The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-09-15
WASHINGTON.
MAJOR HODGES CONFESSION. y
WASHINGTON, September II,

MAJOR HODGES CONFESSION. y
WASHINGTON, September H.
The following is complete copy q
Mai. Hodges letter of confession;
WASHINGTON, d. O., a
: CAV SUNDAY, September 10. I
Gen. B. W. Brtes. -
SIR; ! have to inform you that | an
unable 10 close my accounts, and that
owe the frightful amount Of about $3.50,
600, which sum ] have lost during thu
last few years in stock speculation, goins
deeper and deeper, in the hope oi retriev
ing myself ] have no excuse or mitiga'
tioh ofmy course TO offer, and propose u
take the jull consequences Of my sin.
had thoughts week ago Of escaping from
New York, but l believe ! have done lbet
ter in returning here to deliver myself up
as felt was bound to do. can o
course make no pretenCe Of excuse for the
systematic deceit have practiCed on you
and the advantage have taken OF the
special position Ihave held, and feel that
you especially have cause tobe Justly In.
exorable against me- Il haYebeen led on
by information that always attends the
course Ientered on, hoping always to re.
cover my loss and, conceal my crime.
believe Il Is really relief to be forced to
discovery, for | have been in o hell on
earth for years, and the alternative hope
and fear Ihave gone through and constant
care to avoid discovery, were becoming
too strong. i desire to turn overall my
property have, AS q small set.oli against
my deficiency. Alter giving any inlor-
nation that will assist insettllng my ac'
counts, orif possible In recovering d por-
tion of what 1 have lost, ! expect To take
full punishment awarded for my Oitonsc.
In Justice to two parties in this city,
through whom lhave made some specu-
lations, l wish 10 state that they were
perfectly innocent Of any kno wledge that
] was using public funds. There are
small balances with each of these parties
to my credit. Whenever the accounts
are closed the losses ] made were almost
entirely in New York with one house
there, whose accounts / hold subject TO
your order. | endeavored TO induce them
to make good the amount lost with them,
which they knew was public money, but
they have refused. l have been trying
to make up my mind 70 this confession
for some days, and was on the point OF
doing so this morning in your office, but
could not bring myself to say II, and
time TO write to my innocent wife,
whom this frightful information will kill.
God forgive me for what / have done her
and my children, All I ask you or the
authorities Is that, 10 possible, some small
sum may be left her l enclose the keys
Of my safe and box containing all my
old daccounts, &C. My present goicheTs,
receipts, SC, are In the hands OF my
clerks, who arc all Of them perfectly in.
nocent Of any knowledge Of my defcien.
1y. l shall remain at my house, 1923 Il
street, TIL informed Of what action you
have taken concerning me. There Is no
fear l will go away now.
[Signed j. LEDYARD HODGES.
Paymaster.G General Brice says this
morning 1t will appear upon investigation
hat the Treasury Department is respon.
sible for the failure of the Government to
discover the defalcation sooner. General
Brice also denies the report that Hodge.
lfter suspicion had first been attached to
lim, was allowed to draw any checks
except such as necessary transportation
balances TO the proper officers. Hodges
during the last SIX years
Ilnce the war amounted, as the records
how, 10 the enormous sum Of $20, ,37l ,450
or the payment of Treasury certificates
For bounty alone they for considerable
line ranged from 100000 to 100000
ler month. These large disbursements
With the necessary credits have
lfforded him an opportunity for
tupendous frauds which he covered up |
" means Of false and fraudulent official
'eturns, statements and accounts OF the
.ctual amount. Hodges deficit, deter
mined by careful examination, is $473,-
$50. In his letter Of confession he refers
o parties In this city and one In New
York, through whose agency he has
made spdenlations. Those In this city
10 declares perfectly innocent OF any
that he was using In hisspecu-
ations with them the public finds The
,srties in New York, he states, knew the
money. he lost with them was public /
money, and not his own. Hodge caused
o be communicated TO Gen, Brice the
lames Of these parties, as follows; Mid
lleton 8 Co., bankers, Washington Lew
8 johnson s. Co., bankers Washington,
md Polhemus & jackson, bankers, No
70 Exchange Place, New York;
The Comptroller Of the Currency will
lot call for reports on the condition Of the
rational banks until he is ready 70 ernl
,ody them in his report TO BIZ, laid before
Congress. --
ITie U. 8. Attorney for Minnesota has |
,een instructed to commence proceedings |
o compel Squatters TO vacate Mile Sac |
ands, they have taken from the Indians |
n violation Of the treaty and stipulations |
u the government .-.a ..ae
The Great A Agriculturist In NJ MinnesOta
ST. PAUL, September IA.
Horace Greeley delivered an address
before the Northwestern Agricultural AS
ISOLATION, at Minneapolis, to-day, to |
-. 4.......,.a H..a...l 49,. n FN0 y ~, /