The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-09-01
TINE PAY uls.sarmfnr 0f VIRGINIA.

tHe TAS utr".m." -
v,ra,e.&,on Of Colonel Amos Binney and
Mr.. Coles. Of the E:sst Hatienss B:ab
Of ''. 70 r.. sDrsoa g RI fssIlr:
~ wAsHneroN August 90 1896
Your paper Of the 18th contained letter from Rich.
mond and your paper Of the 18th an editorial based
thereon both doing cruel injustice TO Colonel Amos
Binney Of the Pay Department by representing him
mixed up certain disreputabe by which
the soldiers he appointed to pay have been heavily
feeced "Forgeres and frauds, thousands Of bogus
soldiers and thousands Of bogus discharges
limited at portion Of the transactions which refe
renee is made; and, although direct accusation
against Colonel Binney in any Of these connections
advanced, yet as his is the only mentioned
either in letter article, the impression left the
mind Of every careless reader both is that
officer named has been guilty of pretty nearly every
offence conceivable the catalogue Of financial crime.
Well assured of your unwilngness TO injustice TO
faithful officer Of high character standing in all the
relations Of fe allow your paper be made the
vehicle OF SANDERS put forth by parties of
whom Baker, the War Department detective is chief)
now beg the of justice injured gentleman
and as one acquainted thoroughly with all the facts in
this case that you will allow correct, as briefly
and clearly possible Of the with which
your Richmond Observation-Disclosures obtaining his
information from ofHcal sources''-has been induced
10 betray you. That there may have been swinders'
''villains, 'men utterly without PATRIOTISM honor
Conscience in the Pay department OF army have
no wish denyexceponal Of this kind turning
up in every branch OF the public service. But let
protest energetcay against the of such epthets
coupled with the name OF an officer against whom the
only charge brought by his bterest enemies
| amounts TO nothing more than possible OF dis
creton the suffers small money brokers and other camp
followers Of Richmond being alone responsible for the
alleged malpractices Of which Colonel Bnney thus
sought TO be made the scapegoat
that he issued 10 his subordinate large
titles Of Thirty bonds to be used in paying of all
such soldiers could be induced TO et this higher
and better of reimbursement services and
that he obeyed paragraph 992 Of the Revised Army Re-
gulato,ns BY depostng In the First NMional Bank Of
and fiscal agent Of the government, IAN such funds
were not wanted for immediate usc" This Invested Of
verbiage, Is the charge and Ito only barge made
against Colonel Bnney and io his lion in the matter
he plead the approval of the Secretary of the Tcasu
ry and every member Of the Cabinet fine practice of the
army the manifest best ntere OF the soldiers
| themselves Pay soldier some lar in these
bonds and he apt either to retain them them
| at least and also draw interest; wnie the same man
paid of in ten or twenty dollar bills and exposed to the
temptations Of camp is only too apt to squander in
few days Of riot, winding up in the guard house,
the earnings of many months of patient toll selfsacr
| fec and courage.
| AlIuson is made to the fact "that Norfolk bank
whose securities less than 500 600 in amount
entrusted by the manipulatons OF paymasters'-i.
from the contcxt, by Colonel Binney who Chief
Paymaster-"with seven million dollars of government
~ and the conclusion Is drawn from this that cor
ruption of the most extensive character Is evident
| that simple statement" Now what the facts9 The
bank in question is the regularly appointed depostary
and fiscal agent Of the government and has given all The
security required by law for that position The Sub
Treasurer Of New York gives but $780, 900 security,
though often with $40 600 900 under his contro and
Colonel Bnney himself, Chief Paymastcr of a depart
ment and often with from three to Ave millions in his
amount than $40 OOO-the usual security believe FOR
paymasters is not the amount Of security but
the character Of men, that must be relied upon and
| coin tn in Mas ucptt bn
Colonel and his family the longest the best will
be found that neither the government nor soldiers
stand in any danger from his actions.
II his duty, under the paragraph of army regua-
tons before referred to article XLLl to dposIt his
funds precisely IN the bank he did usc; had he
any chocs in the premises That bank had been select
ed by thegovernmcnt for this very purpose; did it
paid him. thought OF paying him. any fraction of the
one half OF per cent which allowed TO Jay Cooke
Il Co. for foating off the seventhiry loan" Why
had means Of avoidingS Or with what Just
be held responsible if the often ignorant soldiers to whom
these bonds paid subsequently suffered them
selves to be mulcted two three four per cent dis
count by the suffers secession clam discouners and
| camp followers who literally and
through streets of Richmond Would the rnen-who
eager TO quander their money to endure the
paid to them in the form Of currency for which they
could have got change the counter Of barroom
in the parors Of the vast bagno which Richmond may
| be said TO have becomeP
The fact is that this whole camor about 'rauds in
the Pay Department Of Virginia. arises in great part
nOt in the Pay Department. and Others engaged TO
blackma certain Of the national banks which
doubtedly making much money, though egtimatcly by
their services in connection with the paying of our
troops or this conspiracy you may have evidence in
the dispatches similar to sent to other papers
and apparently cooked to suit all paatesthat pub
shed in the Tribune OF the 30th charging Mr. Coles
President of the First National Bank Of Norfolk, with
being NOTORIOUS secessionst This doubtless was
thought, would damn him in the eyes of the Tribune
editors; while fact Mr. Coles has been from the
first outbreak OF the war; of the consistently
such will be certified to by all the present authorities
Of that State although IL Is true that in the first years
Of the war; he probably in favor OF universal
| emancipation and negro soldiers than the late
President Lincoln mt that time
II any Of the subordinates OF Colonel Binney have
done wrong let them be held their just responsibility
and one will be more glad than the writer OF this
letter. II there have been forgeres, frauds and villa
nesn in the Pay Department know Major General B.
W. Brice Paymaster General, quite well enough TO
that no officer quick In the detection Of cg
ularity more memorable In its punishment, can be
found in the service Colonel Bnney's arrest"
which alluston has been made, was simply the usual
s 70
the chief officer OF his corps and report for orders
trial Colonel Bnncy did report TO General Brice,
and Gt dis mi sed bricr inr', c TO visit
he family, antc.ci +, t'rcsc .n rciof.', ~ ap u.
nation that whichever wanted hc Woulr D. fur
furlough lie is absent his home Has,achu.
sets IN nix you was this the Treatment 50 severe and
yet just martinez General rice would have given
Jenkins in the army-he author of an Outrageous
swindle involving Millions and the other sensation
headings Of the Richmond correspondent who has been
made the vehicle by designing knaves for the promuga.
ton of these infamous slanders2 ! think not and
further think IL will yet be found that this organized
clamor Is part of conspiracy indirectly aimed for the
branch has the Of Surgeon Genera oseph
''' - Wv y - ' AN Ex.oFFIcER
Card from the Cashier OF the First Ma.
tional Bank OF Richmond.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
First NATIONAL BANK or RlcusoSp,(