The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1871-09-21

WASHINGTON, September 1.-THE fol-
lowing is complete copy OF MAJOR hodges
letter of confession:
WASHINGTON, D. c.,
Sunday, September 10, 1871. J
General B. W. Brlee.
SIR: 1 have to inform you that l am
unable to close my account, and that l
owe the frightful amount of about S45O,-
600, which sum have lost during the last
few years in stock speculasions, going
deeper in the hope of retrieving myself l
have no excuse or mitigation OF my course
to offer, and propose to take the tull con-
sequences of my sin. / had thoughG
week ago of escaping from New YORK, put
believe / have done better IN returning
here to deliver myself up as l felt was
bound to do. I can of course make no
pretence of excuse for the systematic deed,
/ have practiced on you and the advantage
have taken of the official position have
held, and feel that you especially have
cause to be Justly inexorable against me.
I have been led on by the infatuatlon that
always attends the course I entered on,
hoping always to recover my loss and con-
ceal my crime. l believe it Is really a
relief to be forced to discovery for have
been in hell on earth for years, and the
alterations of hope and fear have gone
through and the constant care to avoid
detection, were becoming too strong. l
desire TO turn over all my property that l
have, as a small set off against my def
cheney, and after giving any information
that will assist in settling my accounts, or
if possible in recovering a portion of what
I have lost, expect to take the full pun
ishment awarded for my otfense.
T. - nVN1a in
through whom had some peculations, l
wish to state that they are perfectly inno-
cent of any knowledge that was using
public funds. There are small balances
with each of. these parties to my credit.
whenever the accounts are closed. The
losses I made were almost entirely in New
York with one house there, whose ac-
counts I hold subject to your order. ! en-
deavored to induce them to make good
the amount lost with them, which they
knew was public money, but they have
refused ----7a--r-sa-s-s11= -'71
have been trying to make upmy mind
to this confession for some days, and was
on the point of doing 80 this morning IN
your Office, but / could not bring myself
to say it, and wanted time to write. My
innocent wife, whom this frightfol infor-
nation will kill God forgive me for what
I have done to her and my childrent
All 1 ask from you or the authorities Is
that if possible, some small sum may be
left her. l enclose the keys of my safe
and box containing all my old accounts,
&c. My present vouchers, receipts, &c,
are in the hands of my clerks, who are all
of them perfectly innocent of any knowl-
edge of nv deficiency. shall remain at
nv house, No. 1923 K street, till informed
what action you have taken concerning
me. There is no fear that will 60 away
now.
Paymaster General Brice says, this
morning, it will appear upon investigation
that 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
after suspicion had first been attached tc
him, was allowed to draw any checks ex-
cept such as were necessary to transfer
the balance, to the proper officers.
Hodges disbursements during the last
six years since the war have amounted, al
the records show, to the enormous sum O
$29, ,371 400. for payment. The treasury
certificates for bounty alone. for consid-
erable time, ranged from four hundred tc
five hundred thousand dollars per month
These large disbursements, with the nee
essary credits. have afforded him oppor-
tunity for the stupendous frauds. which hi
covered up by means of false and fraudu
lent official returns, statements and &C
counts. The actual amount of Hodges
deficit, determined by careful examination
is $47S, ,939.
In his letter of confession he refers tt
parties in this city and one in New York
through whose agency he has made. spec
lations. Those in this city he declares ar,
perfectly innocent Of any knowledge tha
he was using, in his operations with them
the public funds. The party in New Yori
he states knew the money lost with then
was public money and not his own
Hodge caused to be communicated to Gen
Prince the names of these parties as fol
lows: Middleton. & Co., bankers, Wash
ington Lewis, johnson & Co.. bankers
Washington, and Polhemus & Jackson
bankers, No. &C Exchange Place, New
York city.