New-York tribune., 1873-12-11
WASHINGTON.
THE FREEDMEN's BUREAU FRAUDS.

OFFICE MADE AGAINST GEN. HOWARD bi 'H
TARY BEIKNAp-THE sUBJECT TURNED OVER TO
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, FOR Ac1ioN-
THE sECRETARY's LETTER DETAILING IRRE"o-
LARITIEs IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE BUREM-Ihh
CHARGES SUSTAINED BY EVIDENCE.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIDUSE.l
WASHINGTON Dec 1O.-The Secretary OF Var mas
sent letter to the House making direct charges VI
fraud and malfeasance in Office against big g-"cn'
| q. o. Howard in connection with his manaeehie"'
of the Freedmen's Bureau. This letter IS accoihpa
MED by evidence from the records and accounts oi
the late Bureau, which fully sustain the Secretarys
charges For long time before the Bureau was
closed and its affairs turned over to the AdJutant-
Generals Office there were reports current IN WASH
ngton that much looseness if not positive dishoh-
esty existed in its management. The prominence
| and zeal of Gen. Howard in religious WORKS. MS
| efforts to build a church i'll Washington ana u
erect the building of the Young Mems Christian
Association, and the active part he took IN variety
| of moral reform movements, obtained for MN
| large number of admirers and defenders, VINO de-
nounced the reports caumnies.
| Finally, in the XLIst Congress- Fernando WOOD
made number of damaging charges against ueh'
! Howard and investigation was ordered, Dul WIS
| put i'll charge of a Committee on which were three
| fO1lncf bureau agents anu several Otler Pditio
the accused. The testimony taken went far towards
| sustaining all of Woods accusations and clearly
| proved several of them, but the Committee made
wbitewashng report. Ii was afterwards discovered
that Gen. BallOcb, Howard's chef disbuTsng OIL
GER had kept S13j 900 of the Bureau funds on de-
posit in bank, and had been drawing interest upon
it, and disposing of it, he pretended Ia make good
the losses of himself and brother officers sustained by
erroneous payments Of bounties. Balloch had pre-
| viously resigned and could not be punished When
the Bureau was abolished, shortly afterwards As
djutant-GeneTal Vincent put IN charge
of its papers, and finding reason for the suspicion
that all not right, began the investigation when
has led TO the discovery the facts communicated
to the House by the Secretary. preliminary
report on the subject made to the House
last Session. but at too late day for it to be
considered. In reply to the charges then
made, ex-senator Harlan printed in his ChroH-
ole an elaborate defense of Howard, written and
signed by ex-senator Pomeroy. The following IL
the Secretarys letter:
WAR DEPARTMENT wAsHNGToS D. C., Dec. 1, 1873.
To the Speaker ofHe House Of Representatives. Washing
ton, b. q.
SIR: In the course Of business connected with the
settlement of the affairs aud paying the unsettled
claims Of the late Bureau OF Refugee Freedmen aud
Abandoned Lands, certain developments have been
made which deem 1t proper under the circumstances,
to submit to the House of Representatives for such
action may appear to be right On the assumption OF
duties by the AdjutantGenera under the act OF
Congress. general nature, No l3j. approved June 10
1872 and War Department General Orders No. 55, of
1872 there was suppose that such develop
mcnts would be made, hence no special search was
made bearing upon them. But complaint after com
plsiat received that claimants had not received
from the Bureau their Dounties, Of pay
etc, and the said complaints were referred In the
course of business 20 the Second Auditor, with
whom all settlements and the final adjustment of the
accounts rested Ii -sadually became apparent That
vouchers to considerable amount were filed as II paid
and credit taken the amounts when strong proof
presented that the claimants had not been paid;
and in a similar manner developments embracing other
subjects called for consideration.
From the incomplete and dsordefed condition OF the
accounts Of the late Bureau, when received by the
AdiutanG eneral, from the fact that examination
had to made two Offices OF the Treasury Depart
ment 10 arrive the true conditions Of certain accounts
and claims much time elapsed that the trial ot the
late Commissioner by general cOurtmartia became
barred in part under statute OF limitation before was
discovered that he properly amenable to trial a all
Though II is that he could now be brought before
military specific charges yet for the reason
that they would be or less dependent on transdc-
tons which barred the trial would hardly be pro
ductve OF public benefit and also for the reason That
the honorable House Of representatives has already or
dered and had Investigation by committee upon
the affairs the Bureau Of Refugee Freedmen and
Abandoned Lands, have deemed it best not 10 give
the case 10 military tribunal, but to submit it and the
entire subiec, to the Representatives.. The
Department Of Justice however, has been furnished
with cases, and others to follow of apparent
afeasance. with request 10 institute either criminal
suit civil suit, TO recover moneys belonging TO the
United States both suits, may be proper, against
such the officers and agents OF the late Bureau
| no In is
to correspondence with the Attorney General, found
| herewith
The late Commissioner, Brgadier- Gen. O. o. Howard,
L. 6. A., has promptly informed Of the absence
| of important records and OF the apparent exhibits
against hlm, with view TO his Offering explanations
| and supplying the missing records How far he has
done this will appear by correspondence printed in the
reports In item, stated at s2l0o accounted
IL Will be that the accounts cannot be produced,
and attempt has been made 90 prove what has be
come Of money. Accounts, covering the amount in
part alleged 10 have existed but the dsbursing
officer George W. Ballocb has stated that they
not considered OF much importance they kept
in the cases with the other accounts The said accounts
have disappeared, and 1t that neither the late
Commis the late dsbursng officer account
for their disappearance. This item il known the
| tanned bounty fund.
As the misapplication OF public funds, records
are in evidence aud these irregularities violations
of law, seemingly have had much TO do with the
fusion the records their defective condition. and the
almost entire suspension of work by the late
The responsibility and accountability attaching to the
late Commissioner far developed amounts TO
upward of s27s73 Co. and may stated under the fol-
| lowing headings
| Claimed by colored claimants who allege that they
have been paid their and bounty, although the
records Of the Treasury Department show
| Of caims vouchers have filed by late
| Bure AN evidence OF the payment OF $B3 sss 39
Second. Defalcation Of ST. Clair lie ts5O3 49,
4 Third: DefacatOn OF .. &. French, reduced TO
t,Ol4 a.
| Fourth: Defalcation OF B. r. Runkle, &7a a.
| . rim Acknowledged by Geo w. BaIioch In have