The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-09-15
The Hodge Deralcassou.

The Washington Star OF "Wednesday has
/, the following particulars concerning the
detection OF tho Hodge ,defalcation and the
arrest Of the dcfaultsr:
The 5:4O p. M. train last evening for Bal.
timore carried out Major John Ledyard
Hodge, a wclI-known citizen of Washing.
ton. and since 1861 deputy paymaster In
the United States army, stationed in this
| city. lie was In charge or United States
officers, who were directed by the General
OF the Army to turn him over to the com.
mandant of Fort MclIcnry, with directions
to place him in solitary confinement with q
sentinel to guard his cell, he being charged
with being heavy defaulter to the Govern
ment. The few who knew Of the serious
charges against Msjor Hodge were 10th to
believe them, but subsequent events have
satisfied his friends that they are too well
founded, and that he is a defaulter to the
Government TO the extent OF about
/ 300, 900. 81
The accused has heretofore enjoyed an
excellent reputation, and at the Paymaster-
! Generals office was regarded not only as
| thoroughly honest gentleman, but an ac-
complshcd scholar and accountant. On
account Of his extraordinary qualifications
| the Paymastcr. General, i'll 1896, detailed
/ him for duty at his office, employing him
Fin adjustingthe irregular accounts OF other
paymastcrS, and on special service until
about two years since, when he assigned
him rs pay master of the bounty certificates
of the Second Auditors Office. This was u
highly responsible position, the payments
sometimes amounting to. S300,00o per
month; but the Paymaster-Ge General asserts
that he placed the most implicit confidence
! in his deputy's integrity, and fully believed
1 hp would not betray his trust.
| On Thursday last, however, the Paymas-
| ter General discovered, as be thought, an
erroneous charge in the returns OF MAYOR
Hodge, and by letter requested him to eX-
! plain it. He still could not believe that his
| deputy was dishonest, but expected that
I, he would be able to make satisfactory ex-
PLANTATION. This he failed to do, and Gen.
Bricc intimated his suspicious, and per-
emptorily ordered him to close his accounts
by Monday last. On the next day Sunday
| Gen. Brice received q letter from Major
| Hodge, containing full confession OF
his guilt, and stating that he had
been making fraudulent returns and
statements since 1866, and that the
money thus obtained had been spent in gold
and stock gambling In New York. lilo men
toned in his letter the name of one firm who
knew that the money he had sent them Tor
investment belonged to the Government,
and concluded by stating that he was ready
to turn over Ill Of his property, both per-
sonal and real, amounting in value to some
thing like $50, 900, to any agent OF the Gov
eminent authorized to receive such an as
signment. lie expressed cOntrition for his
crime, said he intended to return the money
he had taken, and implored tlrlt he be rs
:niently dealt with is possible.
OF course there was but one course tor
| General Brice to pursue, and on Monday
last he placed the defaultine payma.ter un.
der close arrest. Yesterday he procured
10y telegraph, from General Sherman. an Or
der for his confinement in Fort MclIenry,
and he was forwarded to the fort last even.
ing, as stated above.
The accused, who is about thirty-siX years
of age, is Il native Of PhiladelDh ia, but since
his residence in this city lived at No. 1923
Franklin Terrace on X street, between 18th
and 10th streets. He is possessed of con.
siderable real estate and personal property,
mainly Inherited from his uncle and his
father, Qormerly Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury who died about three years ago.
His mother is still living. One Of his sisters
is the wife Of Admiral Rodgers, at present
commanding the American China squad
ron. lie has a wife and four children. who
are plunged into the deepest grief 1T his
misconduct.
The investigation of his accounts, now
going on at the aymaStcr-GencraPS office,
has proceeded fir enough to make safe the
assertion that his def4lsssien will amount
| to between Si0O,Q0S &anA SJO0000. He
| will, OF course, be triea W court-martial,
! which will doubtless impose as 4 penalty i
certain term Of Imprisonment and dismissal
from the military service OF the United
States. II eau hardly be expected that the
Government will recover any portion of
the amount of his defalcation, except per-
! haps few thousand dollars from the sale
OF his private property.
| The War and Treasury Depart ments are
endeavoring TO shift the responsibility OF
| the deacation.