Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-08-13

they have been reported on in the
most terrible way Wild, the Secret
Service agent at New Orleans, was
dismissed from the Department of JUS
tice for taking money from claimants
in case he officially examined. The
contract made by him with claimants,
and the check paid to him, are in the
Department Of Justice records. Yet
he is now engaged to protect" the
Government and the public against
counterfcitcrs and swindlers in several
States, The report recommends the
abolition or thorough reconstruction of
the Secret Service.
THE GREAT COTTON SEIZURES.
In 1862 Congress provided for Treas
ury special agents to collecting cap
tured and abandoned property at the
South, and for turning into the Treas
ury the proceeds of such property, 10
be returned TO the owners on proof be-
fore the Court of Claims of ownership
and freedom from completely with the
Rebellion. Ynder this act 175,000
bales of cotton were collected and sold,
the proceeds being, as nearly as could
be ascertained, s26,500, 900. OF this,
s9,3l0,787 were eaten up in Tex
penses," leaving over s27 100000. OF
this, s9,545, 900 have been returned TO
owners under judgments of the Court
OF Claims, 81 ,623, 900 by the Secretary
Of the Treasury, s292, 900 under spe-
cial acts of Congress, and s1SS,000 un-
der the act OF May 18, lS72-in all,
s11, $4,000. This should leave on hand
over sl5,500,0 900, but the report of the
Secretary of theTreasury shows but
about s9,000,000 on hand. What has
become of the other si1 and half
millions the Committee could not
learn.
This great raid and seizure of 49,.
900 bales of cotton, however, was not
the whole spoliation. Contrary to law,
thousands and thousands of bales were
seized by Quartermaster and other
Army officers and sold, the proceeds
never reaching the Treasury. In one
year-May, 1868, to May, 1864-the
Chief Quartermaster at New Orleans,
Col. s. b. Holabird, received l2,779
bales, worth at least $4,000, 900, yet he
only acknowledged 1884, 900 net pro-
ceeds, and states that this sum was
spent for Army purposes by order of
General Banks.
Also, contrary to law, Admiral Por-
ter, while patrolling the Mississippi
and its tributaries, seized large amounts
of cotton on land and shipped it to
Cairo as maritime prize Of war. The
Supreme Court has decided that this
cotton was unlawfnlly taken by Por-
ter, yet the Treasury refuses to return
the money to the owners.
When the Committee on the Treas
ury called in 1876 for the production
of the original records of cotton seiz-
ures, Cabinet meeting was held and
an Executive order was issued by
Grant forbidding the production of
original books and papers before Com
mittees of Congress.
The law placing cotton matters in
the Customs division of the office Of
the Treasury has been disregarded
and special Bureau formed without
authority Of law with a chief and as
sistant and clerks, and with salaries
from 81 200 to $4,000 year. The
duty of Martin Luther Noerr, Chief, is
TO furnish the Court of Claims true
copies of all records in that Bureau
pertaining to particular lots Of cotton.
Judge Mott Of that court stated from
the bench that Noerr had furnished
four different reports Of captures Of
cotton at Atlanta the 6rst report ad-
hitting the capture Of but twenty
bales, but the last admitting 467 He
declared that the Cotton Bureaus
statements as made up by Noerr were
wholly unreliable, and stated that the
law requiring keeping Of "books Of ac-
count showing from whom the cotton
was received, the cost of transporta-
tion and proceeds Of sale" had been
fagitiously and scandalously evaded
and defied by officers intrusted with
its execution. Noerr reported TO the
Court that there were in the Treasury
the records of about GAO bales from
Vicksburg, not over $4,000. Mr..
Eveleth, Commissioner appointed by
the Court to examine the cotton rec
} ords, found that over 5000 bales had
! been seized at Vicksburg, and that the
. proceeds had gone into the Treasury,
1925, 900. Chief Justice Casey, Of the
Court of Claims, swore that Noerr
, showed no disposition TO correct his
} statement, and that he had tried in
: vain to get Noerr TO explain this great
J discrepancy. The Chief Justice also
} testified that it was impossible for
, claimants or their friends to get any
Information or satisfaction at all in
f reference to their claims from this d.
; vision, except through calls by the
I Court OF Claims, the answers TO which
both the Bar and the Court regarded
: as wholly unreliable. In my judgment
D they (Noerr's reports) were in many
Q cases intended and designed TO mislead
t and to prevent parties from getting
+ Justice"
---"s
William Fessenden, assistant to
q Noerr, was dismissed from the Army
: in 1864 as q defaulting additional Pay
master, for embezzling 10000. He
a lcnt the public money to Salmon b.
; Colby, a contractor, and William
!, Coombs, q clerk in the Interior Depart
i ment, for use in spcculating in lumber,
Fessenden To receive for the use Of the
money 10 per cent. of the actual sales.
The money was lost by Fessenden's
q trcachery. Colby claims, and Colby
= was bankruptcd. Within year after
: ward he was made clerk in the Cotton
|, Bureau, where he has since received
: = on an average 1000 a year salary and
: large Gums for "extra services"
dl From August 25, 1865, TO May g.
n 1873, the Treasury paid TO attorneys
q agents and informcrs more than VI,
|, 000, 900 from the money which belong
" cd TO the owners Of cotton. F" One
). Charles Bamcs and various partners
O were paid within ten months Of 1856
n and 1867 $4,000 by order Of Secre
o tary McCulloch, 5000 being shared
N by Eames with John A. Logan, ther
.. Representative and now Senator from
Illinois. In about eighteen months o
y those years McCulloch caused TO b.
paid to s. II. Kaufman, First Chief o
the Cotton Bureau, $4,000; AND
Kaufman soon turned up as partner
70 with Boss Shepherd and George W
70 Adams, correspondent of the Nov
81 York World, in ownership and manage
70 ment of the Washington Star, which
et has been conspicuous In defending thi