New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-07-14
WISHING TON.

| GEN. HowARD's ACCOUNTS STILL CONFUSED.
| WASHINGTON, July IS, 1873.
The following statement is based information de-
| rived from several official sources:
The accounts Of Gen. Howard and the officers acting
| under him In the management Of the Freedmen's
Bureau, which now examining by the accounting
officers OF the Government, show deficit Of sllio6,
though only very small portion Of this In the name
of Gen. Howard. On his accord he admits that he
has balance on hand OF $7a which he Is ready to pay
over 10 the proper officer Nearly onehan OF the deficit
s charged in the account Of subordinate, formerly on
duty in the West but the accounting officers do not
charge That there has been fraud The disbursements
were made I'm various sums, from 81 up to higher
amounts and some Of the money may have been paid
under misapprehension OF the law, and possibly may
be explained. The deficit above mentioned Is IN the
settlement Of accounts for bounty paid to coored SOL
ders alone. The accounts are on nle IN the second
Auditors office. other accounts for the payment OF
bouptes TO coiored sailors are also file and being ex
amined I'm tho Fourth Auditors Office. Thus
far no fraud has been discovered though O
few days ago letter was received tnere
from coored who had served 10 the navy stating
he had never received his bounty The accounts show
to the contrary but the officials OF course unable 70
ssv whether forged entries have been made In the
accounts the statements IN the sailors communication
are false Ii should be remembered that during the war
extroordinary Inducements held out Tor men TO
enlist and it may be possible that some OF those VINO
did enlist especially among the o0lored people now
beIieye thew are entitled additional pay, while they
have in realty received the amounts respectively due TO
them The disbur .ements on account OF bounty TO col
ored soldiers amounted in the aggregate to ss6O00O
and old accountants in the departments do not think
wonderful that discrepancies In the accounts In connec
ton with that large amount should exist They. how
ever. believe that Gen Howard conducted business
ia the OO Integrity OF his lis suSCrdnstes in
stead Of holding them to strict aecounta6iy
prevails at the War Department number of letters
have been received from coored men who served IN the
mentioned IL WILL as matter OF course require lnves
true or false In the Third Auditors office the
OF the Freedmens Bureau officers for quartermasters
stores etc. have been settled They were found TO be
Correct Ali the accounts OF whatever character have
TO undergo further examination by the Controllers,
against Gen Howard, should those officers differ from
the IN the construction OF the various laws Dear
some dishonesty on the part subordnates though 1t
is not believed the defacation will amount 10 as much
as is generally supposed
SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST THE DISTRICT GOVERN
Forneys Chronicle this morning continues its ex-
OF the operations Of the Board Of Public Works
and of the District Legislatures 1t charges that the
hill for special sewerage tax, which will increase the
debt over 100000 forced through the Legislature
lust AS 1t came the Board without explanation aud
without being understood 1t that the comprehen-
sve plan or improvements which has already cost
80 100000 was started with the announcement that 1t
would cost but OO and that the Board deeply In
debt the amount authorized by the organic act
and that now by the special sewerage tax, the Board
has audacousy violated the law TO meet this deficiency
The Board claims that this tax is legal under the pro
vision the organic act which provides that lands or
other property shall not be liable TO higher
tax in any year for all general objects.
territorial and municipal than " on every 500
OF the cash value thereof but special taxes may be
levied in particular sections, wards. or Districts for
their particular local improvement. This Ia held 10
authorize division OF the entire district into special
sewerage Districts aud the levying OF this additional
tax on every square foot OF land In the district One
leading Republican member OF the House delegates
states that the present debt is fOOOO above the limit
fixed by Congress