The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-09-15

The losses made were almost en-
tirely in New York, with one house
there, whose accounts hold subject to
your orders. l 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 to
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 it, and wanted time to
write to my innocent wife, whcm this
frightful information will kill. God
forgive me for what / have done to her
and my children! All l ask from
you or the authorities is that if
possible some some small sum may be
left her. l inclose the keys of my safe
and box containing all my old accounts,
&c. My present vouchers receipts, &c,
are in the the hands OF my clerks, who
are all of them perfectly innocent Of
any knowledge of my deficiency. |
shall remain at the house No. li23 X
street till informed what action you
have taken concerning me. There is
no fear that will 90 away now.
j. LEDYARD HODGE.
Paymaster General Brice says this
morning, the total amount Of Hodges
defalcation is ascertalned to be $47l 900
and that it will appear upon investiga-
tion that the Treasury Department is
responsible for the failure of the Govern
ment to discover the defalcation sooner
General Brice also denies the report
that Hodges, after suspicion had first
been attached to him, was allowed to
draw any checks except such as were
necessary to transfer the balances to
the proper officers.
There is an act Of Congress which
renders any parties acting in connec-
ton with a Government official to de-
fraud the Government, liable to the
same punishment as the official 1t is
thought that this act covers the case Of
Palham & Jackson, who Major Hodge
mentions in his letter to General Brice
as having a knowledge Of his Hodges
defaulting the Government. The delay
in finding out Hodges defalcation rests
with the Accounting officers OF the
Treasury who have allowed Hodges
accounts to remain in the Second Aud
itor's office for years without examina-
ton. No blame is attached to Paymaster
General Brice, to whose office sam
pie duplicate Of Hodges accounts
was requested to be sent by law, while
the original statement and vouchers
are sent to the Second Auditors office
to be finally examined and passed upon
1t is asserted that there are suspended
claims in the Second Auditor office
to over $ll5,0OO,0OO, in
which the Government will realize very
little money.
The Hodge defalcation will foot up
81 100000.
Revenue Matters.
Commissioner Douglass will to-day
submit a proposition to all Revenue
Officers on the commission allowed
upon one halt of the tax received upon
spirits, under the act of June 80, 1864
looking to a settlement Of these com
missions. Several hundred ex-ofiicers
are interested in these commissions.
Treasury Balances.
The following are the Treasury bal
ances at the close of business to-day;
Coin, s9,399, ,352, l42; currency, $685.
4S7 ,292 coin certificates, $l5, 1000.
The Cotton Crop.
Southern papers received here this
morning contain additional gloomy re-
ports Of the cotton crop. The Macon,
Georgia, Telegraph, says the storm last
Wednesday was the most disastrous and
destructive one that has occurred for
years. All the open cotton Is nearly or
quite destroyed.
The Georgia Standard says the boil
worm and rust are very destructive, and
the crop will not exceed halfof that OF
1870. A Mississippi correspondent
writes that the army worm is upon us
in myriads. A planter, who, ten days
ago estimated his crop at one hundred
and fifty bales, now says he will not
have thirty.