New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-11
A FOOLISH PLOT EXPOSED.

TIE ISSUE OF A NEW UNITED STATES BOND ASKED
FOR IN PLACE OF A FRAGMENT OF SOUTH
AMERICAN BoND-ARREsT OF AN ARMY CHAPLAIN.
John III. Robinson, the acting Solicitor of the
Treasury has discovered as ne thinks conspiracy to
defraud the Government by attempting to "pam Of"
upon fragment of $1,000 South American bond as
portion of 1900 United States bond and to secure the
issue of new bond in lieu of which has not been
lost destroyed In July last the Rev. John Cowan Of
No 80 Canast the Secretary Of the Treasury
an affidavit, OF which the following is a copy:
The Rev. John Cowan being duly sworn says that on
the OF July a. 1874 while in the act of getting
had fall and with the fall his purse Knocked
out Of his hand, aud rested on parallel rail. The re-
the other portions Of the nclosed 400 bond stuck 20
the wheel so ,he incGsed Is all he could recover He
him TO inclose the fragment of the bond with state
was perfect that you would redeem Il TO him For
which Mr. Cowan will feel duly thankful as # lost it
would reduce him 10 desiitution
late Chaplain 9th Regiment n. Y. heavy Artillery.
The affidavit made before W. f. White, Notary
Public and attached to 1t is piece, about inches
square, of tho bond which, in his affidavit, Mr. Cowan
claims that he has lost. Accompanying Cowan's afda-
VT was made by John Kahoe In which he says that
1867 he well remembers negotiation behalf of the
Rev. John Cowan with one Hans Bahr, a German, and
receiving part payment of debt then due the bond
question, viz No. 5li5 being u. g. security OF 81 OOO
q coupon bond and that Mr.. Cowan's return from
Europe 1874 he had frequently the same coupon
bond in the Rev. John Cowan's possession"
Upon the receipt Of the aiavts, the Secretary OF the
Treasury wrote TO Mr. COwan for further evidence con-
corning the destruction OF the bond. In reply Mr.
Cowan sent additional aflidavits. and wrote:
Ny reason for not presenting this bond question
was, viz. was injured IN the great explosion AT
CITY Point. Va Aug. IS, 1884, ana after received
the bond went to Europe 10 try and get well but COT
worse, and compelled TO remain in London M 10
June 1874 all the time believing that IL would be nil
right when | returned 10 the states again
The piece OF the bond attached Mr. Cogap's III.
davit was then submitted for examination To Geo w
Castelar, Superintendent OF the Engraving Department
and he replied as follows:
have made a careful examination OF the fragment OF
Bias and which, according to the sworn statement of
the Rev. John COwan has been presented To be re-
deemed as "a Government Issue. find that the work
was engraved and printed by the National Bank Not,
Company of kcW-iOrk, aud probably for one OF the
South American States. as under the denomination
counter will observed the tops Of the lettering EN-.
grayed In script the Spanish words, "Tesdente de la
The matter was then turned over TO Mr.. Robinson,
and Oh Aug he wrote as follows TO United States Dis
trict-Attorney Bliss:
transmit herewith certain papers as evidence OF an
attempt 10 deiraud the Treasury Department In the
of application made by person signing him
self John COwan aJe chaplain, 6c for the redemption
Of United States bond upon the representation under
oath tnat tie fragment annexed W tbe sr aYt II tb9