The New York herald., 1869-02-20
THE HERMAN BOUNTY FRAUD.

Looked Upon n uumbug- The Accused
Somewhcre, bat Not In Court-Anxieas
Inqsir'es for His Person by Over Hundred
Desrauded soldiers and Women.
"Birds OF prey hive on birds OF prey', ia an OLD
and significant saying, verified every day in tie
week. IL is 10 be noted at every turn-nowhcrr
more viyidly than IN Wall street. But the vulture
that, like black cloud, hovers over the wounded
soldier deserves 10 be mercilessly ridded to death
"Colonef' Herman was claim agent, and, by
all accounts, successful one. Not long after
the war his 0nice In Canal street was be-
seged by crowds OF veterans, who gave him
power Of attorney 70 collect sums to
which they were entitled. II Is said that Herman
could talk soldier" with any man, and recounting
the glorious scenes Of many brilliant campaign
doubtless won the confidence OF the relying and
0ver-c0nhding claimants Herman did o good
business. and piles OF honorable discharges Hooded
his coming chamber. Now IL Is wen known that
the only excuse that swindler can reasonably
present for the non-rcception OF money which has
actually arrived is the negligence Of the Post ofice
Official The papers had informed the claimants
that their dues had been forwarded to the agent.
but the 'ColoneIn had not received them yet lie
was sure however, that there must he some mistake
about II. and he would see after It. AT all
events, the money would turn up some time,
and away went the veterans down-hearted
Should oe Observed that .Colonel Hcrnial, had, IKE
many men IN the world, speculative turn OF mind,
to follow the exact bent Of winch nc dised INTO the
abyss OF Wall street. and treadlng upon It's quick
sand sank, but ere he went 10 the bottom clasped
broker aud became his partner. mine Of gold re-
veuled it's yellow caves 70 the vision OF the penctra
ing agent The implements of work were quickly
applled-n other words, the soldiers' money was
space Of time Herman, the broker, had lost ali.
Still the unsuspecting claimants hunted the bureau
IN Canal street but the agen! was nowhere 70 be
seen The truth flashed forth ut once-they had been
swindled. The mean robbery spread like
wnddre. and nearly 500 persons whose
S' dred dollars sS each % Stormed with lndgnat'on s
Gradually the extent OF the swindle was made
known and the hopes Of nearly half regiment were
crushed forever. The Treasury department. was In
formed OF the fact and the Second Auditor, at once
examining the records, luckily discovered that over
on behalf OF soldiers had not been collected. Pay
ment was OF course stopped and that sum now re-
Proceedings were at once instituted and Herman
was caught but baied out by two suretfes In $4,000
The case has been several times before the courts,
but the "Coloncl' has not appeared. Rumors
OF compromise were set ahoat II was
stated that he was willing 70 give up
his control, with view OF having 1t sold for the
benefit OF the soldiers whom he had merciiessy plum
to dispose Of her house on 1sst street. Tor the same
purpose and from the statements put, forth gener-
ally the arrair to the unsophsticated would in all
probability assume favorable aspect The case
came up yesterday before Commissioner Belts.
There was no Herman, but there were
PsSaIs Poor fello%i sr' he s misss Be ynensd sse
carew Worn veterans NJ the foot or the stairs II ne
made his appearance and nc was conseauen,y n
woinen-the crowd Of eager. anxious to whom dol
lar was much rs thousand TO the wealthy-might
execrate him and call forth maledctlon on the
man that had paged them OF the tribe to whlcn
their dearly beloved had become entitled 10 In the
defence OF the country whose cause they had vind-
Gated with their precious blood. Herman dad not
appear The bonds were not forfeited and no war
rant was ssed s FOR hs arrest nS. s"ss snSus & ss s
gcsied and everything was a. smooth as Ice. MT.
waes spoke OF the compromise and Mr. shearman
sand everything was beng done Tor the best. MT.
