tribution, were sold for bis own benefit
to such of his officers as chose to psy
S94 apiece. and to officers Of other re-
imenls after arriving 10 the ield.
On the very first pay day after reach
ing camp, an assessment OF about 30
was msdeupou every non-commissioned
officer and private in the regiment. os-
teusibly for reimbursement TO the Union
Defence Committee for the cost of their
uniforms and money which was sub
scrIbed by ladies and gentlemen as a
fund for the benefit Of the officers and
men, the victims Of this avaricious and
unprincipled Colonel were obliged to
repay to him. Rifles that the Commit
tee furnished for the flank companies
we're taken away with the regiment in
boxes, but disappeared soon after reach
ing camp. Such Of the officials as
would not tamely endure bis tyranny,
and wink at his dishonest practices.
we're forced. by one pretext or anoth'
er, to resign, or dismissed by court
martial on trumped-up charges. their
places being filed in every case with
creatures OF his own selection, to whom
the commissions were sold at the best
prices that he could extort. Two broth
ers Of his. named respectively Anton
and Carl Strasser, were called from
Hungary to take commissions in the
regiment, md their names, transformed
into the noble pseudonym Of ron Utassy.
were borne on the regimental pay rolls
for months before the men were even
in this country. The members Of the
regimental band, which was recruited
nearly six months after the regiment
entered the service, were caused TO lg-
norantlv sign power OF attorney Civ
ing D'Utassy authorilyaoacGIlectdheir
back pay for the term intervening be-
tween their muster and that of the reg
iment, and the names OF two musicians
were written upon the muster roll Of
each company, and the poor men made
to draw extra pay as privates. and pay
it over to the Colonel. Everything
was the subject of barter or sale with
him. The sutlership Of the regiment
was sold over and over again, and at
one time there were as many as two or
three suffers recognized and pursuing
their vocation. The camp was at once
brothel and drinking place. beer and
liquors beirg soli openly, and women
Of bad character imported from Wash
ington. and occupying officers quar-
ters. with his knowledge and consent.
The large amount OF money which
he realised by his several daring swim
dies not being sufficient to support his
extravagant style Of living, and minis
ter to his vices OF gambling and de-
bauchery, he resorted TO the desperate
expedlent OF defrauding the Government
by means of forged bill of over $4,000,
which was presented by him at the
War Department and paid BY Capt.
Elwood, United States Paymaster, on
the 9th of December, 1851. The
bill was made out in the usual form, for
subsistence and lodging said to have
been furnished BY various contractors
to the Garibaldians in this city during
the organization OF the regiment, and
the correctness of the general sum-
mary Of the whole claim was not only
certified by D'Utsssy, but the bill was
also accompanied by his sworn affidavit
before a notary public in the city oI
Washington. This was the first fatal
error which the man seems to have
committed in his long career OF crime,
for it ultimately led to an investigation
OF bis life and his conviction and SEN
tence to term Of imprisonment al
Sing Sing, upon which he has just en-
tered.
\ Emboldened by his success in thi:
nefarious transaction. he carried bis au
dacity to such an extent as to establish
a sort of bazaar or MAJ ket at his head
quarters for traffic in horses stolen from
the Government and from the farmers
of Virginia in the several districts
through which bis regiment marched
1t is in evidence that he had at one tim'
as many as thirty horses in his stables
and that he fed them upon Governmen
oats and hay. and there are persons il
this city who can prove that he pro
cured by chemical means the remova
of the az. S." brand. which marks tn,
Government horses, so skillfully, tina
the animals were palmed of upon th'
officers and civilians as private proper
ty.
We have been told by one Of his OF
6cers that sometime last summer, al
addressed, slovenly Jewish womar
Q turned up in camp. inquiring for Col
D D'Utsssy, saying that she was his Law
: iul wife, aud had come from Hungar
to see him. as she had heard that che
/ man" had become real Colonel in tn
i United States Army, and had brougt
: him bis two children two dirty JEWS
r Ia IL T.