Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1864-04-23
The Charges Against Victor Smith, and
the the Evidence upon which They were

(COnclxded.)
Letter Of Ivm. l.. Chalmers, Esq., to Cor. Pickering.
PORT TOWNSEND, w. T., Sept. 2G, 'G2.
To HIS ExCELLENCY,
TIE Hon. WM. PIcKERING,
Gov. Of Washington Territory:
Sir: In compliance with the request ex-
pressed to me by your Excellcncy, l have
now the honor to submit the following state
m.nt of facts in relation to the mal-conduct
of Victor Smith, Collector of Customs for the
Puget Sound District, both in his official and
private capacity.
Lieut.. J. II. Merriman late Acting Col
lcc.or, having associated me with himself in
investigating Smiths defalcations and official
malf.asanccs, became cognizant Of the fol-
lowing, viz:
lst-That no cash-book of any kind had
been kept, the only record Of cash transac-
tions being in tho shape Of a memorandum
book, in which sums paid to officials or other
wise We're entered as in ledger.
2d-That about the 18th of April Smith
ordered to b. sent to the Department an ac-
count purpor'ing to show balance of S7,660
II on his customs account as being subject to
such balance being then OH hand.
3d-That during his tenure Of Office he had
drawn from the public safe sums of money
amounting to about $1,000, and that he had
used such sums Oh his own private account
$1,000 Of that amount being paid for land at
Port Angeles. His legal official cmolumcns
for nine months being $2 ,25O, thus shows an
overdraft Of about $4,000.
4th-rhat on 10th January he deposited
81 900 ofths public moneys with the Hud-
sons Bay Company, in Victoria. V. l., the
receipt for which was placed in the safe as a
part of the cash balance; that hs endorsed
said receipt to ono John Allyn, to enable said
Allyn to purchase goods in San Francisco for
Smiths store in Port Angeles. Allyn having
missed the steamer at Victoria, returned the
receipt, and Smith subsequently purchased
upwards Of $500 worth of goods for his store
at Port Angeles from the Hudson's Bay Co.,
paying them with said public funds.
5th-That on 25th April he deposited with
,one L. B. Hastings, in Port Townsend. pub
.lic moneys amounting to $3,267, and that he
used $500 Of that money to pay Hastings the
balance Of a sum Of $500, which he had bor-
rowcd from him some time previously.
6th-'rhat the proceeds Of the sale Of the
revenue cutter JEFF: Dacis, (sold in january
amounting to 1924 22, had not been &C.
counted for to the Department; that be had
accepted large portion of the purchase mon
sy Of said cutter in lumber for his buildings
at Port Angeles. aud that sundry articles on
the inventory Of said cutter had been appro-
hriated ~ him to his own uses and never ac-
counted for to the Department.
H.l L.
late keeper at Tatoosh lighthouse. sum of
~l5O, taking from him receipt for 5000, and
charged that amount in his accounts as salary
paid 10 Winsor for one quarter.
Sth-That about the beginning of April he
INSTRUCTED me to make out for transmission to
the Department an account of the actual OK.
psnsss Of the U. S. Marine Hospital. he fur
hishsd me with the particulars Of said accounts
a great portion of which have since discov-
cred 70 be false. no such sums having been so
paid, nor were they to be paid. Among other
false entries, may note the salary of the
steward, clerk and matron, put down at the
sate Of $4,000 per annum. this being about
$1,000 more than hs had engaged to pay
these officers; @4OO of this amount thus fel-
oniously flched from the Government was
handed to one A. j. Davis, the proprietor of
paper called the Herald Of Progress pub
lished in New York. to enable said paper to
be carried on. A like sum was to b. paid
yearly. l have seen this highly criminal
agreement between Smith and Davis in wri-
ting.
The above charges know to be true. from
Investigations made by me in tho books and
accounts Of the office.
Having thus stated some Of the leading
facts against Smith in his official capacity, l
now proceed to lay before your Excsllency his
conduct towards myself.
In February last, Smith inquired of DR..
To!mis Of the Hudson's Bay Company, Vic
turi,. if he could recommend to him an cxpe-