The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-16
HAZEN'S NEMESIS.
Letter From the Sergeant Who Tells About
His Chiefs Methods
Washington Special.

washington Special
Mr.. Theodore V. Van Heusen, jr., formerly
of the Signal Service Bureau, whom General
Hazen calls discharged and degraded en-
ploye, has written for publication a long let
ter in reply to that officers statements He
states he was led to attempt to expose the
abuses of the Signal Service by his desire to
do his duty, by his promise to his oppressed
comrades, and by desire to vindicate his own
course in refusing to aid in carrying out the
scheme to force the Majors and Captains
Bill' through Congress He expected abuse.
and he has not been disappointed He &C
cused General Hazen of falsehood in saying
that he was the author of the published arti-
Giles criticising the bureau, and challenges
him to produce his proofs. He says that the
letters published by Mr.. Beltzhoover were
the common property of several persons and
that their contents were known to half doz-
en- men, who had acted upon the require
ments and suggestions contained in them.
He refused to take part in the work although
he was offered the position of second lieu
tenant. He continues:
at was then determined to get me away from
Washington. By the grossest falsehOod, verbal
and written, Secretary Lincoln was induced
approve my transfer to New Orleans, and refnse
me the discharge earnestly pleaded for. / was
dragged from a sick bed and hurried away to
New Orleans, where l taken with fever,
from tne eHectB OF Wnicn L am now, as | believe,
going TO my grave"
He declares that for years he occupied DO
sltions in the service of much responsibility
at indianapolis, Vicksburg, Erie, Detroit and
New Orleans, and won the praise of those
| above him. He was called to this city to fill
the position which was then the most respon-
siole one in the service open to an enlisted
man. Here he was well treated until he re-
! fused to take part in the schemes above men,
toned, and then he was bounded and perse-
cuted. He declares that the schemes were
not sooner exposed because retiring employees
dreaded the assaults which would be made
upon them. General Hazen has, he says
failed to show wherein, in any act, his con-
duct has been other than that of ali honora-
! BILE and conscientious man. The state of his
health has prevented him from counting a
quarrel with the General, but he must de-
! fend himself against the assaults upon his
character. He demands that General Hazen
shall show wherein he has made any false
| statement and asserts that the General s
abuse of an humble clerk indicates that he
has no real defense. He now leaves General
Hazen to his thoughts, recalling to him
that morning in March, 1881, when plead
| ed with him in tones that would have touched
o statue for my aged fathers sake, for the
sake of a suffering invalid wife, for the sake
of all that an honorable man holds dear in
! life, not to degrade me by an unjust arrest
/ and incarceration. Never can l forget how
brutally and basely, on the merest suspicion,
he tore me from my home and family, and
! hurried me, like felon, to the guard house,
only to abJectly apologize for the inexcusa-
| bic outrage some eleven months later"