Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-12-08
FLIPPER.
THE COLORED LIEUTENANT
MAKES A STATEMENT
Explanatory of the Shortage in
His Accounts.


the opening of court yesterday
morning Lieutenant FIipper made
the following statement, in substance,
in reference to the difficulty: ''To
the first charge and its specifications
iu this case I declare to you, IN most
solemn and most positive manner
possible, that I am innocent in every
way, shape and form; that I never,
by myself or by another, converted
or applied to my own use single
dollar or penny Of government mon
ey, or permitted it to be done, or au-
thorized any meddling with it what
ever OF course | am not guilty.
The funds for which I was respcnsi>
ble I kept in my quarters in my
trunk, because I felt more secure to
have them in my own custody. On
the second Of May I received tele-
grom General Small not to transfer
any of the funds as he intended be-
inc absent from San Antonio. This
I construed to apply to
everything pertaining to the
funds, as I was not informed
that some one would be left to att
tend to the routine of business there
during his absence I submitted my
funds regularly to the commanding
officer for inspection, and l did not
make statement. In consequence
of telegram of May, Sd, I thought
it unnecessary and discontinued it.
AS for the June accumulated funds,
after versifcation, weput them in a
trunk and it was not examined until
July, 6th, when it quickly referred
for customary inspection, there was
discovered a discrepancy of 81, $40.
I did not know what to do, but chose
to put in my own check for that
amount, intending to deposite per
sonally in bank the difference re-
quirad to remit check [ expected
my company in from the field on the
10th of July. L knew they had two
months pay in checks, and thought, l
could get what I wanted, but the post
trader asked them before l could do
so. ! then relied OH getting money
from the publisher of my book, who
had promised it I was disappoint-
ted again. l believe the shortage
of 81, $40 was caused by commissary
bills due me for stores sold men and
laundresses. On my personal account
it caused me no .uneasiness, how.
ever, as thought when the money
should be paid I could deposit and
meet the check If not able to meet it
with personal finds. When leaving
the Headquarters on the 18th of
August, / believed and still believe
that all funds for which I was re-
sponsible were in my trunk except
this check, I learned otherwise was
perfectly astonished and entirely
ignorant of where they were. l was
not responsible except to make them
good, which [ have done. My serv-
ant lived with laundress, who had
no place to keep her clothing; on
her request I allowed her to pu5 part
of it in my trunk. Ialways retained
| tne Key; except Wien gwen W
her for a short time, to arrange
or put in her clothing. I had no
reason to suspect dishonesty
1 never lost anything worth
mention. / had been warned pre-
viously that the commanding officers
would take the first chance to get me
in trouble. Ipaid but little attention
to this at the time, but afterwards
remembered it distinctly. I knew
him by reputation and observation to
be very severe, stern man. Having
committed my first mistake I in
dulged in what thought were some
false hopes that [ would be permit
ted to work out on my own response
bility, without giving him any know
ledge of my embarrassment.