, 1864-07-07
THE TREASURY INVEsTI.
CATION.
REPORT OF TIE CONGRESSIONAL CON-.
MlTTEE,
A. Full History of the Izuno.
raltty Question.

tain charges against the treasury Depart
nent-
HISTORY OF CHARGES or IHNonAIITT n TIE
PRINTING BUREAU.
On the I'D day Of December. 1878, an officer In
the Treasurer's ONCE whose duty 1t was to burn
Treasury notes, IVES uctectcd In embezzting q
large package Of notes with the desn OF returning
them to circulation aczin. This discovery created
Department. for detective officer TO nlake further
inTestig ations into the extent Of the fraud. Col
Batcr, Provost Marshal Of the War Department,
tary of the Treasury for duty. The warrant clerk
in the Scc1etary's own Office was arrested on aus-
ptcion Of having received presents IA considera-
me1t and criminal prosecution was ordered; but
the District Attorney reported that there were no
grounds for prosecution, and the case rested with
On the 6th Of June, 1861, the detective, without
authority Of any officers in the Treasury Depart
ment, arrested Dr. GTynn, who was then en-
CARED in the marufactare Of membrane paper,
eeizcd his private paperE, and reported to the So
licitor OF the Treasury That be had discovered un-
deniahle evidences Of his guilt On this report
an order was issued through the Solicitor OF the
Capitol PEson, and Cot. Baker was directed to ex.
anime and report the evidence Of his guilt. After
q del7y OF nearly three months be made a volumi-
nous report to the Secretary Of the Treasury, In
on the part of Dr. Gwynn. he made yoluminous
report on the manufacture Of membrane paper
coudenping it as falln1e. and discussed at great
1nG 1t as failure, and charsino DR.. Gwynu and S.
". Clark az contederatcs IN au attempt to swindle
the Treasury Department By inducing 1t to expand
imPraet,cab!e scheme, and ont of which they hoped
to realize large fortune. How they were to real
Ire this large fortune Was not explained.
during the time Of the preparation Of this re-
Department that d. Gwynn Mss abont to make a
fon confession OF the crimes. but no such confes-
aton beng made, and 10 evidence Of guilt being
the Solicitor TO visit 1r. Gwtnn in prison and
learn whether such confessioR was to be made.
He did 80 and found that Dr.. GWynn positively de-
furnished, % be was released ffom % Confinement. e I
As Colonel Baker admits in his evidence that he
had no knowledge Of printing PRIOR to this exsmt-
nation, yoqr committee cannot resist the eonvic
directed to the subject Of paper printing in the
Department was iuEpi!ited b. some person or per
Sons in the Interest Of the Bank Note Company,
Inc in the Treasury Department rather than to
diEcoyer any mode Of correcting fmperfectiont and
abnses. On the 3oth Of March. 1861, DR.. Gwynn
Court against Colonel Baker, one tor unwarrants.
Bile arrest and the other for trespass In entering
his srooms in Georgetown and at the Treasury, and
sid 11t se
for libel, in causing false statements to be pub-
1tshed in the public journals. Immediately after
the arst suit was commenced, Col. Baker applied
to the Solicitor OF the Treasury to know little De-
pastment wonld Assume the responsibility Of the
arrest and bis subsequent proceedings in the case
Of Dr. Gw5un. On being answered that he would
forded him-and It must depend upon the Law
whether be WIS Justified in WHIST he had done-he
replied with much warmth, If the Treasury De-
paEtnent did not defnu him. be would be COM
PEELED te defend himself and irtimAting it was in
hif power 10 bring 10 light fscts very damaging 10
tbs Department, He said that he should demand
IN writing that h!e acts be assumed BY the Depart
s1lceed damaging Enowls5se int be posses ed. It
Was shorty alter this thst The alleged aid wits On
which one branch of these charges were founded,
Sv By to
ously set about the work Of discovery.
ne secured a. confederate In his undertaking
who lodged IN Tie same building where two oftae
female employees OF the Treasury Department re-
sided. In their absence the detective and the act
TESS entered thetr room, runmaged their depos,"
soa the
Of wharcver iodiserrtons they could discover, and
told her tha, her roommate bad made faI confs =
sion OF vattoue intfieues and immoral1ties, and
nothing was 1et for her but to make sfmila-
confession OF be rent TO the Old Capi'ol Prison.
friend, advised her to make an uurescryed
confession. and then, having her alone
with the detective and the prospective horrors Of
A0V NiA ~NFAkN4+ -At E4E0E4 El9kCuEuk NElltEu H3
the detective. When her roommate returned, the
Same means were used. and similar result oh.
tained. There statements, written By the game
ded with IL atement thst he disclosure sop %see
made voluntarily, without fear dnress or fee. Il
wss on these statements TINT Hon. Mi. Brooks
and female employees of the printing division O
placed On record as evidence.
