The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-07-06
AN ABSURD CHARGE AGAINST
SEC'Y BOUTWELL,
Made by II Fellow Discharged from
the Internal Revenue Bureau,

the Internal Revenue Bureau,
from the Washington Republican OF the I'D
Saturday night the town was alive
with rumors that authentic information
had been given, coming, it was alleged,
IRON Col. Clifford Thompson, who recent
" resigned his position rs Chief OF the
Secret Service Department OF the Inter
nal Revenue Office, to the effect that the
anmus exhibited in causing him to break
his connection with the Treasury Depart.
mcnt was because he knew too much Of
certain transactions lately discovered, and
which would seem to prove that recently
a stupendous fraud has been committed.
The matter, said to have been laid be.
tore the Secretary of the Treasury was us
follows: Some months since man by
the name Of Stone, formerly q dlstillerin
Brooklyn, received propositions from GER
tain parties that they could furnish him a
large quantity Of genuine United States
bonds at liberal discount, and that UNI
der the workings Of the Treasury Dc.
partment there would be no danger OF
discovery. After some diplomacy, Stone
became convinced the proposition could
he carried out, and proceeded to try and
raise 100000 cash For this 100000 there
was to be delivered to him ut Newark,
New Jersey, where he was 10 meet the
other parties TO the operation, 10000 In
United States bonds. The bonds were Ia.
ken to Newark, but owing to delay in
raising the money Stone did not come o
lime, and tho bonds were brought back.
A short time subsequently Stone sent
word he had fixed the question of cash
and 10 bring the bonds To Newark. They
were taken there, and the money changed
hands. Subsequent transactions followed
this one, under the agreement that so
much cash should bepaid down, and that
Stone should share the profits with the
parties furnishing the bonds
AIler collecting u large number OF the
bonds, Stone went TO Quebec, and from
there sailed to Europe, where he Is he
lieych to have put the bonds on the mar
I,ct in small quantities in the different
European cities. Stone carried 10 Europe
with him n young man by the name OF
SpraghG, who was his clerk while u dis
IillGr, and who materially aldcd him IN
the disposition Of the bonds.
About the first OF .Inne Stone came
back TO Quebec, where he divided about
100000, made in his new mode Of ne.
potiatng public loan. Alter this di'
llsion Of the spOils Stone resalled for
Europe Immediately, and Is now at st.
Petersburg.
In his first efforts to raise money Stone
communicated portion of Ills plans To
lwO or three parties from whom hG NJ
iunptCd to borrow. These individuals,
from fear or morality, declined to go in,
but kept M eye oil Stone.
The information received from stone
was quietly impaired TO one or two par
ties in stritCls confidence. Tho confidence
was 80 strict that II reached the ear of
Col Thompson, then chief Of the revenue
detectives. He Immediately told the
whole stery to Gen. PlCasonton, and asked
his advice as to what to do. PleasOntOn
advised him to go to Secretary Boutwell,
and lay the matter before him, ~ such
matters were not within the Jurisdiction
Of the Internal Revenue Bureau 'C0I,
Thompson laid the case before Mr.. Bout
well, and was laughed nj tor his pains.
boutwell, asserted that such things could
not be in his Department. Oh twas
impossible, impossible, sir Thompson In.
sisted that the account came TO him with
such CirCumstantlal correctness that he
thought II ought to be looked into; but
IL Boutwell, differed with him, It WINS none
ri his (Thompson'S business, and he
would drop II. jim.
Subsequent to this, Colonel Cross and
Mr.. Whitney Frank, Of New York, came
down here, accompanied by New York
lawyer named Herbert, and told TO Mr..
Boutwell, substantially Thompson's story,
and offered, If authority DO given them,
to go to Europe, capture Stone, and
bring all the parties TO Justice, Of course
they wanted to he compensated II they
succeeded, and so stated to Mr.. Boutwell,:
The Secretary laughed at them, as he had
done ut Thompson, and they LEFT without
meeting the hearty cooperation they eS.
peeled. ...r...'...
During the discussion Of the Casc by
Herbert, Gross and Frank, one OF them
suggested that possibly the parties who
were abstracting these bonds were substl.
tnting Counterfeits for them, 80 ms not to
alter the size of the packages. AS soon
as Cross and Frank LEFT, the Secretary ap.
pointed rs the public Is aware, com.
mittco Of three from his office to examine
the bonds, purchased and HHdcSirOy6d, to
see II they could find any COunterIeits
among them. This committee reported
that there was not single counterfeit
bond among the seventy millions exam
ined. This examination was to make the
minds of the people easy IL q report should
get out that the bonds purchased by Mr..
Boutwell,, and Kept IN Tie Treasury IN.
destroyed, were being stolen and counter.
Ieits substituted.
This Is the whole story as related to
Mr. Boutwell,, and whether he will take
any action on IL remains TO be seen.