The New York herald., 1871-09-14
DEFLLCAEI0N BIZ AT AMY OFFICER.
Half a Million Dollars EMbeZZled bY
Paymaster Hodge.
A Long Career Of Rascality
Exposed.
Results Of Stock Gambling in
Wall Street.

WASHINGTON. Sept. IL. 1871.
The public were startled this afternoon by the re-
port that Major John Ledyard Hodge, appointed I'm
I january. 1857, deputy paymaster In the United
States Army, ana stationed in this city, had been
found to be defaulter to the government to very
| large amount The few who knew OF the serious
charges against him were 10th to believe them, but
| subsequent events satisfied his friends that they
| are well founded and that he Is a defau!ter
| to at least the extent or $4,000 or s5DOOOo.
| 1t Is said that year ago detectives made
| the discovery that his financial AFFAIRS were In
loose condition, his accounts being behind, &C. and
that an investigation ordered, but for somo
| reason not known 1t never took place. The ac-
cused served an officer during the late In tho
Pennsylvania volunteers, or which State he IS q
tive, and was breveed lieutenant colonel. He
lived in an extravagant style on salary OF about
$500 a year. Detectives both here ana
In New York, were to-day severally endeavor-
Ing on inquiry at banks and elsewhere to
discover further Information. 1t is suspected that
other parties involved In the defalcations.
Major Rochester has been detailed to discharge tho
duties Of the Office vacated by the arrest Of Major
Hodge,
The twenty minutes to six train yesterday after
noon for Baltimore carried away Major Hodge. IIo
was in charge of United States officers, who were
| directed by the General or the Army to turn him
| over to the Commandant OF Fort McHenry, with
directions to place him in solitary confinement,
with a sentinel to guard cell. The accused has
heretofore enjoyed an excellent reputation, at
] the Paymaster Generals Office was regarded not
! only thoroughly honest gentleman,
but accomplished scholar and accountant.
on account OF his extraordinary qualifications
the Paymaster General In 1866 detailed him for duty
at his oflce employing him in adjusting the irregu-
lar accounts OF other paymasters and special
service, until about two years since, when he as
signed him as paymaster of the bounty certificates
OF the Second Auditors ONCE. This was highly re-
sponsibe position, the payments sometimes
amounting to S5Oo,OoO per month, but tho
Paymas,er General asserts he placed the
integrity, and fully believed he would
he would not betray his trust. The ErentnJ star OF
this evening says
On Thursday last the Paymaer General discovered he
thought erroneous charge in the returns of Major Hodge
not believe that his deputy was dishonest but expected that
@ h close s aoann, n
ON the next day General Brce received letter fro Maor
that Es had making iraudaent returns %
in In Els G the n m whS kew that ' %
concluded by stating that ready all
n'
his h
return the money be had taken an4 mporea he be
course for General Bricc to pursue and Monday
last he placed the denung paymaser under close
Yesterday he procured by telegraph from General sherman
his confinement In Fort Henry The accused,
who about thirty six OF Is native Philadel
phia, his residence this city lived 43 Franklin
avenue, X street. between Fourteenth and Fifteenth
streets lie possessed of considerable real estate and
sona property main inherited from his uncle and his
father formerly Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, who
died about three years His mother st living ant
of his sisters the of Admiral Rodgers,
| commanding tho American China squadron. He has
wife and children who plunged into the deepest
grief at his misconduct The OF his accounts
going In the Paymaster Generals Office, .has
cecded enough make safe the assertion that his
cation VIII amount to between p4OOOOU and OJO. H0
will be tried by court martial which will doubtless impose
penalty certain term of mprsonment and dismissal
from the military service of the United States IL
hardly be expected that any portion OF the amount or his
dealcaon will be recovered, except few thou
dollars from the sale of his private property.