The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-01
Robeson's Riches.


GEORGE NJ robson was appointed SEQ
rotary OF the Navy through the influence
OF A. T.. BoRIE and A. q. CATTELL. lie
entered Office on June %, 1869, and was
then Attorney-General of New Jersey,
with salary OF 1880 per annum.
The state of his circumstances at that time
is described by the following extracts
from the testimony OF J. NJ. ScovEL, an
old resident Of Camden and an intimate
friend OF robson.
DO you snow Mr. GEoEoE NJ RoBzsoS, the present
-Q-How long have you known him A.-rEenty
yesrs l praetised law with him wnen he was prose
"Q.-Your relations w,re In imAte up TO the period
OF tame sAea DC osSsn. secretary VI 'he NAVY were
"i..~Did you nave an OPPORTUNITY OF knowing what
esais he possessed al the time he was made secretary
ssLs. Know that he vas psry poor man aud 50 re-
pai.a "a Camden. lie was depeudent entirely on Ills
"o.-Yoa have stated that at the time Mr. RonrsoS
be- rori snyor ne bsrp nsI Ho' III
Asnnst aim Tor s2o to coec tor books for some time,
Dig ne have any ,isioe estate opt,lee Of the
s iSs oI ss M f'as .e A b been s. Gsus
s.ry OF ne Navy l. is repor.ee mat T. g. SArrELL
TSoSns.sE o. New York who would know All aoou' ~
OBJ you SNOW At what time he purchased the house
ALL. ny Impression that ,haf was during Mr., Liz
coin sdhinhlratoh lhty were iepuscut o. nave hau
Ing Mr.. LiSooLSs rehabilitation, anu while vac sen
.Q.-Then that house was owned by Mr.. RoBEsoS
es. sur the impresssn fecevsd y as nst ths nrl Of
PHcE had taned and that the uHe bad bean tdtett "a
-By MIR. 6uRLEIGn-Do you know whether Mr.
Ros.soS before he Tss appointed secreary' "as a
hyeri ne usedto come ana COOK ierrapu 10 my mouse
one tine.
sQ.~Was mat OCCASIONALLY Ale drank great
"Q-And was expensive IN his hasit.2 A.-Ye,, sir;
be was r.putcd 10 have made some money during the
war, Beverly; he furnished ciOthev, 4 thihK, with
Nehemiah Peirya Democrat anu tailor, from New
ARK and he was ,puted " have made money theni he
Lived very high"
The visible estate of RoBEsOS, according
% this witness consisted OF small house
occupied by his mother. and another by his
brother-in-law, PRICE, supposed 10 have
been transferred TO him to protect the pro-
perty against PAGES creditors. II account
with tue National state Bank OF Camden
shows Il sum 10 his credit on the lst OF
July. 1869, when he became Secretary. of
s3,0l7,6s. Admitting him TO have been the
bona fde owner OF both the houses In
Camden, assessing them ut the highes, val
uation, giving him credit for the balance
III the Camden Bank, excluding all his
debts OF every kind, and supposing he did
not owe dollar, robson, on entering
Office, was possessed OF about $1,000, all
told.
He was engaged in no business outside Of
his profession, by which, in the small town
OF Camden, ne was enabled to exc out a
living, with the aid of $3.50 salary as
Acknowledgement, which he received for IL
short time before going to Washington.
Tue salary of $500 a year as Secretary OF
the Navy, was regarded as a godsend by
the friends who knew his limited III come
and marrow means. Iio has held this place
for seven years, lived prodigally, ana
occupies II house the rent OF which alone
CONSUMES nearly half his salary.
VITA these facts to start upon n glance
at his bank accounts, as revealed before
the Naval Committee, is in order He
seems to nave thrved marvellously and to
have handled vast sums OF money. First
Of all, the Camden Bank claims attention
Between July 3, 1869, aud November Z
1871, he deposited In those two years and
four months, sj2,li3.1s; and the very first
money passed TO his credit, after becoming
Secretary, was a note of A. G. CATTELL
Co. for sl0,0O0, less discount of sl75,S0 on
the ) Of July, 1869. That sum was prob
ably FOR his OUTFIT at the capital
AT that time \. G.. CArrELL was Presi
dent Of the Corn Exchange Bank of Phila-
delphla' which he had organized. OF the
total deposits IN the Camden Bank, say
$4,000 IN round numbers, CArTELL's note:
aud checks IRON the Corn Exchange Bank
sum up over 10000 He doubtless, also,
endorsed notes of RonEsON which were dis.
counted aud put TO hls credit, though til,
name IL not entered on the transcript fur.
nished to the committee.
In order not 10 attract too much atten
ton robson kept three bank accounts il
Washington, one with JAY COoKE& Co., Oh
with the FIRST National, and ono will
HIIGs Co. Ho deposited with JAY Cook
Go. between April 4, 1872, and June II
1873 s2e,0od.35, AZ reported by the trustee
Il. NJ. LEWIS. The transcripts of the Frs
National and RIGGs s Co. are now In tn
hands OF the printer, and may be approx
Inately stated. With RIGGS 4 Co., iron
October 1873, TO April |, 1875, he deposite
say, in round numbers, s227 00O witt
the First National, say 100000. In ad
diton 10 these he had an account wit
DRrXEL, MORGAN & Co., OF this city, wit
credit OF from 10000 TO $4,000. O
this amount robson delivered to Pay
ula'l4r CUTTER $1,000 in greenbacks q