Ncwcombe on the part OF tho Second Auditor,
was OF opinion thai perhaps matiers .would
Emerson, on behaif of the government, said very
little while the Commissioner did not OBJECT 10 an
pending. What seemed me sIrangesl thing OF al
binty Of saying that any settlement would take
place at all IL was ruinored iorsooth, and that Was
eirsctcdf eject Il does not appear that Herman has a
incarsemted iSas r. ted to obtain margin o. some sooc to
be derived from deiunct speculat'on Then Ms
w'J mortgage ras swsIlowine an "'0 asooo 81 % tho
same. which she u willing TO give up
for the bencnt OF the denraudcd soldiers
delay u hunlbus. Even n Herman escapes, the
amount rendered by hts securities would not 60 to
stated these facts transparent TO any observer
There was u fumbling and disquictliie restless
friends in court that gave unmIstakablc symptoms
OF suspicion. Commissioner Bets was evidently az
loss 70 know what 10 DO Promises Of glowing
trumpetcrs were 10 bc believed no mclodrama
would end moro agrecably. Every claimant was 70
he paid IN ull for the 'Colonels, effects we're to be
disposed OF, while ms wifes house was worth 10
much, and the Coloncl's' debts wncn collected all,
There were several OF tho dsiranded ones In the
commissioners ONCE. OlIy tongues were busy.
Never did Claude Meinottc paint The future home Of
lts loln nysA hfuff fttfil ~ 4
smoothed down the pillow OF their Indignation. u
was failure. with o comnendable politencss the
soldiers said nothing In reply To the twaddc
made use OF. a settlement was proposed.
and the. dim prospect OF half loaf was
adonraed TN The 10th instant, with view thai i,
the meantime something might be done towards
satisfactory adjustment Of the nifair. nut that
Just seems fur or the hiding place OF "Colonclr
Herman appears 10 those whose duty Il H. 20 bring
nin mp IN person 70 answer the charge preferred
against him as any other criminal would be COM
PEELED to do. Thus the affair rested yesterday; but
the scene down stairs, under the Cominss sloners
once fully developed the feelings OF at lcasl eoa
men aud women. 10 was u sad spectacle.
Packed together were Veterans who had fought
for lheir countrys sake laother. Whose sons
brothers. blood nad been shed IN ia defence.
Grouped together they awaited the disposition Of
the case. Tnty were mostly poor people. a young
man. VINO had been ia the Commissioners once and
had listened TO the procoeding, appeared az the top
OF the stairs and was requested 10 communicate
to the crowd what had been done. lie snid that u
settlement was proposed, that the 'Colonel' was w-
ing 10 give NIL hts property" To satsly their claims
.Whcre - Herman, anyhow ~ cried one. He's q
humbug,r said another. "I wish to God we had
him, cOoiy remarked thru. rhe women had most
10 say Theirs was piiful case They knew they had
been swinaled and all hope was gone. Where was
Hermnnf Verify, that claim agent woiid have been
satisfactorily disposed of had he shown himself
10 ~ needless to add that tho disappointed. dishear-
cnod and Ineanly robbed gathering el t1e building
vita Feelings Of deep Indignation. Vain was Tue
utteripf of iertnnnb friends-afd he has thcn
where one might not readily expcct-to pacfy tho
crowd. Months and months had tiey been deceived
and now that the actual guilt OF the offender was
openly proved they were asked TO rely up0n state
ment for tire truth Of which not a living scdi was
wiling TO voslch.
hut enough or this These sharks must he caught
ana dealt with. VI rests with the authorities 70 see
To " and sct an example 10 tue followers " ms
Systematic llrndoring. A burglar - caught anu
convicted. Why should the covert snayc 80 lsee!
| Poor veterans nave becn rcenilessly puag@L and
now u " proposed 10 satisfy them win tho ino
statement that they 10 De settled Win a. some
iuture day with the proceeds ~ m0rtgaRtd lousc
and wall street margin that will never pe tecog.
nned. The case IS too plain TO DC NinNei ~ anu Wv