Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-02-18
Adi.t..t G,n.r.l,. Reporj

Adjatant Gsnerapt Repor0
The report ot Adjutant Gieneral I'D.
F. schneider to the Governor Of Ohio
| for the year 1885, Dis just published. w
igive abrIef abstract of some of its mos
Interesting features: -
4 The report begins by a reference 10th,
natural presumption that " ith the clos,
lof the war and the Sdisbaridmenssof tn,
fNationai GuarI the business of the Of
4 flee would have been almost at an end
That such is not the case is due 10 the
I factthat the extensive transactions grow
ing out OF Ohio's part in the war, eoulG
not be Immediately closed upon the re
turn of peace. And when it is further
remembered that since thai time all tn,
military offices of the State have beer
suspended, and their remaining businen
have been transferred to the Adjutanl
General, and that additional and respon
sible duties have been imposed upon
him by the law, it will be readily under
stood that the office has abundant occu
pa. ion-
Some idea of its iabors may be obtain
ed from the statement that the total col.
lections in 1858, for the State and for in-
dividuals painly soldiers and theiI
heirs amounted to nearly 57s, ,OO0, CO.
was received from the General govern
ment on account of "Ohie war Claims, !,
and certified into the State Treasury
The correspondence of the Office is also
alluded TO as Indicating, though inper-
fectly, the extent of its business. The
communications received, and letters,
transcripts, certificates, drafts. etc.,
transmitted during the year numbered
nearly %, 900. The correspondence has
related chiefly to the following subjects:
Soldiers claims, State war claims, Nor
gan raid claims, veteran and local boun-
ties, certificates of service and credit,
ordnance and militia.
/ The collection of soldiers claims has
been one of the most important branch
es of the business. Up to the 18th oil
November, last, there has been collected
during the year :, ,915 claims, amounting
to 295, 1l2 81. In addition to this 76
pension certificates were obtained. The
number of claims still remaining on the
books is 2,747, including 334 pension
claims. AS the law prohibits the recep-
ton of any new claims, it is expected
that the connection of the State with
these claims can be closed, or nearly SO,
during the year 1853. - -. %
The controversy with James {. Wet
more, Esq, is alluded to having assum-
ed no new phase since last report. In
consequence of the settlement of "a large
proportion of the claims intrusted to
Mr.. Wetmore, while acting as Ohio
State Agent, the question has almost
ceased to be of practical importance.
A full account is given of the frauds of
one Thomas Benton DOran in connec-
ton with soldiers claims. 1t appears
that when Mr.. Wetmore resigned he
made a sort of transfer OF this Office to
this Doran, who had been his chief clerk.
The Governor OF the State at once re-
pudiated this transfer, and. instructed
Doran not to act for the State in any
capacity except as custodian of the Office
furniture and other property that had
been turned over to him. Notwithstand-
ihg this positive injunction, Doran made
use off his position and opportunities to
get possession of soldiers checks, and
after forwarding the same to extort,
money from the claimants by retaining
their discharges. Subsequently he re-
sorted to the bolder viilany of forging
the indorsementsofp payees, and disposing
of the checks at the banking house OF
Jay Cooke & Co., in Washington. After
carrying on this species of rascality
for some time Doran absconded, and has
not since been heard from Through
the Intervention of Adjutant General
Schneider duplicate checks have been
obtained in those cases, and the soldiers
will not suffer, except in the way; ofdelay
and trouble. The actual loss, amount,
ing to $4,000 or $4,000, falls upon Jay
Cook IL Co. - seZ ~
Outsof 745 veteran bounties to be paid
by the State 511 certificates have been
issued ia all, and 234 are yet to be fur
30S certificates OF veteran credits |
to Congressional Districts are yet to be |
issued, and large number of the same |
class of credits to counties, towns, &c,
which number can not be definitely |
stated: Daily applications are still re-
ceiyed for all the above kinds of GER
'
The subject of claims of citizens of |
this State for property taken by the
Union forces during the Morgan raid is |
fully discussed, and the difficulties at
tending their collection forciblypresent-
ed. But small portion of them have
been allowed and paid during the wear,
and not much progress can be made un-
til the stringent rules of evidence now
In force at the department i'm Washing
ton are modified. The report declares
that "a majority of these claims are man
lfestly just, and might be settled if Con-
gress should provide for admitting the
testimony Of 0iti5ens In cases where the |,
affidavit of the officer WHO took the pro,
perty cannot be obtained. 1t urges upon
the Legislature the Importance of pass
ing resolutions earnestly requesting our
Senators and Representatives to take
the necessary steps towards securing
such Congressional action. -
A full and detailed exibit is made. of
the character, condition, amount and
status of the Ohio war claims against /.
The general government, as well as a Z
statement of the several acts of Congress
Under which they arise, The total L
imeunt of such claims presented is Sa,-
T7S, ,376 "a the total amount paid is S. $
'76, ,Si8 81 leaving claims tn the amount K
IF S20l ,55s 07 presented but not psid,-li
In addition to this, there are claims to- ,
,he amount of 2S2, 10S 81 not yet filed at
Washington, making the total balance !
of Ohio war claims collected in /
IS6S and paid into the State Treasury is !
s262, ,939 Gl - 3 bll'1s,. ~T'7s' - if'i sia
The report alluGes to the subject of :
the Record of Ohio Soldiers,
! work embracing the military history !
If every officer and private from this :
State. In consequence of the expecta-
ion that the publication of this work
would be provided for, at the legislative
session Of 1866, no special appropriation
was made for its completion. That ex-
pectation was not realized, aud the work
has been suspended. The amount al
ready expended for this object Is about r
s8, 100. 1t is estimated that about Sc, cool
will finish it. At present, the record is
Of little value, and unless completed the
amouut already expended win have 4
been wasted. While not favoring thief
printing of the record at this time, theE
Adjltant General urges Its completion.
He confines his remarks to statement
IF the practical reasons for this course,
growing out Of the business of his office, !!
in the belief that natriofism apd Sfofe