The sun., 1873-07-01
TIE MONTANA WAR CLAIMS
AJOB THAr WAS n UsHED THRoUGH
CONGRESS ~ a PdNIC.

payne nt Of claims for suppre ssing Indian hos
tilities In Montana six years ago. This job h Il
been frequently pressed, but ALWAYS failed until
an oppurtune moment was boldly seized in the
midst OF the Credit No ,iler excitement, when,
under the Try OF n reduction In the amount,
it carried through. That Is to say. thew
claimed over a million xin Ily, and con -ented
to compronise by grabbing about one half that
sum. This was the sharpest achievement Of the
| lobby, and in view Of the panic at the time was
simply astounding Nobody doubts that the
| bulk Of these Gains arc fraudulent, though
vouchers were made to order and with all the
! forms required by law, About t3D0,0o have
| already been drawn fron. the Treasury, and the
| cry IA still tLey come.
! One Of these claims has just mate q sensa tion
| here, End revealed a chapter Of intrigue sharp
| Practice. and corrupt coliusion In the Treasury
| Department, which deserves to nc exposed in all
sides have been heard. The story IL a llttle COM
| pilcatod, but the main points can be made clear
enough to snow barefaccd swindiing In and out
| Wien Col. Parker, an Indian. formerly Of
Grants star, was Commissioner Of Indian
| Analts, he married the pretty daughter Of Mrs
| Sackett of this city. The mother-in-lsw with AN
! eye TO the main chance turned her attention 10
business, and a certain VI. A. Inscy came along
| who, like many other patriots. wanted to Chris-
! tianlze the r,sl man with few tat contracts.
AN appointment bcsiIes, by which Insley's op-
| portunties were largely improved.
POCKETS FULL OF CLAIMS.
! Insley nt that particular time was not bnr-
| doncd with too much cush but his pockets were
/ cTammed with Montana claims, all regularly
turned over tiigD Of them to Mrs. S,ckett,
knowing that he had made good bargain py
woman. thought she had seen enough 81 tie
/ foiics II the capltal, and determined to put
house % oyer her head near Fairfax Court House;
one of a certain Mr.. John 4. Webb, and assigned
10 n% portion Of aeesS claims IN payment' lent as
terest with h,s bankers, Middleton Co., here,
for collection.
on at tho Treasury, lnsley appeared on the
ground and protested by AFFIDAVIT they all pre-
had not fulfilled certain conditions, aud that the
vouchers belonged to one l.. NJ. Black. This
Mrs Sackett and a witness named Moses liiss.i,
who was present at the uncond tionh transfer
| Of the claims to her by lnsley The contest for
this money wa 50 Keen th-t the second comp
troler, Dr. liroadhesd, who Is now III Europe,
re used to decide between the claimants, and
he d that the courts snould determine the rights
OF the conf citing parties. There IL certain
division Of the Comptroller's ONCE who has be-
cOp,e pretty we'll kno"n IN the,e parts by CORNER
operations. He H. prut"ge OF Speaker Maine,
and has peen saved from removal several times
by his influence. He IA notoriolsly connected
arr manipulated. ;. 4. brown. late of the boar
of publicWOrks, could tell how the outside busi-
ne.s IL conducted.
The Kentucky war claims were arrested two
years ago, after Congress had ordered the u paid
, scumn,ir.iun. Mr' IioutweIl was rev.a.edl, in
formed Of these outrares, but he never mustered
the courage to act upon the Information.
GRAs AT TUE GREiNBACKs.
II il easy TO suppo.e under such auspice4
how q decision was roncucted ia favor of
ln-icy. ON the ground that the services Mrs.
Sac Artt had rendered did not constitute u valid
clam, and that she only held the vouchers for =
SPECIFIC purpose uhc purchase - a h"u-" IN
" aslu .tuui winch, not being fulfilled. she was
D., uud To- ret irn them. lpuu that deci-l "a lu,-
ley and bla, recovered the money uue o." Wtnb
b
I pa Il m tine depdrt u.,nt, and they hurrtcd away
ryru as i'm tbe knnwic,igr of how tnings are
J ulrd a. tine Treasury. The torualii"- we're
rushed through the diiereut Offices with li-ht-
1 nlug speed, only hti,nthie by cpuusipu or an
, uruer irum thc highest authority Tue thinE
WIS done and the money drawn before anybody
buf the parties Interested knew oi it,
While All tGis was going on, the ATTORNEYS of
/ pUated 10 the use 81 insiey, represented To- H.
