Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-09-14
EVENING STAR.
Washington News and Gossip.
THE GREAT DEFALCATION.
THE CONFESSION Of ParMAsTtR HODGE.
He Had Proposed to ESeape-How
He was Lead into ErrOr-EeeIiny
AllusiOn ID his Wife.


The following is tho confession Of his guilt
made by Paymaster Hodge to Paymaster
General Brice, referred to by rs yesterday:
SUNDAY EVENING, Sept. 10, 1871.
General B. W. Brice:
Sr:-I have to inform you that am unable TO
close my accounts, and that owe the frightful
amount of about S45) 600, which sum have lost
during the last few years N stock speculations,
going deeper and deeper, I'm hope of retrieving
myself. / have no excuse or mitigation of my
crime to Offer and propose TO take the full conse
quences of my sin. had thought a week ago of
escaping from New York, but believe i have
done better in returning here TO deliver myself
up, as felt was going to do.
can, OF course, make no pfetence of excuse
for the systematic deceit have pracdced on
You and the advantage / have taken of the
special position have held, and feel that you,
esp cially, have cause to be justly memorable
against me. have been led on by the infatua-
ton that always attends the course entered on,
hoping always 10 recover my loss and conceal
my crime. believe it is really relief to be
ON earth for years and the alternations OF hope
and fear have gone through and constant care
TO avoid detection were becoming too strong.
AMY rs
giving any Information that win assist in set
ting my accounts or, II possible, in recovering
AZ PORTION s, OF what have lost, expect to take
In justice ID two parties in this city through
whom have made some speculations, L wish TO
say that they are perfectly innocent of any
knowledge that was using public funds. There
are small balances with each of these parties 10
my credit whenever the accounts are closed.
The losses L made were almost entirely in New
York, with one house there, whose accounts
hold subject to your orders. endeavored to in
duce them TO make good the amount lost with
them; which they knew was public money, but
they have refused.
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
Vnf Tn Al
time to write my innocent wife, whom this
frightful information will kill God forgive me
for what have done 20 her and my children.
All ask from you or the authorities is that, ii
possible, some small sum may be left her.
i inclose keys OF my safe and box, containing
all my old accounts, &c. My present vouchers
in safe. The clerks are all of them perfectly
innocent of any knowledge of my deficiency.
shall remain at the house, No. 1923 X street,
TIL informed what action you have taken con-
corning me. There is no fear will 90 away now
j. LRDYARD HODGE.
The banking horses in this city referred TO by
Paymaster Hodge as innocent OF any knowledge
OF his wrong-doing are the firms of Lewis John
son & Co. and Middleton & Co. The New York
banking concern implicated by him are Polhe-
mus & Jackson, " it'll whom he seems to have
had transactions for some years. 1t would
seem that the heaviest of the losses made by
Hodge in speculation must have been FIVE
or six years ago, when the fluctuations
In gold were greater than of late
Neither Of the Washington houses referred to
have at any time had any transactions OF cor
respondence with the New York firm mentioned
Polhemus q jackson. The transactions of
Hodge with the Washington houses were limit.
ed. His losses were not 10 an amount to attract
attention, and there was nothing in his dealings
with them to excite suspicion that he was using
government money in any way. Hodge was no.
as Iepresented BY one of the morning papers, a
last man. On the contrary he haa every ex-
ternal appearance OF being a clear-headed.
cautious business man. Such was his standing
as safe man, that our bankers, always Quick 10
scent out any thing fast or extravagant in the
habits OF customers, would readily have LENT
him any reasonable amount on his own security.
Ills operations IN real estate in this CITY were
he must have made a considerable amonnt in
this way. His salary was not large but his in
come from his private mears left him by his
ana uncle was suficient to cover the not
exuavagant style of living he maintained, and
ne was supposed by good judges TO be worth
irom $50, 900 to 500 900.
INTERNAL REvENUR.-The receipts from this
source to-day were s4g7 ,9SO.SO.
PRESIDENT GRANT and party passed through
harrisburg yesterday afternoon bound for the
oil regions.
GEN. BABcocK, Superintendent OF Public
Buildings and Grounds, left here last evening
ror vermont, having been called there by the
serious illness of his father.
MR.. ITO, who recently visited this country.
mas been elevated - the position of Chief Min
lster Of Finance of japan, and Mr.. Okumea has
been made Minister of Foreign Affairs.
PAYMAsTRR CHARLES II. LARSEp. now
stationed at st. Paul, Mimi, has been ordered
ID duly in the Paymaster Generals Office here
in place Of Paymaster Hodge,
SECRETARY BRLKNAP did not return here
this morning, as was expected, but telegraphed
to the Department that he will be here to-
morrow.
MAN in GAINESVILLE, Ohio, who has buried
three wives hPs their photographs in group
within which his own picture is the centre
figure, and underneath is this touching inscrip-
ton-"The Lord will provide"
GOLD TRANsFERRRD.-The Acting Treasurer
Of the United States to-day made telegraphic
transfer, through the Bank of California of
$500, 600 in gold, from the Assistant Treasury AT
York. ~ "
Hon. w. Fl. SEWARD arrived at Geneva, on
the 25th of August, stopping at the Hotel de la
Metropoli, where the ex-Queen of Spain has
apartments. The same day he visited Ferney,
INC nohic vi NOltdire, ana on the following morn
ing lett or Chamounix, looking as active and
untring as ever.
The NEW YORK Posi- OFFICE .DEPALcA-
TIoN.-Postmaster General Creswell, who ar
rived here yesterday, is of the opinion that the
defalcation of John W. Norton, superintendent
Of the Money Order Division of the New York
Post OMce, will be more than covered by the
amount realized from the sale OF his private
property, to say nothing Of his sureties.
IHE CHIPPEWA INDIANS upon the Mile Lac
reservation in Minnesota, having sent to the
Indian Bureau and Secretary of the Interior,
repeated complaints of the occupation Of their
reserved lands by squatters, the United States
Attorney for Minnesota, has been instructed 20
commence proceedings TO compel these squatters
to vacate the lands that they have thus taken
nom the Indians in violation OF the treaty stipu
lations Of the government.
THE CASE OF MARCUS p. NoRroN.-A com
mission OF examiners Of patents, consisting OF
Messrs. Connolly, Spear, and Parks, were en-,
gagged this afternoon at the Patent Once in
listening to arguments by Mesrs. +. T. Critten-
den and j. K. COMBS in behalf Of Mr.. Marcos
P. Norton, recently suspended by Gen. Leggett
far ffrac ,a &c. -