New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-31

SEVERE REPORT-sEvERAL OFFICIALS RESIGN
AT oNCE-THR DISTRESSING CASE OF MR. BROAD
HEAD.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRiBuNs)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.-The Sugg Fort and
Witowsk inquitcs have at last eliminated IN
substantial victory for Secretary Bristow. although
in resty the discovery of the former fraud is due TO
resolution Of Congress, of the latter TO Washing
ton Grand Jury. The Secretary of the Treasury is
entitled TO the credit of having followed the invest-
CATION Of these frauds, after their discovery by
others TO their source His final action to-day, with
The approval of the President is a fitting end 10 two
of the most barcaced pieces Of rascalty perpe
trated on the Government The WitOwski claim
was for logs alleged to have been furnished the Gov
eminent amounting 10 300 The claim was
rushed through the Treasury and paid although, as
since shown. il was nothing but fraud from the be-
ginning. The Third Auditor, in transactmg the
routine business of his office, takes up an account
and the vouchers A clerk makes statement OF the
case and the Auditor certifes the balance IL the
Second Controller In the present case, the clerk
made a statement, but did not follow the usual man
mr. of preparing papers They were submitted to
Mr. Rutherford, the Auditor. They contained an
approval OF recommendation, which lie struck out
thereby, as he supposed, rejecting the claim
which he thought to be irregular. The papers 10y
some means reached the hand of the clerk IN the
Second Controllers office. and lac Endorsed them as
IL the claim was approved and certified TO by an
army officer Mr.. Curtis, the Deputy Controller
Cgned this Endorsement. The papers went on IN
Their routine course and in due time came again to
Mr. Rutherford. He said he surprised that the
Controller had approved the claim, but it was
passed, and Witowski received the money.
The claim of Sugg Fort was tor -four alleged to
cave been furnished to the army amounting to
,ected as fraudulent Sugg Fort, with the advice
and active participation Of Congressman Roderck
r. Butler, obtained copies of the papers after the
House had adjourned and presented the claim to
the CommisSary- General Of Subsistence He ap-
proved it. aud on o'clock on the last day Of the
fiscal year Mr.. Butler took il into the Treasury De
partmeut. Ii usually requires from week to several
months 10 paw a claim IN the department; but this
particular case which had been rejected by
Congress and without single original
paper was passed and paid after Of
Zee hours. Had it gone over one day
# could never have been paid, as Mr.. Butler and
others well knew. Mr.. Rutherford said there was not
time TO nay the claim, but Mr.. Butler was pushing
Congressman and some public officers are afraid OF
pushing Congressman. Mr. Butler took the papers
from Office to Office and before shutdown he had his
money or rather he and Fort had the Government
money.
The two cases were brought 10 the attention OF
Secretary Bristow. On the recommendation of the
Grand Jury, he appointed n sterling committee
headed By ex-senator Pratt Commissioner OF Inter
nal Revenue, who did not know the meaning of
whitewash. This committee, after an investigation
lasting many weeks, and having given Third
Auditor Rutherford and Second Controller Broad
head ami their clerks every opportunity to explain
made their report t. the Secretary yesterday. 1t
WAS severe in its condemnation OF the officers named
for culpabe glect of duty. The report does not
show nor does anybody assert, that Mr. Rutherford
or Mr.. Brodhead guilty of criminal con
duct They simply did not attend TO their
duties The report YVES shown to the President
this morning. Subsequently it was shown TO the
tersons against whom il was made, and they lndl-
Gated will Igness to resign at once. Besides the two
officers named are James T. Allen and George Doc
little of the Auditors office, and Deputy Curtis and
John c. Wilson of the Controllers office. The
destinations If some of these received tonight
Probably all will be out of Office by Tomorrow.
The case of Mr. Broadhead is particularly distress
ing lie is 20 years old, and has been in one posi-
ton OF another in the Department for 40 years He
has for many years been favorte with the Presl-
dent and is said 10 have been very useful TO Gen.
Grant in settling his accounts after his retirement
from the army The President is represented 10
have said some time ago that he should never re-
move Broadhead.