White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1863-08-20
Public Plunderers.

ThufSaay, Au8uSs Z0s toe5s
Public Plunderer1.
Rebels and their sympathisers arc st
no loss to give excuses for finding fault
with the wsr; but there ere causes which
disgust every loyal man with the manner
In which 1t is carried on. Chief among
these. is the wholesale plundering that is
being prscticed BY Government officials.
Tho plundering Of Government BY con-
tractors. bad ss it is. is not the worst
part of it. The outrageous swindling Of
poor soldiers, BY psymssters, suffers. and
other sharks. through the connivsnce Of
army officers, is villsiaous in the ex.
treme. There are officers in the army,
who care not copper for the preservs-
ton Of the Union. but go in for the mon
ey alone. and scrupls not to use any
means to obtain it. Government 10 rob-
bed. and private soldiers swindled. Quar-
termssters and Commissaries make false
returns. and convert to their own use
thousands Of dollars worth Of clothing,
rations. equipments, ETC.. which are re-
turned as unsvoidsbly destroyed. Pri-
vste property is stolen and sent home.
and no account made Of it. Pay Is
drawn BY officers. for men who have ne
vsr been 10 the service. and pay of dis
charged or disabled soldiers is drawn,
and never paid over to them. Some
times. when the psymsster is known to
be at hand. with funds to pay the troops.
the story is circulated that he will not be
along for months to come, and forthwith
shsr2ers buy up soldiers claims at .
heavy discount. and Immediately draw
The money. Frequently the psymaster
will hang on the rear Of the army until it
resches some point from which commu-
nication with home is difficult. and the
transmission Of money is hazardous.
whore be will pay the troops. and straight.
wsy the suffers will hold out oil kinds Of
temptations. which the men cannot re.
siss. and they will squsnder the money
which their families need. For their
part in aiding these transactions. We have
NO doubt the psymssters and officers rs-
ceive liberal per centsge.
The Kansas Colored Regiment is being
thus swindlsd on an immense scale. Of
fiesrs are growing rich upon stealings Of
articles which the poor negroes need bad
y. which they never receive. but which
are charged up to them. The regiment
had been for months in the service, with
out single payment being made them.
A long time ago. It was stated that the
paymaster was on hand with funds to
pay them. They were then near Fort
Scott. but no payment was made. The
bcSiucuS Woo WotCu0u IutO tu0 uOctii0
Indian country. whence money cannot be
expressed home and we are told that
the paymaster followed them down there
and paid them. OF course. suffers and
other sharks will swindle them out of the
money for which their families are suffer.
ing.
Csn We blame soldiers for complain
ing Of their lot, and desiring to return
home! After undergoing the dangers.
trials and hsrdships inseparable from .
soldiers life. and then to be outrageously
robbed Of their hsrd-earned pittsnoe. BY
officers whose duty It is to protect them,
is enough to try the patience of any NOR.
tai. These are great and growing evils.
which demand investigation. If that in
vsstigation shall be made. and conducted
in fair and impartial manner, it will
bring forth many startling revelations.
and consigu to eternal infamy men in
high positions, who are becoming inde-
psndsutly rich through their Infamous
transactions.