The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1871-09-21
WASHINGTON.


NJ. Hedges Letter 81 Confession.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1.-THE following
is complete copy of Maj. Hodge letter Of
confession:
WASHINGTON, Sunday, Sept. 10.
GEN. B. W. BRICE: Sir:-I have to in
form you that am unable to close my &C
counts, and that owe frightful amount,
about Sl5O, 600, which gun have lost in
stock speculstions during the last few years,
going deeper and deeper, in hopes Of re-
treving myself have no excuse or miiiga-
ton Of my course to offer, and propose to
take the full consequences Of my sin. l had
thought Of escaping from New York, but
believe have done better in returning here
to deliver myselfup, as felt myself bound
TO do. can, of course, make no pre,ense or
excuse for the systematic deceit have prac-
ticed on you and the advantages have taken
Of the special position l have held, and
feel that you, especially, have cause to be
jualy memorable against me. l have been
led on BY an infatuation that always attends
the course i entered on, hoping always to
recover my loss and conceal. my crime. l
believe ii is really relief to be forced to
discovery, for l have been in hell
on earth for years and the alleniatiOns OF
hope All fear have gone through and the
constant care to avoid detection were becom-
ing too strong. desire to turn over all the
property have a. a small set-of against my
def cy, and after giving any information
thai / assist in settling my accounts or, if
possible in recovering a portion, OF what l
have lost, expect to take the full punish
mem awarded for my ofiense. In justice to
tvro ,h.s thr.,,vk vrha i
have .ade some speculations, / wish to say
that Il v are perfectly innocent of any know
ledge was using public funds. There are
balances with each of these parties To my
credeit wherever the accounts are closed.
The losses | made were almost entirely in
New York, with one house there, whose ac-
counts hold subject to your order. en-
deavored to induce them to make good the
amount lost with them which they knew was
public money, hut 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 could not bring myself to say it, and
wanted time to write TO my innocent wife,
whom this frightiul information will kill.
God forgive me for what have done to her
and my children. All ask from Won OF the
authorities is, if possible, some small
sum may be left her and the children.
enclose the key Of my safe, and box con-
tanning all my old accounts. My present
vouchers, receipts, etc. are in the hands OF
my clerks. who are all perfectly innocent OF
any knowledge of my deficiency. shall IT,
main at my house. No. 423 X street, until
informed what action you have taken con,
corning me. There IL no fear that ! will
go awav Eow.
Signed. j. LEDYARD HODGE,
Paymaster.
Gen. Briee on the DeGnlcasi0n.
WASHINGTON, Sept. l4.-Cien. Brice says,
this morning. it will appear upon inves,iga
ton that the Treasury Department is resPon'
sible for the failure of the government To dis
cover the defalcation sooner Gen. Brice
denies the report tina, Hodge, after suspicion
had first been attached to him. was allowed
TO draw any checks, except such a were nee
essary to transfer balances TO the proper Offi-
GERS. Hodges disbursements during the last
six years have amounted To the enormou,
sum, a. the record shows, of S29, $50 40 for
the payment Oi Treasury certificates for the
county alone. These payments for some time
ranged from Si0O,OOO to 5000 per
month. These large disbursements with the
necessary credits have afforded an oppOrtu
nifty for stupendous frauds, which he cover
ell up by means of false and fraudulent Off,
ciai returns, statements and accounts.
The actual amount Of Hodges defaIcaiion
as determined by careful examination, j.
S473,939. The parties in New York IL
whom he referred in his letter, are Middle,
ton Il Co., bankers, and Lewis johnson y
Co., brokers, Washington, and Palhems Il
Jackson bankers, No. 6G, Exchange Place,
New York Civ.