South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-07-20
Letter from Washington.
From, Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON. ID. G.. July JIG.

The Governments little transaction
with Ottmap is now finally and ire.
vocably closed by the discontinuance
few days since OF the civil suits and
the release of further sum OF Sl2, Too
which was held by attachment. The
compromise having been agreed upon
and partially carried into effect by q
discontInuance of the criminal cases
and the release OF part Of the stolen
money, OF course the rest had to fol.
low. This last sum of money, will, it
IS sand, be distributed among Ottman's
lawyers, and the Hon Richard Crow.
Icy will receive u share, as pay for his
services in effecting the compromise
The iaborer ia worthy OF his hire.
Inc compromise was secured June 3,
1882. Mr.. Crowley was then acting
as counsel for the Government in the
prosecution of Lee and Hall in Buf.
talo aud Canandaigua. lie came 10
Washington on May 90 and returned
to buffalo on June Z, and presented
to the Government bill for the trav.
cling expenses OF both journeys. which
was paid. The Government has lost
money in the Gilman case, 4 it would
be generous act for Mr.. Crowley to
refund ut least half of that expense
bill out of the fee received from OFT.
man. There is growing impression
here that if the Government is ever
to win any more cases against plum
derers and robbers it will have to get
I'D Gifts compromising attorneys. As
matters now stand there don't seem
to be much of anything to deter dis.
honestly disposed official from steal.
ing all ne can get his hands on. If
he can only get enough to pay his
lawyers he will be safe.
This calls TO mind the case Of Paw.
master Wasson, who has just been ia.
ken 10 prison upon the finding of
military court, where as n rule they
punish offenders. WATSON, it will be
remembered, took about So, 1000 of
Government money to pay poker
debts with. Failing 10 make the
shortage good in time to avoid dis,
covery he was arrested, confessed and
was tried by court martial. Before
the trial his friends aided him to re-
store the money; yet this did not
save hun from conviction and q Sc.
we're sentence. Hard as it seems up.
on this heretofore promising Young
man, such otfenses could not properly
go UNPUBLISHED. He was casliered
from the army, thus debarred from
ever holding 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 ard Bellnap. Pay.nas.er
Hodge was on duty in Washington,
where he had been during the war.
lie had been repeatedly ordered away.
but i'll some way he managed to get
the order rescined and be stayed here,
having millions Of dollars at his dis.
posal. Brice was Paymaster General
and gave Hodge loose rein. Re-
suit, Hodge stole over s4oo, 900, and
lost il, it IS said, liz Wall street, which
is no better than losing it at the gam
Ling table. He confessed his crime
when he could hide it no longer. and
WAS tired by court martial. lie was
dismissed the service and sent 10 the |
penitentlarv Did he become a con
vict2 No. Did he make restitution
OF the stolen money? No; not one
dollar of il. But he did not have his |
head shaved, and was Lot required TO |
live Oh prison fare. He was put in |
the library, wore good clothes, and
had plenty to eat for q year. when
Grant pardoncd him out. How il
this explained Why, he stole nearly |
half million dollars, and never re.
turned cent. WATSON took $4,000
and returned the whole amount. Yet
"a things 90, the latter is thief,
while the former is ranked as a gen.
tleman. How the Government hates
a petty thief, aud how it loves n co.
lossal robbcr! Queer world, isn't it?
PHoNo.