The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-03-19
spALDING's sPOILs.
Tne Most vothminous Charges ana spe'
ctacatiOns Of FrRmd ON Record.

Tne Most votAnsinous charges ana spe.
ciacations Of FrRmd ON Record.
lCorreapondence of the New York SUM-
MARE ISLAND. CAL, March 4.-The
charges against Pay Inspector II. =.
Spalding. OF San francisco. have at
length been publicly made ut court
martial held ut Long Island. Inc loi-
lowing are the members OF the court
Rear Admiral John Rodgers, President
ADMIRAL Stephen ID. Trenehard, Capt.
Thoa. Pattison. Capt $. z. Carter, Capt.
7 C.P. DeKraft. Pay Director Thos. II.
Locker. Pay Inspector A. II. Gilman.
PAY Inspector G.. E. Thornton, and Med
Teal Director ---- Suddards. Alex. II.
Hagner, Esq, a Maryland lawyer, Is
Judge Advocate.
The court formally commenced sitting
on March /, but the charges were not
given to the public before the Sd inst.
How far Secretary Robson Is repre-
sented in the court is not definitely
known. but the Judge Advocate Is an
old school fellow OF the Secretary's.
and the clerk sent out here, one Smith.
ID from the ante-room of Secor Robe
son. He is blonde with bald head
filed with official dignity He p sent
out here to save expenses, although
there are men here who would perform
his duties for half what 1t costs TO send
him across the continent.
The charges against Spalding are
eight in number, supplemented by over
thirty specifications. The alleged
chimes. misconduct, ETC., extend over
the years 1874 and 1875, and were pre-.
ferred after the absconding OF his chief
clerk, q. M. Pinney, i'm the fall Of last
year. The charges accuse Spalding OF
representing to bankers and others OF
San Francisco that certain parties had
claims against the Government varying
from $4,000 upwards, by which
said bankers and others, when
1t IL alleged that no such
sums were due. Also with selling Gov
ernment property and using the funds
for his own benefit Also with embeE-
zljng several thousand dollars which he
had been ordered by the Fourth Auditor
to transfer to the Assistant Treasurer
Also with leaving his signature on blank
papers with Pinney, and the Keys OF ms
Office and safe with other clerks. Also
with conspiring to defraud the Govern
ment by various orders, between sixty
and seventy IN number, and amounting
i'm the aggregate to 81 100000.
The above Is an epitome OF the charges
read before the court The accused,
upon being called upon, pleaded not
guilty to all the charges and specifica-
tons through his attorney, l.. D. Lati-
mer, ESQ. OF San Francisco. The ac-
cused seems to take the matter coolly
and even jauntily. In no way does he
appear to be affected by the gravity OF
the accusations His sense Of security
may arise from conscious innocence.
or a consciousness that IL found guilty
upon all or any of the charges his pun
ishmept would be light. The United
States Government, and particularly the
payy-yard portion thereof in California,
has. under the regime of Secor Robson,
never been strong enough to punish
frauds and corruption, and yet there is
not more corrupt spot on the continent
than the island from which now write.
The heads of the departments, even II
inclined, seem powerless to stem the
tide of official dishonesty.
In Spaldng's case there is n show
made OF vindicating justice. but what 1t
will amount to remains to be seen. Two
or three witnesses have been examined ,
but their testimony only relates to the
minor charges. The more important
witnesses reside In San Francisco, and
1t Is highly probable that the court will
adjourn to that city at an early date.
The charges and specifications extend
over tifty-two pages OF regulation paper,
twenty four lines to each page They
record. Only three Of the members OF
the court are stationed on this coast,
the remainder being importations.
The officers Of the court martial, rs
they crossed from Mare Island to Vale
10. can see the so-called repairing OF the
atr-. 1Nafin> n aafs ls,it any I'd tti rRet
ship. the frame Of which was first put
together at Greenpoint, Long Island,
and cost some thirty thousand dollars
to send to this place. The contract has
every appearance of being a bogus affair.
The same officers can also see the ship
Mohican rebuilding at this yard-and
which Robson said in his last report
was almost ready for launching-stand-
ing up like a gaunt skeleton, her ribs and
other timbers suffering from neglect.
It will take six months to complete her.
They can also see more than hundred
thousand dollars worth Of lumber going
to decay. which was furnished to the
island at exhorbitant prices, forced upon
the Government by ring politicians.
II Secretary Robson Is not faithful
over large things, he is over small ones,
for he lately used the whole strength of
his position to give an order to brick
mason out here to do the bumboating on
Government ships, to the exclusion OF
some men who have served this coun-
try in the navy for years. Service In the
navy tells nothing with him.
Congressman j. X. Luttrell, from this
district, promised to ventilate some OF
these Mare Island abuses, but he is as
mute as mackerel We Familiarity call
him here Long john" and many are
anxious to know IL he is alive, and If 50,
whether he has been scalped by some
Government Modoc, or has simply
kicked aside all his loud promises.
Naarly nycrv Gnyornponf nffi, Al ~,
this coast, and particularly those con
nected with the navy, should be looked
after with more than watchful eyes.