u. Carts, the acting Comptroller, tnat iuiurinl-
, unn wls i'm their tu--.s IN that Rutteriird was
to receive large fee for his influence in in iIr-
ing tue rights ut their clients. Curtis announced
: hi= intention u decide adversely. bat In pres
ence uf Butteriield ilsreed To wiLnn1ld any
action until thu 10Th instant, In order to allow
' preliminary INJUNCTION was served and copies oi
= the payer required. On the very next day tins
same Ar. Curtl, sent for these ATTORNEYS TO in
: J form them that when he gave the promise tht
i money had already been paid To the other par
: ties His excuse was thai he had signed the pa
, pcrs without noticing tins fact, and that bul, ,er
held who Lad prepared them had not called mis-
a attention 90 H. Aud this i all the satisfaction
claim got for being robbed 10y corrupt com
n blnatpn between "a i.naNc Vut ui oihce and sew
% eral kuaycs IL ohice.
= ALL MISTAKE.
= when the facts became public, Il course Bot
. tcrucid published a regulation card, wulch -
. Irl-nt sp,,lmcn of ti.l service prff. elton ful
one "hu passes upon millions II claims.
Nina h. The past no, VI IA tie future. 4lu,AoeI NJ
i a,t....
: uh. ccr;uuly Mt. especially in the future "
Buucih,li may not be strong IN the rudImenr
eel TIA ID
adduiun, division. and silence, whch hc ac
r pur,d in hcm"lc dtaGcmy,
. Curtis, too, hd' trlcd h- hand at card. He
~ =aN-:
Arer tec m'c-tfss'''p had ana ne eypa1a'ioq
pr -,- aai tat II iC-. ,,.l fr'u a c3.i6iaat!an Of
adycr.. circ'iu- anccs, ans was purely scciacntN
= u tho acting Comptroller had said it resulted
= from u cou,uiuatiun of adverse clerks instead OF
/, circumstances, ne w'ud have told th" tNd
y truth, These adverse circumstances Away
= hcfal the innocent parties, who do not pay, anu
4, the accd mt, alvey favor those wnn divide
'lhIt j. the ruo ut the Ring in the Treasury
, They all sand by and certify each other too
;, knowing each otner- indrlultic., there is
a reciprocal interest to project whoever may
= the chief clerk "i tue Treasury department, anc
others volunteered qhchS to whltcWash a.,
wall Iiuttcruyld would turn the tables upon
Them and let out all the secrets Of tho prlsuu
4 ATTENDING 10 BrsINEss.
), This Is the way business Is done al Washlne
4, ton when the Government is transferred {,
Long irtnch during the summer, II u a fa
p. illustration of the manner in which hones
e claimants al" constantly heeced and fraudulent
a claims passed. when this case occurred the
/. President Wus absent, the Secretary Of thI
4. Treasury was ahsrnt, and the Second Comp
" trullCT, in whose office it originated, WAS absent
= SuhurdinHtcs were in charge thpughout and
n might easily carry any scheme through without
o the possibility of appeal 10 superior authority
before great fraud could be consummated. l.
II any wander that corruption H. ram
pant ia the public service, that INTEGRITY has de
parted from Il, and that official honor l. ouy
L ! tradition, when the chef Magistrate openly
- sets the example of neglect Of duty, disca r,i- h
~ trust, and draws his increased pay without thi
"a Least regard To serVic"t His Cabinet follow II
h. his footsteps, tncir assistant secretaries, th'
a. heads uf bureaus, and the chief clerks IN theirs
,c until every department IL Injected with VenhlllN
it and nothing but the empty forms Of ucCpuutd
4 blIty remain. Aud Grant l. a cand date Tor ,
~ third term, and these thiovinG uticehodcr
" think he ought To bc elected for lifc to In
ii sure them good time. These are III men Wn'
flourish in su-caled Treas try Nvag Ms whici
H. another name for dhshiug eVIpdEe1 kept ul
AT the public expense.
re- Court Inl"udHr Ihis Day.
,r erPPFNR CoUKr tH,MIutWs. Nos. ~ 81, a. CA ls
N ~ A4, 81 ~, So 5!l, 80, sIa Ni 3d. SO, Sli o'
H. N, 81, q.