The sun., 1883-10-31
si2s for the same months pay of Lieut..

RoBERTsoN.
The charges on which he was tried were
those Of making and presenting a false and
fraudulent claim against the United States,
and conduct unbeconing an officer and a
gentleman In certifying that months pay
was due him when he well knew 1t was not,
as II had already been paid on previous as
signmcnt of the account.
The court acquitted him OF making false
and fraudulent claim, but found him guilty
OF conduct to the prejudice OF good order
aud military discipline; it also acquitted
him OF conduct unbecoming an officer and
a gentleman, but found him guilty of
neglect of duty. 1t had, in short, accepted
his explanation that he gave the second
voucher without remembering at the time,
that he had given the first that when he did
recall the first assignment he tried to stop
payment on the second, and that he made
good the sum of Sl25 To the paymaster in
July. The testimony OF the post trader indi-
Gated that he would have complied with the
request not to obtain payment on the voucher
had 1t been received In season; and, In fact,
that he would have loaned the amount to the
officer originally had he been asked to do
30. Hence, in passing Judgment upon the
specifications under the charges, the court
refused to find him guilty OF fraudulent In
tent, and excepted all words implying such
an intent; and It's sentence was that he
should be suspended from rank and COM
mand for six months, should be confined to
the limits Of his post for that period, and
should be reprimanded in general orders.
1t Is possible that the members OF tho Van
couver Barracks court unofllcially knew cir
cumstances of which they took no official
cognizancc; but Secretary LINCOLN, ut all
events, deals with the record of the proceed
ings. and that alone, and his comment is like
q scourge in It's Indignation. Promising with
an impatient contempt that the members of
the court ought to know that the restitution
did not change the character Of the original
act, and that, since it is obvious that the
Pay Department could make good its own
loss by stopping the next months pay, mo
claim for cOmmendation can be based upon
1t, the Secretary proceeds as follows:
No assent can be given to the demoralizing idea
which seems to be Of the theories OF the defence in
this case that no serious offence is committed by of
heer falsely certifying 10 second voucher for the
same month II it is given security for loan and is
not expected to be presented for payment An officer
may not properly give ~ security that which is less
than power Of attorney To disgrace himself The cour,
certainly considered the accused culpAble for lie IL
found guilty Of neglect Of duty and q sentence nvov
ing some element of punishment 10 imposed The Presi.
dents not willing by his approval OF this finding and
SENTENCE to sanction the view that conduct of
accused found by the court to be cupabe should be
Sldsred merely neglect of duty. to be followed by
slight punishment The findings and sentence there
fore disapproved.
Lieut.. ROBERTSON will be relieved from arrest and
resume his proper duties Its to he hoped that lie will
not again have occasion to persuade court that the
collection OF his monthly yis so trivial matter to
him that he does not remember fortnight before it
becomes due whether not he has already drawn it,
and that he will be careful in the future avoid
violating the sancty OF his official certificate trusted
being made on the honor OF officer and gentleman
This rebuke. both to the court and the ac-
cused officer, may be accepted as good evil
dence that the war against the prevailing
army scandal Of fraudulent pay accounts
will not be stopped.