The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-07
THE OTTNAN TREASURY STEAL.
AN ABSTRACTION or PUBLIC MO.
NEY COMPROMISED.
The Correspondence In the Case-An Explain
atory Letter from District Attorney
Corkhili, &C.. &C.
[Ry teleFranh 10 rhc nisna,ch l

N.l
| WASHINGTON, June G.-Tbe DEPARTMENT
| OF Justice furnished TO the Associated
Press this evening a series Of twelve let
tiers and reports relating TO. the recently
compromised Gilman case. in which the
Government sought to recover large sum
OF money SAID TO have been stolen from the
treasury Department in June, 1875. The
| correspondence thus furnished Is said to
include all letters and papers on file
IN the Department OF Justice which
| nave any material connection with
the case, and 1t covers a period OF time
extending from December 10, 1877, to June
o, 1888. The terms OF compromise setforth
in the letter seem 10 have been approved by
the Attorney-General, but no written APP
proyal appears in the correspondence. On
the 18th OF June, 1882, Mr.. George Bliss, to
whom the case had been referred, wrote to
Acknowledgement Brewster as follows:
"The adjustment authorized by you in
the case Of Ottman has been carried out,
and there has been deposited $4,000 in the
treasury TO the credit OF the United
States"
The last letter OF the series is from Dis
trict Attorney Corkhill TO the Attorney
General, and is as follows:
"Hon. benjamin Harris BreuSter, At
torRey- General:
sir,-In reply to youfinquiry concern
ing certain matters in connection with the
case Of the United States rs. Gilman, /
have to state that my letter Of February 8,
1882, gives in detail the exact condition Of
the case at that time as far as it appears
from the records Of the court. While |
could not, owing TO my relations to the
defendant as one OF his counsel i'm the trial
of the criminal case, act for the Govern
ment in the compromise, careful examine
ton OF the report OF Colonel George Bliss,
special counsel, to whom the case was re-
ferred, which / made at the time, fully sus-
tanned the statement made TO you then.
that the case was one which should be
compromised, and fhe proposition one
which at least the Government should not
object TO. That there were suspicious
circumstances in connection with the
deposit of money In the Alexandria
Bank which justified its attachment
by the Government, Is true; but on the
trial there was an absolute failure to ident-
lfy the money. as il had no special marks
by which it could he identified as money
stolen. Whether Ottman actually stole the
money or received il after it was stolen, or
not, one thing is very certain, that no hon.
est jury. on any evidence that the Govern
ment could obtain, would have found him
guilty. He was indicted nearly nine
years ago, was tried twice, and was
Insisting and demanding another trial.
and to this under the law he was en-
titled. | know personally, from my
thorough knowledge OF all the testimony,
that it was impossible for the prosecution
in good faith to ask for conviction upon
the indictments. Under these circum-
stances, to comprise civil action under at
tachment and note prOSequi the indictments
was all that could be done.
every respectfully,
GSigned1 "GEoRGE b. CeRKHILL,
"United States Attorney, ID. c."
The amount stolen was $751; 800. 1t was
claimed that the actual bills stolen from the
treasury were traced to Ottman's posses
sion. The latter was at that time liquor
dealer in Washington.
Under the compromise $4,000 was
awarded to Gilman, and il has been freely
charged in newspapers that OF this sum
only $4,000 reached Ottman, who is now Il
bar-keeper in New York.