The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-04-14
Interesting Letter from General Dix in Re
sponse to Hawley D. Clapp'S Petition.
Astounding Development Of Frauds
Upon the Volunteers by tho
Bounty Brokers.
-Four Hundred Thousand Dollars Taken
from the Soldiers by Bounty
Brokers Around Lafayette Hall.
Pasage Of tho Police Salary Bin In tn
Assembly,
&C.. &C.. -.

hbSGmOayS
&C.. &C.. -.
ALBANY, April 10. 1864.
oM HUNDRED DAYS
The fixed by tho constitution, limiting the
Der Of days which the members draw pay. expires with
to-day. They entitled three dollars per day for
hundred days. That has expired, and all
shat they do hereafter they win receive pay for Is,
however but just they should remain for days
yet. for simple that at the middle OF tho
sion they took OF days, which Is included In
the hundred days That they should make this time
up Ia certainly than thor duty. This will pro-
baby be done. No thinks OF their adournng before
the 22d 23d while many OF the opinion that they
will DO here until the Goth Of this month Il Is altogether
probable that tho Legislature will adjourn die about
che 23d instant. They may remain until tho commence
rnent OF the following week.
GRINDING ~
lengthy aud spicy debate occurred in the Senate this
morning q resolution appointing grinding commit
tee The following 10 the resolution, offered by Senator
Cook
Resolved, That Senators Cook, Bell Folger, Alaben,
Christie, Strong Humphrey, Munger and Iaimbeer DO
referred the general orders, with to select there
from such bills they may deem proper and TO report
the complete. The committee shall bold their
meetings open, In the Senate chamber committee
rsom and shall take action upon any bill except at
.
present they shall take up the bills as they appear
upon the calendar Of general orders, and In all
shall be necessary to report any BILL No bill shall
be reported by said committee making appropriate
saainst The STATE rnon the report or Inc oommt,sc
being made TO the Senate II shall lie on the table and be
printed before being acted upon Any nli reported com
OF the committee Is taken up be referred back TO the
Committee Whole upon the demand Of sena-
tors The Committee OF the Whole shall not have power
70 report any bill relative TO city railroads. any bill
reported for the consideration OF the senate nor which
minority Of standing committee has dissonted.
The debate It's adoption was exceedingly lively.
The resolution adopted, aud a motion
made TO reconsider, which carried. Then
another discussion more spicy the first during which
statements made that the lobby had held back
bills, awaiting the appointment OF this committee Init
nations made that those who voted for would be
looked upon with suspicion. Al this Senator who
had voted against the resolution when up for the FIRST
time announced that he not candidate for Cover
nor and ready TO take the responsibility TO vote
fos IT, The resolution was again passed. senator tolger
was excused by vote OF the Senate and Senator Juland
appointed 10 his place.
ERECTION or NEW CAPITOL BUILDINGS
The bill introduced Yesterday in regard 10 the
,sruotlon OF Capitol buildings, authorizing the Gov
prn0r to appoint commissioners 70 the
boon city of Albany deeds 10 the State the Congress
Hall property and appropating hundred thousand
6ollarsito commence the work unanimously reported
30 the Senate, with a recommendation that IL pass.
REPLY PETITION HAwiEy D. CLAPP.
letter received this morni,g from Major General
John A. Dix, in response letter inquiry in
gard to the petition OF Hawey d. Capp now under arrest
biz is accompanied with copies OF correspondence
with the War Department, and copies OF reports Of
Of the most Astounding frauds committed upon
che volunteer soldiers that have yet been made pub
c Dy way roo pm mem I5 ne Uosp
rates who operated at Lafayette Hail. have taken from
the volunteer soldiers about 100000 Of their bounty
money. The following is q full copy OF
TUX LETTER or GENERAL DIX.
Let all read and ponder, and see If Capp does not
Your note OF the 9th instant received yesterday,
and affords pleasure furnish you with the facts
and circumstances attending the arrest and imprson
mont OF Hawey d. Clapp.
when your note came 10 hand was completing a re-
somnanvins napers epcloseS giving setaed state.
ent OF the atrocious frauds committed upon recruits
Clapp principal bounty brokerone OF class OF
agents who were brought into existence by the system
adopted by the committee OF the Board OF Supervisors
for procuring substitutes whose services entirely
unnecessary, and whose principal vocation either by
their direct action or through copiederates, to
cheat entering the service out OF their bountes The
committee when the frauds had become papabe
700 extensive to be borne obvated the evil.
they could by the adoption OF proper precautions but
not military order been issued requiring the
full amount OF bounty TO be paid 70 the recruit.
My report TO the secretary OF War enters into full
detail or these transactions alike dsgracefu 10 those
who were concerned In them and the community In
the bosom OF which they occurred Mr. Capp received
from the committee Of the Supervisors the bountes for
large number OF recruits $4,000 for each) who shown
by testimony satisfactory to me- were cheated out Of the
bin In the business. As the money paid into his
hands consider him responsible for II; and have
deemed my duty, whenever clear OF fraud was
made out, to see the soldier redrcssed, il possible.
II Is only by the summary process OF military arrest
that these fraudulent transactions be reached II
lhsy brought into the civil courts all remedy hope
Jess The recruits the only Witnesses tho ext
gsncies OF the country Will not permit them TO be kept
Tho only alternatives therefore, were 70 allow these
1tupendous frauds TO 60 unredressed TO the patriotic
men who are Offering their lives the altar OF their
counryallow them 70 be robbed Of the provision which
20 suffer the punderers to escape with their III gotten
Tans or to take have done some OF the principal
agents in these frauds into custody TO be held till they
The amount Of which recruits were de'rauded at aay
ette Hail. where and while Mr. Capp was chief broker,
cannot ia short Of $500 900. have succeeded re.
towering about 0oo and am not without hopes OF add
ing largely 20 this amount
fully aware Of the responsibility have taken In
thsse cases. and that the exercise OF the power OF arrest
h only warranted BY the circumstances in which the
country placed and the special facts which my report
10 the Secretary OF War discoses II has exerted
, few only, and with the confident in
each that should be sustained by the government and
Although It Is technically true, as Mr.. C'app states In
hs petition to the legislature that has not held at
any time office the government, had any con-
lsscts with the government itself, he stood In bis
Pscity as bounty broker 10 relation 10 the military ser
vice. Of which no seems TO appreciate neither the scope
nor the force. Lafayette Hail. In which his agency
fanssciod occupied Tor military purposes. It
guarded by seutinels and the for which he
rested performed within the lines It was, for all
essential purposes. camp, and he was within IT, fur.
win Juice room ana Otner COnvenlenceb LOT MINI
eeh and clerks, and engaged in paying recruits their
oountes AZ chief broker under an appointment not d.
fectly from the government but from General Spnoa
the commanding officer. lie was personally engaged IN
Hervices strictly military character and standing
I'm q much nearer relation to the government tnau
many classes OF camp followers and rctainers who
ere by act Of congress subject to martial law My own
judgmsnt 10 strongly inclined tho conclusion that he
may be riod by Court martial, aud, m be has not been
brought before this, chief that de-
aired 10 satisfy myself by consulting the course OF pro
Beedngs analogous cases that should err In hold
3rg him TO account before such tribunal FOR the acts
with which he IL charged.
Almost every imaginable form OF outrage and deception
hss been developed in which ifr Capp was
Agent for the payment bountiee Men, both white