The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-14

V/AsHNcroN. July Is 1s7a
Frauds Of ImP'Hting Firms I'm Few
York.
The CommissiI <ner OF Customs ID having .
thorough inves Agatlon made into the charges Of
fraud preferred against several prominent import
ing firms "a New York, and thus far the evidence
against '1hem Is not very favorable.
An Odlc1al Statement OF General
Howard's Case.
Tne following statement Is based on Information
Derived from several onicial sources:-
The accounts OF General Howard and the onlcers
acting under him in the management Of the Freed
mems Bureau, which are now being examined by
the aac cers Of the
the name OF General Howard. In = his
hand OF $67S which he Ia ready to pay over to the
proper ohicer. Nearly one-half OF the deficit Is
charged 10 me account OF subordinate, formerly
do not charge that there has been fraud. The dis
bursements were made in various sums. from one
money may have been paid under a msapprehen-
sion Of the law, and, possibly, may be explained.
accounts Tor bounty paid to colored soldiers alone
The accounts are on file in the Second Auditors
once. Other accounts, for the payment Of bounties
to cO0red sailors, are also file and being
examined in the Fourth Auditors ONCE Thus
far NO fraud has been discovered, though few
days ago letter was received here from q colOred
man who had served in the navy stating that he
had never received his bounty. The accounts show
to the contrary but the officials are, OF course,
unable to say whether forged entries have been
made in the accounts or the statements In the
SAILORS communication are false. It should be
remembered that during the war extraordinary
inducements were held out for men to enlist, and
1t may be possible that some OF those who did en-
list, especially among the cOlOred people, now be-
leve they are entitled to additional pay while they
have In reality received the amounts respectively
due to them, the disbursements account
OF bounty to c0lored soldiers amounting In the
aggregate to S. 0OO and old account nts in the
departments do not think Ii wonderful that dis
crepancies in the accounts in connection with that
large amount should exist. They, however, be-
rather loosely placing two much confidence in the
integrity OF his subOrdinates, instead OF holding
them to strict accountability and enforcing the 'red
tape" system winch prevails at the War Depart
ment number OF letters have been received
from cOlored men who served In the army
similar to that from the cOored ex-sailor above
mentioned. 1t will as q matter OF course.
require investigation In order to ascertain
whether these letters are true or false.
In the Third Auditors ONCE the accounts
OF the Freedmen's Bureau officers for quartermas
ters stores &C., have been settled. They were
found to be correct All the accounts, Of whatever
character, have to undergo further examination
by the cOmptrollers, and there the figures may he
changed. either Tor or against General coward,
should those officers differ from the Others In the
construction OF the various laws bearing upon the
honesty on the part OF subordnates, though 1t is
not believed the dealcatiOn will amount to much
as Is generally supposed. These frauds are princi.
pally In the differentiation OF invoices and the
guilty parties will not be able to plead ignorance
OF law when they are required to answer.