New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-30
A VICTIM OF SPECULATION.
J.O.P. BURNSIDE AN EMBEzZLER.
THE POST OFFICE DIsBURsING CLERK FOUND TO De
SHORT IN HIS ACCOUNTS $4,000.


SHORT IN HIS ACCOUNTS S45,00
WASHINGTON, May pa few days ago the
attention of the Postmaster General attracted by
statement that Colonel j. o. r. Burnside, superintendent
Of the Office Building and disbursng clerk OF thu
Post Office Department had lost large sums OF money
through specuaons In connection with the frauduen
oil syndlcates conducted By the broker Lewis who ed
last week. Burnside called upon TO explain how nt
could speculate this way and at the same time live as
erpensively as he did upon a salary Of s2,l00
He replied besides his private means his wife was IN
receipt OF large income The Postmaster-Generai now
ever entirely satisfied with this explanation
and ordered careful examination OF Colonel Burnsdes
accounts The expert bookeepers who were directed 70
make the examination discovered and reported to
the Postmaser-Genersl large deficiency.
When the employees Of the Department went to Colonel
Burnside Office this morning to get their semimOnthy
pay they found the doors closed and told that tho
dsbursng clerk had been summarily removed.
the afternoon the following official explanation oi
the matter furnished for publication BY direction
Of the Postmaster GENERAL a committee eH
amlned the accounts of Colonel j. o. p Burnside super
ntendent and disbursng officer for the Post Office De
parment The result OF this examination was the dis
cOyery of a shortage OF about $4,000 His accounts ha"
not been fully audited by tho Treasury Department
since June 80 1881, and IL Is probable that tho msap
preparations occurred from time to time ssce thai
date The PostmasterG Genera dismissed him from Office
and caused him be ousted and proceedings to be ias
tuted for embezzement."
Colonel Burnsides bond 10 secure the Goverpments Ia In
the of O00 and bears date OF 1873 The surees
are n. L. Jenries, II. NJ Hutchinson T.. Q. Ingersol,
Washington b. Williams, John Coughlin and William
Rutherford Two OF these bondsmen viz Messrs Inger-
soil "a brother Colonel Robert g. Ingerso and Hutch
inson are dead, but the Government officers have no
doubt OF the suficiency Of the bonds.
LAST ADJUSTMENT OF BURNsIDE's ACCOUNTS
The last adjustment made OF Colonel Burnsidss nc.
counts by the First Auditor for the quarter ended
December 81 1888 The balance unccouned for at tnst
time was 100000 This Colonel Burnside reported
as Oh hand examination TO have been made
for purpose OF verifying his statement His accounts
for the quarter ended March 81, 1884, which should
have been the First Auditor by the middle OF April
have not been received Yesterday the Auditor sent
clerk to the Office Department 10 hateD their trans
mssion He was informed that they all ready to %
audited that the letter of ransissal had been written,
and that they would be submitted at but they have
not yet reached the Treasury Department
for S6 600 was issued Colonel Burnside May q, for
the salaries the current month shows that bis accounts
regarded correct to that lime. Ihe amount
placed his credit largely In excess OF the amount
Of his bond but only that part of Which was needed 70
aole ON May IA Colonel Burnside drew out py cpeef
about $4,000 of this amount. ami disbnrsed IL 70 the
EMPLOYEES on May 2s he drew check for S33,362,
which sum was intended for disbursement to-day. Ihs
money was ouhd IN 9no sts "a a. ,h sae ,b ttr
authorized the Treasurer to pay the salaries OF tne
Office Department employees for the last nat OF inc
month"; pending further action IN Colonel burhsdes
case - ,--., ~.
,ide's Immediate predecessors in office Edwin b. Ohm
stead aud Frank Mccartney. were also removed for
are audited at the Treasury Department and
it is said by Post Office officials that any irreguIarty
which existed should have been discovered In that de-
partment. II would appear however, that under the
present system Of bookkeeping the deficiency may have
existed for long time without discovery. Colonel
Burnsides books not fastfed. and the shortage
would have been evident II the entries had heen compared
and a a
no were directed examine his accounts, that there
were credits due 9m when % %oId lgse b
he had lost about 50 600 in his oil ventures but General
street speculat0nS.
BURNSIDE ARRESTED.
This afternoon Colonel Burnside was formally arrested
upon a warrant charging him with the EN-
bezzlement OF $4,000, and was taken into the
police court for examination. The District
Attorney stated that the defendant would
waive examination and give bail for his appearance
before the Criminal Court aud that the Goyernrnens
would ask to the bail fixed at Si5,000-the amount
of the defacation The Court decided 10 require tho
named by the srict-Atorney, and said that
counsel could petition the Criminal Court Tor an aOate,
meut. COlone Burnside said TO reporter that he did
not wish make any statement He then eft the Court
in the custody Of a deputy marshal in search of
WHO BURNSIDE Is.
Colonel BurnsGes appointment papers show that his
application udOrsed by Senator'S Logan Burnside.
Cullom, Nye, Morton, Yates, Williams, Edmunds and
others lie is native Of Indiana and enlisted in ls6l as
private IN the 10Th Illinois Infantry, rising rapidly in
rank until he attained the grade of leutenanco0neL
After the war he settled in Baltimore claim agent,
hnt soon came 10 Washington, where he obtained q
position az clerk the Treasury Department In 1869
he was appointed third class clerk IN the Post OHco
Department and in 1875 was made discussing clerk
Colonel Burnside has occupied prominent social po-
son IN Washington. He was one OF tae founders OF tne
Columbia Rife Club was accounted of the best rife
shots in America and time held position on the
American When the National Rifles were reorgan-
ized about four years ago. be elected commanding
officer and as special compliment to him tho company
Intended 10 visit his old home treepOrt Ill., during their
trp 10 the West month. He had, IL is said, greater
social influence than any other officer OF the Post Oco
han