, 1881-08-28
LIEUT.. FLIPPER IN ARREST.
4 Charge of Enbezxle1nent Against |
the Coloreti officer III the United
States ARMY,


the colore.i officer In the United
States Army.
Sr,o York Htrn1d-
Fort DAVIS, Tex. Aug. lion tile
/ morning Of Aug. II the people Of the pleasant
garrison Of Fort Davis were thrown into Il
state Of wild excitement BY L runlor to tho
effect that Lieut. II. q. Fipper (the colore1
oftlccr), Tenth Cavalry, had been detected i'll
all attempt to defraud the Government of
nearly $4,000. At first the rumor would not
be believed. as heretofore Lieut.. Flipper
las bor1la high character, and every
one believed him to be ''above sus-
pici0n." For several months Lieut.
clipper has been Acting -Cnmnissary Of
Subsistence Of this post and since the 9TH Of
July last lie las not transmitted his commits
sary funds to the Chief Colnmlssary of the
Department at San Antonio. y few days
ago Col. Shaf1cr (the commanding officer
llere) received Telegram. from the Commits
s;lry ut San Antonio stating that Lieut.. Flip
per's funds had not been received; that lie
had telegraphctl the fact to Lieut.. Flipper,
asking for Information Of them; that he had
received no reply, and requested Col Shaftcr
to Investigate the affair. Col. Sllafter uues-
toned Lieut.. F!ipper, who stated that he had
sent the funds BY 1nal on the 9th OF July,
but that he la,t kept no record ut them, ami.
Us ITO one had witnessed the mailing las I
prove that Ic had done so. This was looked
upon rs {. very gross piece Of careiesness oil
the part ot Lieut.. Flipper, but 10 one re-
gardetl it As anything more.
ladies' We're driving, aud seeing Lieut.. Flip
per's horse, with pair of satt.lle-'r1gs OF the
saddle, fastened i'll front OF one Of the StOres
in the little Town Of Chihuahua. Immediate
Looked as though Lieut.. Flipper might be
contemplating !. flight into Mexico; 50 thu
commanding officer sent tile Atljutant to
bring Lieut.. FEipper into the garrison, when
le required him Immediately to turn over
his funds to alother officer and relieved him
from duty us Acting Cs.ninissary of Sub
sistetce. Tie funds which Lieut.. Fiipper
claimed to have seiit by mail on the ith OF
July were coluposed in part OF checks on diff
ftrent banks which had been given him by |
\ description OF these checks WAS telegraplletl |
tu tie banks, and information received in re- !
ply that they had not been presented for pay- |
,iiett.
The commanding officer now concluded
that circumstances looked very suspicious
indeed, AMI determined to have Lieut.. Flip |
ler's quarters searched for the missing
checks. lie accordingly told Lieut.. FIippcr
that circumstances painted to his having |
made away. witt: the colnulss:try funds,
ii his quarters, teIlin, I.ieut. Flipprr that he
might possibly be doing linn I'LL injustice;
hat If it proved 50 lie could very eas!x and
willingly make amends to him for 50 doing,
iuty. The Aljutant and the officer WHO had
cileyed Lieut.. Flipper were appointed to
earcll Ills quarters, ami they fo1lnd money
Q the amount Ut 800 VI 500 strewn about
4 i very careless manner, ~ drawers, books:
runks, desks, etc., ETC., besides Il quantity OF
:otu 1ewclry, consisting OF watches anu
haills, rings, buttons, earrings and pins,
racelets, loclst:ts, etc, some Of which are
iaiinett by his woman servant. Several
weekly, statements of subsistence funds,
shicl had been examined and signed by Col.
hafter. were found,--sunle Of rhem III his
errant's trunk. These papers Lieut. Flip
er had cane,l 10 have sent oft also,
nd, after finding some Of them in the ser:-
los@l3, and finally had her searched. and.
nting Ill envelope containing the missing l
[!ecks concealed on her person. the WOMAN !
rs tur,ietl over to the civil authorities, ard
cnt his escape. has been confined III !. cell :
the guarthnuSc, ,
Lieut, Flil,ucr had the respect of the Off |
IT'S OF tic post, and has been treated very
lnd!y lnd by theni' thousls l!e has never shown
anller. The fact Of Ills having; retained the +
Dsition Of Acting Coulmlssar. Of Subsist- =
ace fur so long :. time shows l'i what light
IS character and Intellect were regarded. !
cling the only c0loretl, officer in the army,
:eat regret Is expressed that Lieut.. Flipper e
'ull not haye maintained his reputation for
te.rity and higI; E1oral character, hut
evil communications e0rrnpt good m;,n-
'rs, *:unl il is said Ills most intimate ;l$so- :.
ates 0f late have mt heen the hest. 1t Is :
III that some friends Of Lieut.. Flipper are
lIeayoring to raise for him the amount Of !
) indebtedness tn the Government, soint: {
.0oo lslnce the checks are fuund), and il
ey succeed they expect the commanding of II
cr to release him from the cell. J.