, 1875-01-12
: Detailed History Of tho
Sugg.Fort Swindle.
The Blindness Of Department Of
6oials APPLY Illustrated.
Bill for the Resumption Of Specie Pay
E1cnfs Introduced in the
tf0use.
THE SUCC FORT STEAL.
H1HIoHY or TIE B,rfyn.x.


5pee.ai Dispatch to 1Ae CAic,,oa Tribune,
WASHINGTON, D. t., Jan. lf.--ln rosponsA to
hleaoiution Of tho House. the Secretary OF tho
Treasury Las sent to that body letter in rela-
ton 10 the Bngg Fort claim. In which he aays !:
" as appears from tie records Of this Depart
mont the papers i'll the claim were filed In Tho
ofico Of the Third Auditor on the afternoon OF
tl1o 30th Of juno last. They we're forwarded
from tho Office of tho Con1mipaary
General, recommended by that officer,
who is especially charged by the law Of July 4,
1864. ana tho joint resolution Of July 2s. 1866.
With Tue investigation OF this class Of Claims
The claimants, Slgg Fort aud tic Hon. r. r.
Butler, menbor OF Congress from TennoAaao, ac.
conpanied tho paper and, AS snown by tho
affidavit Of the Third Auditor upon tho urgent
representations Of 1Ir. Butler respecting
tho validity Of ths claim. tho necessity
for immediate action and the peculiar harIsllps
Of tho delar. Aflor some hesitation. tho account
WAS mlda .?ecial And stated by tue Auditor 10
that II might go to tn. Second Comptroller TINT
afternoon. Tue rgpefs were transmitted accord-
iugy 10 tho Second Comptroller, ttl.i were fol.
| loved BY tue claimant aad ;fr. Entler. such
| representations wefo again mado by tho latter
| gentleman an added to the
rAYoKabLE ACTION OF THE coM1issAnr GENERAL,
] aHl the Auditor induced tue Comptroller. after
all c1Lsaination Of tue paFeru, to affirm tile re-
t poy: Ut tho TliHs Auditor. carrying into effect
| the recolnmcnda:io, Of the Con,lnissasy 0ou-
| orll. a Iegr.sitson flom tho War Department.
| wa4 then 0btathod, Which waB countersfgnel BY
| the Second CONF Etroler registered bY tho Third
Auditor, nnd such further proceedings had in
| the presence Of Mr. uatar, aud on Its request,
| as secured the preparation Of the warrant. AL
| though tho afternoon Wns theu far advanced.
| tho warrant was signed about O'Clock hv J. P.
| Hartley, Assistant Secretary Of tho Treasury.
and couuterslEned by tho Acting Comptroller IN
| accordance with tho Usual course Of business.
lie, kt4oAx -.~k1,}.
ever to arouse his suspicious in performing what
after tho action OF tho accounting officers he re-
| garded ~ M ordinary ministerial duty. Ths
warrant thus executed Mas presented to the As
Bistaut Treasurer, Ar. Tuttle, without delay. Ia
DREW HIS DRAFT ro1 TIE HONEY,
s23, ~. u1l tho Assistant Treasurer ut New
York. TIE draft waB registered the sanae syen-
ioe By Tue REGISTER Of the Treasury. and WIS
uext day, July ], ls74. Tho draft is Endorsed
Sugg Fort anu Il. r. Butler. the money having
been received BY the latter. subsequently
the attention OF tto Secretary bavinE been
1octed by committee Of tho House, and other
circumstances having been brought to bis
knowledge, he, On ths 2lst Of October. requested
Iteury II. Smith, Clerk Of the House Coulmtts1
on Cloitns. nud Charles Heni iAtnlu, Clerk to tho
Commissioner OF Claims, to
INVESTIGATE THE CLAIM THOROUGHLY.
charging them to inquire into its validity and
history. Tie report was submitted Dec. s, 1874,
Ahu ast taul!eiiehy IL LEeiE 1AubuoHt. tud 1IRuHu-
lcut character Of tho claim. The report wAa
submitted TO tls Solicitor of the Treasury who.
on Dec. 29, informed tho Secretary that lie had
completed his inquiry, and being Of tha
opiniun tl,at the facts developed by tho in
yastigs:on on tho whole established the
fraudulent character Of tho claim. he
had directed al action Of asaunpsit to be
brought against tho claimaut in the United
States Circuit Court at Nashville 10 recover the
ruoney. Further civil proceedings will also bo
instituted against other parties II it shall appear
invited tho attention Of the Untod States At
torncy OF tltis District to tho case with instruc-
tiohs to cause tho Bama to DO brought before
the Grand Jury At tho earliest day for inquiry
aud action.