The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-07
THE PUBLIC DEBT.

Visit Of the Assistant Secretary OF the
Treasury to the City-A Ridiculous
Rum0r In Wall Street-Mr. Sawyer
Denies Emphatfcally that the Bonded
Debt OF the United states Has Been
Observation-Disclosures Fig ures Submitted
to Him.
Mr.. Frederick Sawyer, the Assistant Secretary OF
the United States Treasury was in the city yester-
DAY and drove down to the Custom House about
eleven O'Clock, where he spent some time IN Col
lect2r Arthur's once. The rumor at once ran
through Wall street that the Assistant Secretary
had come on from Washington t0New York to make
On investigation in relation TO the alleged frauds
In the Revenue Department. MIR. Sawyer re-
manned, however. too short time at the Custom
House to give color to this rumor. After his de.
parfure HERALD reporter was informed by
Deputy Collector Lydecker that the Assistant Sec
retary's visit to the city and TO the Custom House
was oil altogether an unofficial character, and thas
COLLECTOR Arthur was not at he office during his
Visit. He had merely called on his way through
town to Washington.
HERALD reporter subsequently met Mr.. Saw
yer before ne LETT the city, and, when informed
the r.mor mad been spread that he had come to
town IN connection with the investigation OF the
alleged frauds on the revenue now going on at
washington, he laughed heartily, and remarked
that he had been merely passing through the
city, and as he had directed his mail
to the Custom House he had merely called there TO
get IL. during the course or the conversation the
bouded debt OF the United States had been in
creased or tnat OF the public debt bearing interest
IN coin Tor the month OF February, was erroneous,
Anu LdI tle matter mas caused
GOOD DEAL OF EXCITEMENT
anu comment me among among prominent men IN Wa
surprised, and the reporter asked:-
HAS she bonded debt really been increased, Mr..
mo, on the contrary, - was the answer. ~ can
say positively that there has been no increase in
the bonded deot. On the contrary, we have paid
point, as have not the figures with me.n
The reporter had statement OF the public debt
i"a sne month OF February with him, and he re-,
$4,000 600 in the debt bearing interest In coin
during last month.
Assistant Secretary Sawyer looked puzzled and
sald:-"But the statement or the public debt Tor
the past month shows no increase"
The reporter then submitted the statement that
the total oeot on the LIST OF March amounted TO
81, 100 800, 70O
Mr. Sawyer reiterated positively that there had
the statement or the public debt for the month Of
January, which showed that the total debt OF the
February last was ST. ~ 74s 200, as already pub
ltshed IN the HERALD, showing an apparent IN
crease OF 5000 600, as above stated.
Mr. sawyer took the statement for the month OF
February and, looking at It curiously for mo-
ment, said
81 cannot 60 into this matter now, as have not
time to examine the figures, but am sure there
has been no increase in the bonded debt; on the
contrary some has been paid off.n
The reporter then called his attention to an Item
Of $4,000 600 OF "call bonds" under the head
OF debt upon which interest has ceased since
maturity" and asked If 1t could be the same
s., 100000 entered on the statement OF ''debt
bearing interest IN CONF in last months state
ment OF the pubic debt.
He replied he would require more careful ex-
animation OF the figures to answer, and the repor-
ter wished him pleasant journey