The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-11-26
THE FRAUDS AT THE NAVY
YARD.
The Secret Military Commission of
the Government,
HOW Ut OPERATE ~.
Officials Consigned to Fort Miflin.

htinterya'g Of every two or three months the
| people OF the North arc astouuded ~ the dove
lopmentO Of some act of conspiracy among G oyeru-
ment officials, wherein il is discovered that sys.
| tcmafzed Plan Of robbery Of money or OF goods
belonging 70 the Government has beer conducted
for many months pat. The public at large. in
many cases, have noted the eNtmyagauT style of
living Of this that and the other Jiicia aad have
been not a littc puzzled to understand how men
receiving salary OF from one to two thoqmuJ
dollars per annum could support sulh expensive
outays. Sin eight, ten, and twelve months pass
by and yet these parties still hold thc,r positions
Save the public o. private rumor, THEN standipg
Is unaffected, and they move in society perfect
cniGmus TO all.
And yet all this while the Go,ernmeng Is not
90 uuObservgnt Of the aC'iOus Of those officials
as the public is led TO imagine. To be sure,
Mr. President Lincoln, or Mesgs Secreta-
res Stanton and WUlles, may be induced TO
believe that Tie different agencies of she Govern.
mant in the different cities of the North arc ing
conducted as behoyes the bert interests Of the
Government, simply because nc accusations of
maieasauCe among parties holdiug position undtr
the Government reach their ears.
hut arc the readers OF IHE IEIEGRAPH aware
that ia all the principal cities where Government
depot- are located, paid agents Of tne Government
are day after day busily engaged in Cbscrvingtho
manner IN which the business nt these depart.
ments is conducted, as well rs tho conduct Of
the officials placed in charge of them For in
stance, here in Philadelphia, in the second story
ota very modest, unprotcnding building, located
on one Hf our principal thorOughtares, daily si-s
the Military Commission OF the War Partment
presided over by Colonel OicOtt, the special Com.
missioner.
The Commission is composed of but few
members, who are clothed with power to sum
mon Witnesses in any case under consideration,
and TO ConLcl the forwarding Of all papers re-
latirg to the transactions OF any Government de-
pRrtueut in this city, which may be needed to
throw light upon the subject Of such inquiry
Week alter week, aud month after month is In
many cases devoted % the investigation Of some
supposed fraud. Secretly and silently the Com
mission operates. The evidence of guilt slowly
but surely accumulates. The men ofCrme all this
while, unsuspCtUus of the fact that their actions
are being made subject of Government inyesti-
cation, still continue their nOflrious practices
until finally the day of their doom arrives Ii is
the midnight hour perhaps.
There is a gentle tap at the door of their resi-
denCes, or q ringing Of the bell. Busncss of
great Importance demands that an interview
should be Immediately given to the person apply !
ing for admission.
In the mOrniuC Messrs Smith, Jones, and
Brown nro inmates of Fort Miliin
In such manner were the great frauds pCrpe- |
tratcd among officials holding position ~ the !
Navy Var q discovered several weeks since -Four |
persons arrested at that time, aud threc other
took place yesterday. All these officials arrests |
have been sent to Fort Mtin TO await their trial.
the men arrested. The goods stolen consisted of |
navy CLOTH rOsin (tOrty three barrels in one case
being mentiOued), several barrels Of knives and |
forks, large amount of lead pine, tin, paints, |
oils, nails, tools and many other descriptions of |
articles which are daily purchased at the yard.
FrOm.thc proceeds of some of these, one OF the |
arrested party furnished house in costly style in
the southern part OF the city. This was placed |
in charge of a mistress. She, however, hearing |
of the impending investigation sold the furniture
and decauped with the proceeds Of the sale. Her |
arrest subsequently took place. and she IL now |
held with the other party mentioned.
Another of the party had commenced the con-
structiOn OF a beautiful house, brown stone 'front.'
in Montgomery county. At this house possession
was taken of large quantity Of oils, paints &c,
which were Identified as Government property.
majority of these rObberies, il would appear |
did not take place from the yard, but were Carted
OIL before the delivery took place, For instance,
vessel would arrive at one of our wharyes
loaded with rosin TO be delivered at the navy yard.
As in the case of the robbery of the rOsiu !
alluded to above, number of carts or drays |
were driven to other portions Of the city, where |
they were deposited until opportunity arrived to |
dis pose of them. In other cases, goods were
conveyed from the yard in carts, which entered
for the purpose of carrying of chips, shavings,
etc. Tin, lead, pipe, etc, were deposited in the
bottom OF these carts, which being covered with
shayings or chips, concealed the fraud. In other
ways, not yet made public, roObere5 were
committed.
The following are the names Of those that have
been arrested and sent 70 Fort Mflin:-
George G.llingham, attached to the store
keepers department; William Harris, the pro-
pIietor of sailors boarding house in Front
street; AntOnio'Ails, master carter; Mrs. jose
phi ROrer; Josiah Pascoe, master plumber; !
Ed. Thompson, master caulier; Joseph Taulane, !
Purser's Clerk on board the receiving ship Prince |
ton.
II is rumored that a number Of other arrests !
will yet be made, in consequence OF one Of the |
parties having turned States evidence, and re- !
yealing completely among other officials that ia |
truly astounding. AS to the extent of the frauds |
we are unadvised, some, however, placing it as |
high as several hundred thousand dollars.
RBCRUITING.-This morning warrants were !
issued by the Mayor for the payment of the city !
bounty to ffty-three men, Recruiting is pro- |
crossing rapidly, and on an average about three |
hundred recruits arc being obtained each week. |
Now is the accepted time for our citizens 10 pro-
cure their substitutes