The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-08-13
JOHN SlIERMAN'S METHODS.
SOMETHING THfT LOOMS LIKE COM
POUNDING 4 FELONY.
surrcnderinr Forged warrants Into the
Hand. OF the Alleged Fo,ecr ON His Pay
Ing their Face Nniuc-Tbe Facts stated.

Ing their Face Nniuc-Tbe Facts stated.
WAsurNGroN. Aug. 12-By law and by
practice the Treasury Department has ruled
that the originals Of papers. matters OF record
in the payment Of money. shall under no cir
cumstanccs be- allowed to leave the files OF the
Treasury. Upon formal and sworn aprlica-
ton copies may be furnished but the original
remains ~ "A part Of the records # the depart
mcnt To screen senator Sargent. Secretary
sherman recently extended this practice so far
| as 10 refuse coprs Of recommendations. but in
| a recent case. upon which hinged "A conviction
| for forgery. Secretary Sherman ordered two
| forged warrants to hc surrendered into the
| hands Of the alleged forgcr when hc had made
| good his gains. whether this was not actually
compoundine the felony will hc made clearly
| issue of IN" approaching trial; but however
| that may be- it shows an officer Of the Govern
| mcnt deliberately and with full knowledge sur
| rendering to an accused man the proof upon
which conviction was possible. The details of
this extraordinary ease will De- learned at an
| adjourned hearing next Tuesday.
| 1t appears that Samuel A. Push. attorney for
| Caleb Tomplins Of Georgia, got claim allowed
for his client for sl3i2sG. H. caused two war
| rants to bc issued. one representing tho amount
Of his fee for s3JjsG and the other for 81 ,O07.
the amount coming to Tompkins. Both war
rants were payable to the order Of the lattcr.
| He was apprized Of the fact and il ia said that
| several letters were written to him and no
answer rcceivod At all events. a delay of sew
| cral months srrms TO have followed. during
which Pugh waited in vain for his fee. A. last
| practising lawyer here. The story runs that
tirow paid Pugh his fee andtook both warrants.
| lie may have expected To- got another fee for
| himself ont OF ", lhrg'r warrant alt'r hunting
up Tompkins. He may have had wholly DIFF
icrcnt intentlon-. Al AL events, II was he wh2
| at last go, both warrants apparently endorsed
| hy Tompkins. cashcd ut the Citizens Bank.
The Treasury pnid them when they were pre-
| sented. and they Wrr" cancelled. II was then
| discovered that the Tompkns endorsement
was forgery and it is believed. on The testi-
| that pugh and Grow were arrested for forgery
The first hearing was had last Friday.
| Meanwhile. Grow made "A formal application
To- have the warrants returned to him On paving
| their face value. assigning H. u rcasun that ih"
endorsement Of Tompkin~ was forgery. The
| precise course seems o. have h'"u that tho bank
offered H. make good thc Treasury and Grow
the bank and the bank made the arrli'aiion.
to decide whether the secretary had Tho right 10
return the forged warrants. and. having the
right. whether the step would be- proper. \
written opinion was returned t. th' secretary
| hoy the solicitor. in which hr sad that he saw no
reason why the warrant cvnli not u" returned
| 70 the bank, pui GROW coWd not 10, 2 pMrV 70
, the transaction between tho hank and the Treas-
ury. H. went On 70 say TINT the secretary must
, exercise his own discretion as io delivering up
the eNidrnc" of n" forgery 10 any party after
forgery was alleged sherman accordingly
acted upon his own r'~pon-i ihlity, received the
money. parted with the evidence Of the crime
for which II was returned. and promised that
the ca-c should not be prosecuted II would bee
srnrcoly possible To- believe that a lawyer Ike
sherman would promise this OF u felony, rs
the Treasury merely and not the prosecuting
officers of the people were Interested.
In the report Of the preliminary hearing last
ac ay the @' oss sGT SiI the "r Trcasu Ssny Ts Dpa @
ment We're in doubt wne,her they could pr9sse. s,
were not inclined in any event to prosecute.
I Miller pr9-eruiins attorney, very Properly sad