National Republican., 1883-06-07

before the robbery, been received for redemption
previous time and the package put up for he Park
bank was made up from these notes so received.
Among them one witness remembered, as al
ready stated that there were some notes mum.
bored in the seven thousands, but he said the
numbers were mixed up" There was no othe
Identification Of tho notes stolen with those
seized thpn is found in the foregoing fcts.
II IS of course singular that Oltman should be
found eight Or ten months after the original issue
with SO many notes numbered from G,91O to 7,l00
hut there were two numbered in the hye thou
sands and one in the two thousands in the same
Moreover. the theory that the bills found in
Oumuu's box were "A portion Of those put up for
person or institution had had in his possession
these bills with numbers so nearly continuous
for many months, and had returned them TO the
treasury for redemption, though they were IN
ftCt nearly new. Obviously IL plrsOn could
keep them so long and send them t. the treasury,
Il is equally possible TINT person could Keep tue
bills IN the same manner aud pass them directly
or indirectly to OLtman. do not suppose tbis did
in fact occur, for believe the money in Ottmans
box belonged TO the government; but apart from
Hallock's evidence the only proof OF that fact is
this proximity OF numbers, and that, together
with Otmhn's acts and his anxiety to conceal the
box, constitutes the only evidence of Ottman's
guilt don't believe 1t would convince jury
any more than II did in the criminal court.
The fact of the bills being only even numbers
with no odd ones would seem to show that they
are not in the order in which they originally went
from the Treasury department. for | learn on In
quiry tnat bills whom first issued carefully
Kept in their numerical order.
on an interview 10 think that as the suit in Nir-
ginia was in equity, and therefore no jury would
be needed, decision favorable 10 the government
could be had there; But 1t would be necessary TO
prove Ottmans guilt in the same manner as In the
other cases. lno money deposited in the bank by
Ottmnn could be shown to have been in part At
least bills of the denomination Of $500 or the pro.
cetds ofsuch bills But there is no proof us to the
numbers Ofany ofthem Other than this the gov.
crnlnent must rely upon Halleck aud such other
evidence us IL had In the criminal case. do not
quite understand the nature or theory of this
correctly IL could ut most result in n Judgment
for the $1,000 remaining to Ottman's credit.
Having arrived at the conclusion that the gov.
crnmvnt cannot succeed ia It's suits, civil Grim
inul have still been oppressed by strong ro.
luclunce 10 advise the absolute surrender of the
money the government holds, for as have al:
ready said, believe II is part Of the stolcn and
am unwilling TO see such total failure OF justice
as believe would be involved in that course,
have therefore sought to Sec IT, SO far as the civil
suits were concerned, some compromise could not
be effected. | have been baflled in this attempt
by the fact that a considerable portion OF the
money has by assignment passed from Ottmans
control, aud that the legal title to much OF II Is
subject TO the claim Of the government in other
aud bona ide holders. Within few days, how
ever, have been led to believe that If 1t were un
derstood that the government would take
no action unless that course were pursued
and all arrangement could be made on the re.
lease of all its other claims, the amount attached
in Virginia about Sl2,7 700, would be surrendered.
This is the sum embraced in the proceeding in
which no jury would be necessary and is all that
i'll my opinion the government would stand the
rcmOtes chunce Of securing by litigation. you
will authOrze me to make Il negotiation of that
sort, have considerable hope that / can succeed.
ought TO add that in such an arrangement all
claim by Ottman or his assigns for interest or
damages should be waived. II the result of liti.
CATION were against the government, the amount
oithis Claim would be considered. Your obedient
servant, GEORGE BLISS.
Upon the presentation of the foregoing re-
port the attorney general seems to have di-
rected Mr.. Bliss to open negotiations with n
view to n compromise but no written author
ltV TO that effect among the DaDerS
contained in this series
On the third of June, 1882 Mr. Bliss wrote
the attorney general as follows:
Acting upon the authority given me by you on
the presentation of the report / nude in the case
of the application of W. ii. ottman have, with
some difficulty, agreed upon the following COM
promise:
!. Mr.. ottman is to surrender to the govern
ment sum equal to the amount secured by the
attachment in Virginia, to wit: $1,000, and to re-
lease all claim for interest, damages, &c,
@ The government is to release all claim upon
all other funds seized or attached, and 10 discon-
tnue all civil proceedings pending, but the pro-
Ceedings in Virginia to be left pending till Mr..
Otlman can have an opportunity TO make arrange.
ments with claimants who will arrest their claims
after the governments claim is discharged by the
payment 10 II of the agreed sum Of 700.
g. The criminal proceedings will OF course be
dismissed, as all agree that they cannot succeed.
This should be done as matter of justice. inde-
pendent of any compromise as to the money
Clnims.
Ifyou ratify this arrangement / suggest that to
carry IL out you direct the district attorney of the
district TO dismiss all civil and criminal proceed
Tugs in this district, and that you request the com
nissioners of the district to surrender the money
in their charge, except that SD 700 thereof should
be paid into the treasury of the United States.
A letter should be addressed to the district
attorney having in charge the suit in Vir
ginia to dismiss that suit, but that may be de
liyered to Mr.. Ottman for use when he shal
80 desire.
If this Is done the matter will be closed
and, under the circumstances, greatly TO thu
advantage of the government, in my opinion
The terms of compromise set forth in tn,
above letter seem TO have been approved b!
the attorney general, but no written approya
appears in the correspondence.
On the seventh of June, 1882, Mr.. Bills
wrote Attorney General Brewster as follows
The adjustment authorized by you in tue cas-
Of ottman has been carried out, and there ha
been deposited Sl2,7OOin the treasury TO the credi
of the United States.
The last letter of the series is from Distric
Attorney Corkhill to tho attorney general
and is as follows:
Hon. BENZ. HARRIS BREWSTER, Attorney Gen
crHl.-ST: In reply TO your inquiry couCernin
certain matters in connection with the case OF IN
United States VS.. Ottman have 70 state that NJ
letter of Feb s lss2 gives n detail the exact con
dion OF the case nv that time, far as IL appear
IRON the records Of the court While could not
owing to my relations TO the defendant US one {
Ills counsel III tho trial OF the criminal case, nc
Tor the government In the compromise q care
III examination of the report Of Col. Georg
lhllSS, tne hpeClul COUNSEL 10 WnOm TN
cusG was referred which made at the time, full
sustained the statement made to you then, TIN
the case was one which should be cOmprumi, ct
and the proposition one which at least the govern
lnent should not object to that there were su,
piCiOus circumstances in connection with tu
deposit Of the money IN the Alexandria baul
Wnich justified its attachment by the government
j. true, but on the trial there was an absolut
iniurG To identify the money, MS II had no spCCii
marks by which It could be identified US the none
stolen
Whether OttmOn actually stole the money, {
received II after 1t was stolen or not, one Thing
very certain that no honest jury on any eyidenC
the government could obtain would have foun
Him guilty, lie was indicted nearly nine yea
ago, was tried twice, and was insisting and dc
munding another trial and TO this under the la
lie was entitled / know personally, irOm IN
thorough knowledge OF all the testimony, that
impossible for the prosecution in good faith
rsk ipt n conviction upon the indictments ur
der these CrCumstauCt Is to comprise the civil u,
tion under the attachment, aud mol pros. the IL
diclWeHts were all that could be done.
Very respectfully, GEO, B. CoRKHILL,
United States Attorney, d. Q.
The Congregationalists.
SARATOGA, N. ", June G.--The first bus
ness meeting of the Congregations America