Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-02-25
How Quotas are Filled In New YOrk-Ener.
mons Frauds.

nous kfaEdss ~
5, The New-York papers contain the details
of therecent disclosures brought to light by.
Col BAKEs,z United States detective, showing
the enormous and systematic frauds which
have been employed in that city in conuec-
ton with furnishing men for the military ser
vice. ~ g - +
Col. BAKER went to that city several weeks
since, there being strong suspicious of some
thing wrong in the business of enlistments
there, and set energetically about the work
of ferreting out and disclosing the Ubiquitous
swindles which it was believed were practiced
in that city. The result of his labor shows a
worse state Of things than was even surmised.
He reports that there is scarcely a recruit
ing officer in that city not haunted by bounty
brokers who have in their employ "jumpers"
of the most adroit and experienced kind,
some of whom have enlisted as many as
twenty times. Certain officers we're of course
parties to this nefarious business. of twen-
ty seven bounty brokers, Jumpers, unfaithful
officials, who have been arrested the follow
ing are the most prominent: - liazae-
William TURNER, Assistant Chief Clerk at
the Naval Rendezvous in Brooklyn, friend
of John Devlin, in whose company he was
when arrested.
John Devlin, substitute broker, Internal
Revenue Assessor in Brooklyn, and Notary
Public plumber BY trade, who has made
sixty thousand dollars in the forging of enlist
ment papers during the last Summer
James Devlin, a substitute broker, but
rather a runner for his brother, John Devlin.
James CahA, also married man, in the
brokerage business with James Devlin, with
John Devlin as the guiding star.
Richard Carron of No. Sc White St, a
French Canadian, an enlisted man, and a de-
serter himself has been in the business here
for about eighteen months, and is, TO quote
the language of Col. Baker, without excep-
ton, the most precious rascal ever had any
knowledge Of"
Sergeants Keeckan, Mulborn and Brown,
all in the United States service, and for a
long time lncratively employed in getting
boz nty-jumpers off Governors and HATS
Islands, for consideration from the hands of
brokers operating in the city.
TURNER has made full confession, Large
numbers of forged naval enlistment papers,
have been made and credited to New York,
the bounties being pocketed by the parties to
the forg, RES. CARsoN's business was to get
men out of the service after they were mus
tered in and sent to Governors Island. The
friends of the enlisted man, or the bounty
broker, after he had got his bounty were in
the habit of paying $500 to get him free
again. This was accomplished by fee OF
$50 % one of the Sergeants, KEEcKAS, MUL-
HORN and BRowS, who had the power of
granting passes. Col BAKER and three sub
ordinate detectives went through the process
to satisfy themselves. They repeatedly en-
listed and as often found means to get liberia
ted on the day they were mustered in.
The most astonishing feature of the whole
business, however, was the discovery that
quotas of towns were being filed by means
Of forged returns, without even the ceremony
OF mastering in a single man. Col BAKER
communicated with JAMES DEvLIN, represent
ing himself as the agent for an interior town,
made arrangements for filling its quota in
this manner, agreeing to pay $500 for each
set of forged papers. They we're speedily
made out in due form, and the brokers re-
ceived for the job $4,000. Just as they
were congratulatIng themselves over the
the success Of the villany, they were arrest
ed, and a confession won from them of their
guilt in other instances Col. BAKER has al
ready in his possession $50 sets of forged en-
listment papers, made out during the pre-
-MM
vious month alone. 81
The TFi6tnde in speaking of the fortunes
made by these infamous transactions, says:
Shoddy is drudgery and petroleum tie
dious path to wealth, compared TO the swift
gains of the bounty swInder and fOrger.
John Fay and - Dalton, partners in as
bounty brokers, cleared two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars during last summer alone.
The Devlins are both men of wealth, the
humble Sergeant MulhOrh has bought farm
for $4,000, and the bank book of James
Lee, poor, ignoraI boatrnan, a year ago,
shows snug balance of $4,000.
tits probable that these frauds have at
tanned their maximum development in New
York, but there is no doubt the system ex-
tends more or less over the whole country
The work begun there should be vigorously
followed up, and the offenders everywhere
made signal example of, such as will be a
terror to all who feel a propensity to repeat
their crimes. Such frauds are immeasurably
worse than open treason, and ought to be
swiftly and remorselessly punished.
- - s-.-----