Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1864-05-07
Victor's influence" at an End---Letter
from Lieut.. xerryman.

Victors influence" at an End.-Letter
from Lieut.. Merryman.
WASHINGTON, D. G. March 9Th, 1864.
NY DEAR SIR: At last I am enabled to
explain to you the singular dispatch sent in
my name to Lieut.. Seldom on 5th January
last. came here about last Christmas. in
answer to summons from the Treasury De-
partment, to account for q certain deficit in
my cash account, during my administration
of thu Custom House, amounting to $1710 20
a. alledged by Victor Smith, who is now here.
After an examination Of the Cash Book, which
he produces here, found that the book really
showed such deficit. But I discovered also
that the book was posted for the month Of
July, '62, in the handwriting OF Mr.. p. D.
Moore.
Suspecting foul play, asked for a rigid
investigation. Pending that investigation.
on the 4th January, l received a note from
Mr.. Handy, clerk in charge Of Revenue Ma
rine Bureau requesting me to call at the
Treasury on the morning of the 9Th, at 9
A. NJ. "on business connected with your
SELF (me) Accordingly at the appointed hour
1 called upon him. After SONS conversation
he went on to say, that he. in common with
many others. had every confidence in my in
tegrity, and could not believe that l had felo-
niously appropriated the amount. but that he
had reason to believe that you were the gull
ty party. begged leave to differ with him
regarding you, and expressed myself satisfied
with your Innocence and integrity. He ear
nestly repeated his first assertion, and closed
with this: "That man Chalmers must b. ar
rested, and you must order Seldom to do it,"
Indignantly and emphatcally refused to be
a party to any such outrage upon You. He
urged ma again and again. Icalied his atten-
ton to the fact that had no authority what
ever over Lieut.. Seldom. He said that the
Department would authorize Seldom to obey
the order, and pay for tie dispatch; "that
it must go to-day. for the Oregon steamer
leaves San Francisco Tomorrow" that by
doing it would benefit myself and please "a
high o6fc;al" I now saw in the proposed
scheme the inevitable hand of Victor Smith.
believed there was villainy in it. and for the
purpose of developing that villainy. gave
the dispatch, writing it to his dictation. The
sequel proves the correctness of my judgment.
From that day up to tho lst inst. neither my
self nor many powerful friends could obtain
clue to the rascality. or whatever 1t was.
Two days after the dispatch, Victor told Mr..
McGilvra that had sent such dispatch.
From that time until the 1st inst. he endeav-
orsd to ferret the thing out, for his own salts
faction presume, for have no connection
with him whatever. On the LIST he penetra-
ted within the sacred precincts Of the Secreta-
rvs office, and asked him about it. Mr..
Chase oppressed the protoxndest astonishment.
protesting utter ignorance Of the trsnsaction.
He sent for the dispatches, and they we've
brought to him with their accompanying pa
psrs. 1t then appeared that Victor Smith
had filed with my dispatch letter commence
ing as follows: 60 The encloaed dispatch has
been handed to me with the request that I
will ask to have it forwarded at the public
charge, cheerfully comply" He then goes
on to charge me, and you. with great defalca-
cations-me for $l.7oo, you for $500 and
upwards; abuses us somewhat rouudly as his
enemies, and concludes his letter with tho fol-
lowing: II suggest that the Collector at Port
Angeles be authorized to assist Lieut.. Seldom,
~ agent of Lieut.. Msrryman. by leave Of ab-
ssnce or otherwise" He then wrote dis
patch to DR.. Gum, Of same date as mine, the
contents Of which were as follows: "If Lieut..
Seldom desires to act as the agent Of Lieut..
Merryman in procuring the arrest Of VIM. L.
Chalmers, you are authorized to assist him by
leave of absence or otherwise. This he car
risd to the Assistant Secretary. Mr.. B. Field,
and asked him to sign it. The Secretary
himself was then confined to his house by i'll
ness, and Mr.. Field was acting. He hesitatsd
about signing the dispatch, stating that he
preferred the Secretary should attend to it
himself, but Smith assured him that it was all
right, that the Secretary knew Of and would
approve it. Mr.. Field therefore signed it.
and it was sent. On the 18th ult., Smith
added postscript to his letter Of January 9th
stating that recent intelligence led him to be-
lisve that defalcations to still greater extent
had been committed by you, ard that tho con-
viction was growing upon him that I was in
noceut. In bis postscript he says that ap-
pointed you because you were his enemy. and
while seeking to ruin him was myself the vic