National Republican., 1881-08-26
FLIPPER'S FLOP.
COULD NOT STAND PROSPERITY.
Fall Of the Only Colored Oeer in tho United States
ArmY-What He Is Charged Wlth-A
Woman at the Bottom Of It-Bm.
beyzlement OF Funds.

FoRT DAVIS TEX, Aug. 15.-0n the
morning Of August IS the people OF the pleasant
garrison Of Fort Davis were thrown into state Of
wild excitement by rumor TO the effect that Lieu
tenant II. o. Flppcr Ohe colorcd otfcer),
Tenth Cavalry had been detected in an
! tempt TO defraud the Government Of nearly
! ~. At FIRST the rimor would not be
believed, as heretofore Lieutenant Flipper has
borne high character. and every one believed
him to be "abovc suspicion" For several months
Lieutenant Flippcr has been aoting commissary Of
subsistence Of this post, and since the 9th of July
last he has not transmitted his commissary funds
10 the chief commissory OF the department at San
Antonio. few days ngo Colonel shaner Ohe
commanding officer here) received telegram
from the commissary at San Antonio stating that
LIEUTENANT PfIPPER's FUNDS
had not been received that he had telegrnphed
the fact to Lieutenant Flipper, asking for informa-
ton Of them; that he had received no reply, and
requested Colonel Shafter to investigate the affair.
Colonel Shnfter questioned Lieutenant Flipper,
who stated that he had sent the funds by mail on
the 9th Of July but that he had kept no record OF
them. and as no one had witnessed the mailing
las believe is usual In such cases) he could not
prove that he had done so. This was looked upon
as very gross piece Of carelessness on the part Of
Lieutenant Flipper, but no one regarded It rs any
thing more.
FlIPPER's ARREST
on Friday evening some OF the officers and
ladies were driving, and seeing Lieutenant Film
pers horse, with pair OF saddle bags on the
saddle, fastened in front Of one OF the stores in
the little town Of Chihuahua, Immediately out
side Of the garrison, thought that II looked as
though Lieutenant Flipper might be contemplst-
ing fight into Mexico; SO the commanding
ohicer sent the adjutant to bring Lieutenant Flip
per into the garrison, when he required him i'm
mcdiatcly TO turn over his funds TO another officer
ana relieved him from duty as acting commissary
OF subsistence. The funds which Lieutenant
Flrper claimed TO have sent by mail on the 9th of
July were composed in part Of checks on different
banks, which had been given him by the officers
in payment of their monthly bills. A description
OF these checks was tclcgraphed to the banks and
| information received in reply that they had not
been presented for payment The commanding
officer now concluded that circumstances
LOOKED VERY SUSPICIOUS
| indeed and determined to have Lieutenant Flip.
per's quarters searched for the missing checks, He
| accordingly told Lieutenant Flpper that circum-
stances pointed TO his having made away with the
commissary funds, placed him in arrest and be-.
gan the search Of his quarters telling Lieutenant
Flippcr that he might possibly be doing him an in
Justice that If II proved so he could very easily
| and willingly make amends TO him for SO doing,
and that otherwise he WAS only doing his duty.
| The adjutant and the officer who had relieved
Lieutenant ripper were appointed 10 search MS
| quarters and they found money TO the amount OF
$500 or 500 strewn about in very careless man
ncr, In drawers, books, trunks, desk, &C.. besides
quantity Of gold jewclry, consisting of watches
and chains, rings, buttons earrings and pins
bracelets lockcts, &c, some Of which are claimed
| by his woman servant. Several weekly statements
of subsistence funds which had been examined
and signed by Colonel Shafter were found, some
ofthem
IN HIS SERVANTS TRUNK.
These papers Lieutenant Flipper had claimed to
have sent Oft also, and afer finding some of them
in the servants trunk Colonel shafler questioned
her very closely, and finally had her searched,
and, finding an envelope containing the missing
checks concealed on her person, the woman was
turned over TO the civil authorities, and is now
| lodged in jail. Lieutenant Flipper, to prevent his
| escape has been confined in cell at the guard
house Lieutenant Flipper had the respect Of the
officers at the post, and has been Treated very
| kindly by them, though he has meyer shown dis.
position to minge with them in social manner
The tofhis having retained the position OF acng
commissary OF subsistence forso long time shows
IN what light MS character and intellect were re.
garded. Being the only colored officer In the
army grgat regret is expressed that Lieutenant
flipDSr could not have maintained his reputation
| iaR Integrity and high moral character but "eyil
Communications corrupt good manners" and It "a
said his most intimate associates OF late have moi
been the best II is said that some friends Of Lieu
tenant Flipper are endeayorlng to raise for him
the amount of his Indebtedness to the Govern.
ment, some $1,000 (sinCe the checks are found) AND
Ii they succeed they expect the commanding Off
Ger 10 release him from the cell.