The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-03-26
THE CAPITOL.
Two Frauds Upon the Treasury De
pRrtment.


Two Frauds Upon the Treasury De-
pnrtment.
COLONEL cRITTENDEN INVOLVED IN A Sc
RIoUs AFFAIR-THE RICHMOND POLICE
BILL SENT TO THE GovERNoR-CANDI-
DATES FOR OFF1CE-PUNCH BILL, &C., &c.
On Saturday it was discovered that two
House per-dien, certificates had been raised
so as to defraud the State OF 1920. W. T.
Bigger, ESQ.,, assistant clerk OF the House,
upon comparing his accounts, as usual,
with Mr.. Frank Binford, OF the Auditors
office, found that the certificate issued in IA
vor of Mr.. Arthur for "3 days" pay had
been raised by the insertion Of l before
the 8, SO as to read "13 days" Further in
vestigation developed the fact that certiti-
cate issued to Mr.. Poindexter for three
days" had undergone similar manipula-
ton.
When a member wants money due him
he generally sends by Colonel Crittenden,
who is the First Door-Keeper and Paymas-
ter, or ly page to Mr.. w. T. Bigger, who
keeps the per-diem accounts, stating that he
wants, say three days. pay. II Bfr. Bigger
finds that the member has that much to his
account. he issues in the name OF the men,
Der certificate to the Auditor OF Public Ac-
counts to that effect. Colonel Crittenden
takes the certificate from Mr. Bigger to the
member; the member receipts for the war
rant in blank on the back OF the certificate
and the certificate is then taken by Colonel
Crittenden to the Auditors office, where
Mr.. Blnford makes out warrant upon the
Treasurer for the sum so stated to be due
the member. Very often dozen OF such
warrants are taken from the Auditors into
the Treasury together. Colonel Crttendcn
receipts for the money called for in them,
and check for the aggregate amount is
given him on bank. The check he cashes
and the money due each member is carried
to him by the Colonel, and the Colonel takes
his receipt therefor in a cash-book, which
ne keeps Tor his own protection.
The effect OF the whole arrangement is to
aaye the members the trouble OF first apply.
ing to Bigger for their certificates; then
going to the Auditor for the warrant; then
to the Treasurer for the check, and then to
the bank for the money. All that running
about Colonel Crttenden does for the ma
tority OF them. Sometimes a page is en-
ployed, and rarer still member goes
through. the routine personally.
Mr.. Binford's books ought to correspond
with Mr.. BiSger's. On Saturday, in tally
ing them, Binford called out, "Arthur. 13
days." Bigger said, Wrong-three."
There was halt. Binford produced the
certificate, and, sure enough, there was the
the had been inserted before the in q
different ink from that used in filing up the
other blanks.
This led to the investigation. Bigger's
books showed that the certificate was issued
for three days. The /, he was we'll satisfied,
was not his writing. The Auditors books
showed that the warrant had been issued
for thirteen days, and the TreaSurer's re-
ceipt showed that that amount OF per diem
(S7S) had been collected, while Colonel
Crlttenden's cash-book developed the fact
that only S18 had been turned over to and
reccipted for by Mir. Arthur.
About the same state OF facts was reveal
ed in the case OF PoIndexter.
These matters having been brought to
the attention OF Speaker Hanger, he urged
that the Committee OIL Rules be at once
convened. That was done. Colonel Crit
tenden could give no satisfactory eXplana-
tiop, but asked for time to work the case
out and establish his innocence. The COM
mittee instructed their clerk to write out 4
statement OF facts, aud a resolution recon-
mending that the House suspend Colonel
That will be presented this morning, unless
in the mean time Colonel Crittenden is able
to show conclusively how the certificates
came to be raised after they were issued by
Bigger and before they were presented to
the Auditor, and that he is not responsible.
Between 10 and II O'Clock Saturday night
n reporter OF this paper bad long and frank
conversation with Colonel Crittenden on this
subject. He declared that he was innocent,
but admitted that he was in q mesh from
which it might be difficult to extrioate him.
self. lie was unable to suggest q theory
which would account for the alterations,
but ayowcd his determination to replace the
S120 due the State; and then, he said, he
would proceed to clear up this mystery.
Colonel Crlttenden was gallant officer in
the Confederate army, and was for some
years Sergeant-at-Arms Of the House. He
is courteous and polite; has hosts OF friends,
and could, il in sore need, have easily bor-
rowed thousand dollars in the House.
His gallant services in the field, his high
character as a citizen, his hitherto Spotless
record as civil officer, plead that the pub
lie shall suspend its Judgment until all the
facts are heard and thoroughly discussed,
and until he has exhausted his opportuni-
ties to show that he is not guilty, which
seems incumbent upon him in the present
attitude Of affairs.
THE RICHMOND POLICE BILL.
General Johnson's police bill was on Sat-
urday amended on motion Of Mr. Loven-
stein, so as to provide that the present Po-
lice Board shall continue in Office until their
successors have been chosen and qualified,
and in that shape passed the House. Sub
sequently the Senate concurred in the
House amendment, and the bill now goes
to the Governor Tor his approval.
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