New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-04
REPORT or TIE SECOND AUDITOR

WASHINGTON, Nov 3.-The Second Auditor
has completed his annual report for the fiscal year end
ing June 90 1902 and presented the same to the secretary
of the Treasury to-day II long and exhaustive giving
I'm detail the operations Of several divisions OF the
Office and conveys a clear idea OF the vast amount OF
work performed IN that bureau and It's Importance Tho
total number OF acquisitions passed through the Office
during the year 400, involving Sso09io %, OF
which amount sC2sO3.7n "a cover disbursements, and
Sl6Oss2O7 70 refundmehs Among the disbursements
the item OF S5sO32 in favor Of the National Asylum
for Disabled Volunteers OF interest showing the
favorable results the most dependent OF the nations
martyrs OF the benehcent legislation which turns IN 10
their support and forfctures imposed by ncces
sary military discipline upon their unworthy
comrades II is not probable. however that the same
amount will be realized In any future fiscal year The
total number OF accounts audited during the year was
ls24s2 involving In amount t207 jG3iJ2 3d. The number
on hand at the commencement Of the year was 2o53l
and the number received during the year g69 leaving
on hand unsettled the close OF the year 9Ss showing
net reduction Of $1,000 The correspondence OF
the office is enormous, the number Of letters sont from
the Office being stated at OJ745 about 1900 Tor every
working day. Tie average number OF clerks employed
was gg2 bn nj the end Of year reduced 10 80
The number Of pnymasers accounts on hand unsettled
Tuly l. 1863 was IO2l The number received during the
Year was Sos and the number settled LAC, In
yoiyipg Sss H. leaving unsettled. june -.
1869, 3.G53 Tie Auditor SAYS that the division
IN charge OF these aCcOu Is has been largely In
creased and the business Of this branch will be more
pcdltously executed than heretofore The number OF
accounts on hand July 1861 In the Ordnance, Medical
and Miscellaneous Divisions. which attend 10 the audit
ing Of accounts for purchases OF ordnance ana medicines
uscd i'm The army Tor medical services &c. and those
arising under appropriations for contingencies OF tho
army secret service, special acts OF relief was lJ22 he
number received during the year. 1909 and the number
settled 1900 involving Ss5gs7O6 o. leaving unsettled
July 90 1862 g37. The expenditure on account OF the
Indian Bureau during the year was N5G9 81, arising
from the settlement OF l.iG9 accounts. There
hand unsettled June 90 1862 257. The number OF recruit
Ing accounts hand July 1859, wss PISS the number
received during the year. CO. the number settled lfs
involving S2s4i09 2 and the number unsettled June o
1863 1886.
The reduction OF the number OF claims for bounty and
arrears pay has been large, and shows that the IN
crests OF couutrys surviving defenders. and the
heirs of the fallen heroes been neglected for
while at the commencement OF tho year. there ON
year was "a 5s at close GGT only remained unset
tied. These numbers and the immense correspondence
OF the division IN charge-neary 100000 Letters having
been sent out from itmako n 80 apparent that vast
number Of persons throughout the country are inter
csed that the Auditor deyOcs considerable space IN de
failing, with great eXactncssi the condition OF
this branch Of his business The amount involved IN the
certificates issued ~ S5t5s ~ lie asserts that Tue
payment Of valid claims is much retarded by the great
number Of those received from parties not entitled but
who Imagine or nope tat under some OF the numerous
acts resolutions and decisions existing, something may
be coming 70 them and this proved by the fact that
out OF the 5563 claims received 266zo nearly 0neha
rejected These all have 10 be examined, and
they do not specify under what particular act resou
ton claim Is made, thorough investigation OF the
soldiers entire military history has frequently to be
made, involving much more time and labor than are
requisite where the claims are spccc Another serious
embarrassment 10 the progress Of the work is the
tensyo presentation Of fraudulent claims In the
cases OF cOlored soldiers. IN some cases par
ties falsely personate soldiers whose discharges
they have somehow become possessed OF.
but more generally the fraud Is IN pretending To be the
heirs VI deceased soldiers Ia some cases as many as nye
applicants have claimed TO be the widow OF the same
soldier, and Instances OF three or Tour are very frequent
each presenting perhaps equally strong evidence OF mar
Tage The habits aud manner OF the life OF the co0red
people IN the south has been such tha III many OF these
there may be- no fraudulent intent or untruthiu
statement but the difficulty OF ascertalnng whether a
claim is fraudulent or not, and deciding who among
claimants the ghtful necessarily makes the eN
animation tedious On the lst Of oct there was an
actual count OF the claims Tor bounty on me- ana the
number found 10 be 6g25 OF which 1852 had been
examined, leaving uneXamned 1916, OF which number
about 1000 were awaiting the decision OF the AVRey
General upon point submitted, leaving the examining
branch only about 1000 cases, or IN point OF time two
weeks behind or the 57632 examined, idIl6 were sus
pended for defects, leaving 1880 correct, OF which
Der 1858 held for information from other bureaus
c leaving the settling branch 1855 behind the
aiming branch, or, in point Of time about six weeks
since the organization OF the division for the nvesga
ton OF frauds about $4,000 have been secured over
$4,000 OF which have been received during the past fiscal
year Ihe hu1ltOr con pi ,io S'V VI uin5 W pay
detectives or the expenses OF clerks who could be detailed
for investigation, and renews his recommendation OF last
year that $4,000 be appropriated for that purpose: The
archives Of the office very extensive, occupying all
the available space OF ~ large rooms and contain records
accounting for the disbursement Of more than
$4,000 100000 In money and property THESE arc now
being rearranged for better preservation and more con-
venent reference. The Recommendation Is made that
Congress provide for az closing the property ac
of volunteer officers who have been out OF service
many years In view OF the slight probability that they
can ever be adjusted that tho Government
realize any pecunary advantage from further attempts
adjust them as all these officers have been paid for
their military services, ana II Is almost Impossible TO
reach those whose have not already Deen set
tied Such provision will enable the Bureau 10 reduce
ito force and reduce the expenses OF the Office about
10000 per hnnuln. The discharge OF clerks since Tue
commencement Of the fiscal year already reduced the
annual expenses s225OOo The Auditor closes ms
report Win handsome compliment 10 his clerks saying
that the condition Of the office has been more salts
factory, and the duties more cheerfuly or
faithfully performed, and thinks their compensation
inadequate.
The Rdppet asserts that before the journal