The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-07-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent

WAsHTNGToN. D. c.. july IA, 1888
The governments little transaction
with 0ttman is now finally and lrrevo.
oably closed by the discontinuance few
days since of the civil suits and the re-
lease of further sum of $12, 700 which
was held by attachment The compro-
mise having been agreed upon and par
TALLY carried into effect by discontinu-
ance of the criminal cases and the release
of part of the stolen money, of course
the rest had to follow This last sum
of money will, it is said, be distributed
among Ottmans lawyers, and the Hon
Richard Crowley will receive a share as
pay for his services in effecting the com
promise. The laborer is worthy of his
hire. The compromise was secured June
3, 1882. Mr.. Crowley was then acting as
counsel for the government in the prose
cution of Lee and Hall In Buffalo and
Canandsigua He came to Washington
on May 20, and returned to Buffalo June
Z, and presented 10 the government bill
for the travelling expenses of both Jour
neys, which was paid The government
has lost money in the Gilman case. and it
would be generous act for Mr.. Crowley
to refund at least half of that expense
bill cut of the fee received from Gilman
There is growing impression here that
if the government is ever to win any
more cases against plunderers and rob
beers it will have to get rid Of the compro-
missing attorneys. As matters now stand
there don't seem to be much of anything
to deter a dishonesty disposed official
from stealing all he can get his hands on.
If he can only get enough to pay his law
Yers he will be safe.
This calls to mind the case of Paymas-
ter WATSON, who has just been taken to
prison upon the finding of military
court, where as a rule they punish offend
ers. WATSON, it will be remembered, took
about So, 600 of government money to pay
poker debts with. Failing to make the
shortage good in time to avoid discovery
he was arrested, confessed and was tried
by court martial. Before the trial his
friends aided him to restore the money
yet this did not save him from conviction
and severe sentence. Hard as it seems
upon this heretofore promising young
man, such otfenses could not properly
60 UNPUBLISHED. He was cashiered from
the army, thus debarred from ever hold
ing military or civil Office again, sentenced
to eighteen months imprisonment and his
: crime ordered to be published in the
newspapers of his own home. But how
different the punishment in this case from
that of one which occurred in the days OF
Grant and Belknap. Paymaster Hodge
was on duty in Washington, where be had
been during the war. He had been re-
peatedly ordered away, but in some way
he managed to get the order rescinded
and he stayed here, having millions OF
dollars at his disposal. Brice was pay
master general and gave Hodge a loose
rein. Result Hodge stole over $40 600.
and lost it, it Is said, in Wall street, which
is no better than losing it at the gaming
table. He confessed his crime when he
could hide 1t no longer, and was tried by
court martial. He was dismissed from
the service and sent to the penitentiary.
Did he become a convict No Did he
make restitution of the stolen moneys
No; not one dollar of it. But he did not
have his head shaved, and was not re.
quired to live on prison fare. He was put
in tn library, wore good clothes, and had