The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-09-19
THE HODGE DEFALC4TIoN.
The Culprit's Plteous Letter OF Comics.
sion.

SON.
The penitent confession of the defaultlng
paymaster, Major Hodge, Is one of the most
pathetic incidents of crime which have been
brought to light for many day. tbs full of
the anguish OF broken heart. The letter Is
as follows:
SUNDAY EVENING, September 10.
General B. W. Brice:
SIR have 10 inform you that am unable
to close nv accounts. and that owe the fright.
full amount OF about S450, 900, which sum have
lost during the last1ew years In stock specula-
tions, going deeper and deeper, In hope of re-
treying myself. I have no excuse or mtlga.
ton of my crime to offer, and propose to take
the full consequences OF my sin. had thought
week ago OF escaping nom New York, but
believe have done better In returning here to
deliver myself up, as felt was going to do.
I can, of course, make no pretence Of excuse for
the systematic deceit have practiced on you
and the advantage have taken of the special
position ! nave held, and feel that you, espe-
clally, have cause to be Justly inexoraole
against me. have been led on by the lnfatu.
tIon that always attends the course l entered
on, hoping always to recover my loss and con-
ceal my crime. believe 1t l. really relief TO
be forced to discovery; for have been 10 a
hell on earth for years. and the alterations OF
hope and fear l have gone through, and con-
slant care to avoid detection, were becoming
too strong. desire to turn over any property
Ihave, as small set offagainst my deficiency,
and after giving any Information that Will as
sst in settling my accounts, pr, II possible, IN
recovering portion OF what have lost, ex-
pect to take the full punishment awarded for
nv offence. In justice to two parties In this
city, through whom have made some specu-
lallons, wish to cay that they are perfectly
innocent of any knowledge that was using
public funds. There are small balances with
each of these parties TO my credit when
ever the accounts are closed. The losses
made were almost entirely In New York, with
one house there, whose accounts hold sub
iect to your orders. endeavored to induce
them 10 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, aud was on the point of doing so
this morning In your Office; but could not
bring myself to say 1t, and wanted time TO
write my innocent wife, whom this frightful
information will kill. God forgive me for
what have done 10 her and my children.
All ask from you or the authorities Is tnat,
If possible, some small sum may be left her.
I enclose keys of my sale and box containing
ali INV old accounts, &c. Ny present vouch:
ers, &C., are In the hands OF my clerks, and
receipts In sate. The clerks are, all OF them,
perfectly innocent OF any knowledge of my
deficiency. l shall remain at the house, No.
1923 X street, until informed what action you
have taken concerning me. There Is no fear
I will go away now.
]. LEDYARD HODGE.
The banking houses in Washington referred
10 by Paymaster Hodge as Innocent of any
knowledge Of his wrong-dolng. are the firms
of Lewis Johnson e. Co. and Middleton & Co.
The New York banking concern implicated by
him are Polhemus & Jackson, with whom he
seems to have had transactions for some
years. It would seem that the heaviest OF the
losses made by Hodge in speculation must
have been i've or Elk years ago, when the
fluctuations in gold were greater than Of late.
Hodges bonds are $4,000, and his property Is
estimated at s5O,OOO. The War Department
viii commence proceedings against the bank
ers OF the deiaulling paymaster.