OF coqrEc they could not be resnrdcd as eri'
ARp%A hnf Ff,fr iorR ~ ~hn f<
be fnree tfsated. The commttae did not eonstde,
twitbin their province OF part Of their duty, tc
inquire into The private character OF cond1ct OF
any officer prior to the date Ut his oiclai coansc
unn with the Government, nor even during buch
cfc,a1 connection, except IN far as 1t affected
the eatety aud hooor Of the public service Within
!nquir1pg whe;her there were any facts to warrant
the charge that disrepntahle End immoral conduct
had been allowed II the Treasury buildings aud
on1 %
second, whether designations or Other d1srcputa.
bic eucaeaments have been nader
The testimony herewith submitted is very yo:u.
minons end much Of it h.e only remote bearing
on the subject OF investigation. But the Com
mittee preferred to allow within the proper rage
Ct sbe!r inquiries al the. testimony that Mr.
duoe. Under tie :ret head three allesst1ons were
made. First that Mr- Clark had eeAt mouey-at
onc time hundred dollara. and at another five
hundred, to enc ot his femata employees Is .
legged IN letter written bT Colonel Bnkes to the
Chairman Of the Committee, a duplicate o1
which Was addressed TO Nj. Brooks; The
sst n Eo saS oaSef
Famph!e1e, Late Kiss weldon. vas sanSnioned.
She testified that one Catherine Dodson, q colored
woman, and door keeper in the Treasury build.
Ing, came to her whilo she was at work in the
Treasury, and told her that Mr. Clatk nad sent he,
hnIdrsd dol!nrs, aud nfterward tent her five hun
E&%a4 GhnE En$ka a~A Al $rf-n t. Al "a
offered for dishonorable purposes Miss Dodson,
az tntellieent mulatio woman a years Of aee,te
tilted thar she never WIS charged with any message
hom NJ. Clark to Miss Weldon. and that the etotJ
"a. Tint q piece Of eroes immortality had beer
witnessed in the b,nnet room uf the basement 0
the Treasury, between Mr. Cark's princtpal assist
ant and one Of their female employee, Miss Clnr.
Donaldson. gil OF fourteen, lately discharged To-
bting noisy, testified that a. che entered one doc
Of the room she Few the young lady In there, All
the young gentleman Just going ont at the othe
door, that was all che knew. and the ctosE-e1A1u
nation to which ehe was subjected elected uoth
Sd. Dlshonorable proposition made By one q
the subordinate clerks to ono Of the female CIT
plo5ees. 4 young German -Jewess Tho had bee
perintendeat of bronzing @ rooms thst it sbe woai
submit to his wishes, and work evenings as We
as in daytime, sha could receive double pay. &c
father told he1 afterwards that the expree.io
mtan something dfshonorabie. The only othe
immortality she saw in the department was tha
the same nan. on another occasion, Htnied
her and ehook his head at her.
In regard to immoralIttes outside the Treasury
b. Mr. Clark and persons under he employ, It VA
ALLEGED
two female employees referred to "a the state1ea
Of aasi:nason in this city, and that On the l9sh
September 1863 they did meet at the Central Hotel
or fenneslsanta avenue. and pass the night there
The hotel register WAS produced. and two uancs
A.: u. Thompson and :ady, and G. q. Wilson an
date Awttness was produced who Was acqratnte'
Eith the handwriting Of Hendetson, and te.itde'
taa. eG t6s GGnaI'oeraphy 81 he t.o names somewha
the Office the day the names were registered, tetti
ded that he knew neither Henderson or .lark. Il
corroborafe this charge, famil5 OF JcHs-tather
flcd that he eaw Clark and Henderson in compan,
With the two females In question. and followed
them till they crossed the avenue and entered
dining saloon near The ce9tsa! IT. Hotel When 81
wae ear1y In the sprins Of 81. about year ago
that he eaw them. The second time, he axcd th,
date IN October OF November, 1868. The thiri
nme ecrcral dsys atcr the hotel register had beer
examined. be was yer5 positive It was between ths
18th anda3a Of September. he further testified
that his lister WIS dismissed from the Tzeseur,
because be followed Clark In this Latter teetitno
ny both father and daughter coneurred. 1t va,
Tie iatheT esvs tsIi history q bis daughter.
connection with the Treasury. The testimony o
thsse three was Tissue Of contradictions.
The names registered Hf the Central Hotel Sept
18th. which Col. Baker claims were written b.
Henderson. appear also on the record The preced
Ing Day. with the office marks opposlte them. 4:
explained hy The clerk. showing that the parties
| paad me hotei Charges two tun days. Henderson,
and CLARK both ewear that the story is tsse IN ey
etr particular. The only evidence Of the charge
that Clh1k and Henderson invited these two fe
assicnhtion, Is ~ anonymous letter, written II
pencil, without date, signed "H." 4 clerk swear
It look Ike 4enderson'E, and Henderson swears Il
- not he. Inc charge Of an seeisnat1on at Ph,la
| delphia was supported by still weaker testimony
Mf. ClasE VIE examined fully on Ill these ul]c.s
tons, and sWore they were utterly false.
yest1gatton tn assisting Mr.. Brooks to tind testi
mony.- Nearly every witness summoned to proT,
alleged immcsali.ses in the Treasury was preri
onEly manipulated By htEo, and N seyeral caseA