The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-11-18
,,,,y GOULD MATCHMAKER.
$3.50 Tic snindIcd the Government
NV" ouf of an Immense Sum.
fBoston Herald. !

fBoston ffcratd.l
,,.,sv,xcroN. ID. c., November IA,
Nd Wells Is remembered by some Of
hV III army officers rs an officer who de-
liza the Government Of between
u' ",S 400 and S2,OO0,000 during the war,
si,ygd5 e,rsr;cd Tor Europe before his short
Mo ., sNs were brought 10 light. lie was a
~'. ,.in and commiSsary 81 subsistence, and
Gar long time in charge Of the pur-
VAC DEPOT in Baltimore. His time cx-
V,,-e.JSnd ne was mustered ont MAY 10. 1865.
y. Mas relieved by an officer whose name
~ now be given, but who, for the pre-
- n,,rpOSe, may Dc called johnson.
1.S,.on was an old gentleman who had
- -, .one hard service in the field rs COM
.s,.,ry Of subsistence, bat the aggregate
- M. transactions was small, and his cx-
.-,o,cc was very limited in dealing with
-. values. Through congressional in
$500 the authorities were induced 20
- him an easy berth for the last few
s,arfbs al his service, and he was or
I.red 10 Baltimore 10 relieve Wells.
Teu.'s accounts were found 10 be
:. perfect order. and his cash and bank
.lcount corrcSpOndcd with his books
AGENT. There only remained the pro-
,.erty on hand. which was necessarily very
I,r.e I'm bulk and in value, Baltimore being
one ~ the chief purchasing dep0ts for the
srnv. There were six large warehouses
SHED with supplies, and these Wells eXlii,-
I'D 10 Johnson, explaining that il would
,on.nmc much time TO check of the pro-
neriv in detail. and assuring him that eve
ryfblng was correct. Johnson thcreupOn
rIc.ipted for She entire amount. both OF
money and stores. which Wells claimed to
have on hand. Wells left at once for New
York. and in three days started for Eu-
ronc. JohnsOn's time expired on Nav 81,
ISIS. and an officer OF the regular army
vs. sent 10 relieve him. johnson eN-
hibiied books, cash and bank account, a.
Wells had done. and then attempted TO
turn over the stores in bulk. "NO," said
the regular army officer. "that is not the
way do business. We will check on the
stores" Out" said johnson, THAT is
the way | received them. II will take
long time TO check them off, alt must
be- done" rcioncd the other, "ii il takes
xix years JOhnSon's time was therefore
continued. and he WAS not relieved from
his obligations until December Of that
year. Meanwhile an investigation was
in progress which disclosed the fact
that Wells WIS short i'm his stores
between Sl,000,0O0 and S2,000,OOO in
value. His method OF operation was
similar t. that more recently adopted by
Captain li0wSatc. IL NAV best be under
stood from an illustration. He went 10 a
dealer in Hour. for example, and purchased
loco barrels, for which he received
vouchers in duplicate. when he paid the
money, ne filed out the first voucher i'm
full but said TO the dealer that his clerk
would Ill out the duplicate at his leisure.
Wells was so large q purchaser, and trans
actions Of the kind were so COM
mon, that no question was made 10y
dealers Of the propriety Of the ac-
ton. After getting his duplicato-youch-
eF,. Wells filled out the one signed
in blank, making the purchase appear rs
10000 barrels. and this raised voucher he
turned into the accounting office. lie car
ried the 10000 barrels on his property re-
turns and books, aud made his books and
accounts agree with scrupulOus cXactness.
Ii was, in fact, impossible to detect his
frauds except by checking on his stores,
and this was n work OF months. He doubt
less intended. il that work was ever begun,
10 leave the country before It's compile
ton, but his successors ineNperience
opened way Tor The formal settlement
Of his accounts, so that his record was
made complete up to the time nc was
out. Some irregularities were
linted at "A day or two after his departure,
md a rumor found its way into the Balti-
more papers 10 the effect that all was not
IS il should be. Thercupon Mrs. Wells
came 90 Washington, very Indignant that
my suspicious OF her husbands integrity
should be entertained. She, however, left
almost Immediately, and took an early
steamer for Europe Since that time no
hing has been heard from the pair
until the developments contained in the
New York papers Of this morning. 1T was
earned during the investigation that Wells,
when at Baltimore, was heavy operator in
Wall street, keeping large sums on deposit
N New York as margins for his specula-
ions. u was given out in Baltimore that
be was very successful in operations in
yOld AT the time he WAS known in Balti- .
more he spelled his name Wells" and his |
in full, round hand, 81. How I
nd Wells. Captain L. :. Vols" is well re- !
by the counting officials of the 7
Treasury and the Comlnissary Depart /
neniS.