Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-09-21
Fraud oEa the Government The Dis
bursting Asent Of tne Pos' 0AHee "a
DefauIfer-HiS Flight.

Defaulfer-EBIS FG1gn1.
Il appears that during the past week Mr..
OmstcG, as discussing agent Of the Post Office,
made requisition on the Treasury Department
for 800, 600, to be used for the payment Of GER
tain claims and salaries.
This check was returned dishCnOrel and the
Postmaster General at once notified of the fact.
The official sent ior Olmsted, and demanded an
explanation, which was evaded, Olmsted stating
that he supposed the check was returned on ac-
count OF his not having sent to the Treasury
c.,ta,n vouchers necessary. He further stated
he would proceed to his Office, and make his
arrangements 80 that the matter would be at
once straightforward
With this understanding he left the Secreta
ry' room, and proceeded to his own office, 10
another portion of the Post Office building
Between eleven and twelve o'clock, about
halt hour after his interview with the Secretary,
he appeared at the house of one Of the night
Watchmen of the department, named Branlgan,
FROM whom be borrowed soldiers oVercoat
and dark SLOUGH hat. He stated TO this
wachman that he was ina great deal OF trouble:
that he did not know what to do-klll himself
Or run away from the city. tie finally said that
be would take the coat and hat, aud go out 10
the woods somewhere, wait for night to come,
and then leave Tor parts unknown" lie then
placed in the hands of Branigan package con.
tanning 81 600, and the key of his safe, also pay
ing him certain sum OF money to keep the
matter quiet The package Of money and the
safe key be desired should be given to his
(Omsteds) wife. OImsted left. The watch
man, after thinking over the matter, became
very much troubled, and finally decided to 20
to priest and confess the matter to him. lie
did so, and the clergyman at once proposed
that they should 60 IN company to the Post
Office Department, and make the facts known.
They proceeded to the department, and obtain
cd an audience with Mr.. Iavery, Third Assls-
tant Postmaster General. Information was at
once furnished Major Richards, Superintendent
of the Metropolitan Police, who ordered the
entire detective force of the department to set
about discovering the whereabouts OF the
not been arrested, although it is believed that
he is lurking in the neighborhood of the city.
Mr.. Olmsted has up to this time been
highly respected citizen Of Washington, and
has an interesting family.
Upon application having been made to lis
wife she very promptly gave up the safe key
and the package of money which had been de-
livcrsd to her by Branigan, and to day the au
thorltieS of the department will institute an
investigation. For some time past Olmsed has
been engaged in variety Of SpcculatlOns,
among others the following: A short time since
he purchased about three hundred and fifty
acres Of land in the vicinity OF Beltsville; one.
half Of this he subsequently, sold 10 a Mr. Wal.
ker. He also lately purchased a large tract OF
land in North Carolina on which, it is suppo-
sed, silver mine is located. He was also
parne in a plumbing and gas fitting cstab.
lishmcnt, on Seventh street, besides being
largely interested in several Inventions now
being brought before the public.
So deeply interested was he i'll various
schemes that his friends have questioned HIM
Of late as to lis ability flight his way through.
The officials at the department state that 1t is
utterly impossible to make any estimate 81 the
amount OF which the Government has been de-
frauded and can form no idea until an examl-
nation Of his accounts have been made. RuulOr
has placed the amount OF dcfaIcaLl0n at so, 900,
but, OF course, nothing positive can be known
until an Investigation had been had. Gentle
men we'll acquainted with OImstcd are OF the
opinion that the amount is altogether too low,
stating that his property would be moro than
sufficient to have made that amount good.
The Postmaster General states that during
lis interview with O!msted he acted more like
an nsano man than one Of sound mind, as he
scene! TO labor under extraordinary nervous
excitement He is said TO be addicted to
opium catiDg. I-Ndt Int