The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-10-15
STILL ANOTHER ma THEFT.
More Fraud In Secor Robeson's Rotten De-
partment-The Government and Private
Citizena Swindlcd bY MhnlcanIe.

Citizens Swindlcd by Wholesale.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. Elm the general
excitement and good feeling ATTENDING the re-
opening OF the Bank Of California tho flight Of
one of Secor Robeson's subordn ties. after
cheating the Government and orr citizens out
Of sums aQgrecaiing million dollar. has passed
almost unnotced. George NJ. Pinney, chief
clerk OF Pay-fnspcctor s iaulding of the navy,
IL an accomplished scoundrel. San Fran
CISCO" says the Chronicle. " has been visited and
operated upon bv men sharp, shrewd far" &C.
ing In general vilainy and VICE, but 1t Is ex-
tremely doubtful whether the respectable and
conservative business co immunity has ever been
operated upon by u miehtier scoundrcl than
Plnney." The amount realized by the swim
dies Is certainly not ov' estimated at 100000.
1t probably exceeds that. Just before Pnney
ntsconded he made elem sweep II everything
he could lay his hands on. TO every merchant
that would lend him $50 he gave a note. and the
amount thus secured was not trinlng. lie bor-
rowed stocks from his friends for the purpose.
as he id, OF making profitable turn, and
have lost over $2ODOO0 on bogus certificates, and
severul others have lost sums that altogether
would equal that amount The victims mostly
Keep quiet, and ONLY whisper about their losses
to particular friends. Knowing that their gold
has zone never to return, they do not care 20
lose tn ir credit also.
Pinney swinded 10th the Government and
the contractors. He took percentage for
awarding contracts, and percent re for the
settlement. Il the same. He swindled at both
ends, In the middle, and everywhere that he
could get chance.
In the coal contracts he made an immense
sum ~ money, and In many instances not "
the m tera called for nv the bills WAS ever fur
nished. ON one hardware contr CT he made at
least Sp,VOO and In the item Of Oregon lumber,
furnished the Navy Yard at Mare Island, he
pocketed the difference between So In coin and
go IN greenb cks. These are mere items IN
gigantic mass Of fraud.
Large sums OF money were obtained by Pin.
ney on forged certificates Of indebtedness, and
these certificates are held by some Of the lead
ing nnanciers of the city.
In tho Daymasters department OF the navy IL
IL n custom, Unauthorized ny wv, for persons
furnishing supplies or performing work To re-
ceive from the Daymaster certificates setting
forth that their accounts have been examined
and FOUND correct. genuine certificate of tins
description entities the holder to re- 'eive the
amount stipulated whenever the Treasury war
rant for its payment II received hy the proper
officer. It has been the habit Of san Francisco
money lenders TO readily accept such paper IA
good and sufficient collateral security for loans
OF money or credit. Pinney Issued numerous
certificates OF this character previous TO his
flight The amount obtained on the bogus GER
tihcates was not less than $75O.OOO. II IL prOb-
able that Pinney had at least half million In
cash on the y Of nis disappearance.
Could these swindes have been penetrated
without the knowledge of pinney's suoerors
II is impossible to suppose that they could and
suspicion lready points at GRANTEES hign in In
huence here and at Washington. That a mere nav
masters clerk could have cheated the Govern
ment out OF hundreds Of thousands Of dollara
NNu'ut N'iluoliill ~ uI@ sul'll'iH - hbDuN
as probable ns that Robson did not know he
was acting uni wfully when he took $4,000 out
Of the Treasury to give to the Sccors.
A court Of Inquiry ms been convened nc Mare
Island, with the object Of whitcwashing every
body but the abscOnded Pinnev.
The nrst act u the court showed what was
meant, Several representatives Of the press
asked for admission, but the court voted to sit
with closed doors. rhe naval oficcra estimate
that the session will last over two. ana tcrhaps
three weeks. Paymaster Suaulding intimates
that he has very interesting story to tell which
Will make some politicians squirm that Pinncy
was crowded into the place by men who knew
he would steal and who believed he could do
II In such mastery manner as not 10 be found
out.
One Of Pinney's mining operations alone will
show the daring character of the man, and the
magnii ude of his schemes. lie frightened OF
the PRINCIPAL stock holders OF the Coos liav coal
mine by circulating false reports ana getting no
a disturbance at the mine among the men. He
succeeded In depressing the stock, and thea
bought II up for the purpose Of Hing the nine
to the Pacific lroad for S5O0.OO0. hut the dis
covery OF the Shasta coal fields defeated his
plan.
Pinney was a champion Grant politician. He
used TO deliver orations and speeches viii n
won him much favor among the ENxV rgent
Republic MS. Most OF these oratiOns were pre-
ney. pinney leaves nothing for his creditors.
His home-tead worth about $1,000, he decided
to MS life before his disappearance. he wife,
whom he Is said to have treated brat lily, seems
to rejOi e over his de larture.
WHITTIER has Plnuey gone IL the question.
Probably TO Japan or to Cnii. There is no cx-
tradition treaty with either OF those countries.