The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-10-29
New York Special

Inc fOlioW1ng open letter mas been Written
to the President by Treasury official:
NEW YoRK. October "a. 1874
hon. Chester A. Arthur, President OF the United
States:
SE-Having recently resigned clerkship
in the Treasury Department, desire to give
you explic,; reasons for my action, and to
furnish you with details concerning the
transaction of the public business that feel
assured are unknown to you. 1 was en-
ployed in the First Comptroller's Office. In
the absence Vt the First Comptroller the
vRriebly called me to his assistance.
know the manner in which &C
counts are presented aud passed upon in
the several divisions Of the First Conptroll-
er's Office, lat am specially familiar with
the books anG accounts OF the Judiciary Di-
vision, having occupied a desk in that divi-
sion long enough to acqusint myself thor
ougely with its details. I resigned my place
in the service Of the United States for the
simple reason that declined to be accessory
70 the
SYSTEMATIC FRAUDS
that are being perpetrated through the First
UompuOller's office of the Treasury Depart.
ment. l challenge the production of the
records ia the First COmptroller's Office, 10
dispute single statement contained herein.
| only give Instances OF wrongful extraction
of the public funds, and assert that am
ready TO give you multiplied examples of
the same sort. / say that United States At
toIneys present false bills to the depart
ment and that they are allowed, after their
falsity has been shown to the First Comp
troller, and 90 an example | cite the case OF
William A. Stone, United States Attorney
for the Western district of Pennsylvania,
ard / say that his charges in his account for
1888 we're menifestly illegal, and assert that
/ myself called the attention of the First
Comptroller 10 the matter, and that in the
presence OF witnesses he said that the claim
was illegal and should not be allowed. l say
that the First Comptroller sent for X. NJ.
Reynolds, the Auditor. in whose Office the
account had been audited, and that the
Comptroller severely censured the action of
the Auditors Office and again asserted that
the bill and all of its character would be dis
allowed IN the Comptroller's Office / assert
that notwithstanding this promise thia bill
of William A. Stone was allowed. John A.
Shields. Commissioner OF the United
States Court IN New York City, flied a bill
for 81, 400 for swearing IN
UNITED STATES DEPUTY MARsHAIs
and Supervisors :of Election at The election
OF 1850. If any sum was due him it was
payable for the benefcisries. and not by the
United States. l took this bill 20 the First
Comptroller. He admitted its illegality, and
promised its disalloWmeut 1t was after
ward allowed.
L assert that Joel Erhardt Marshal OF
the Eastern District Of New York, presented
vouchers showing that he had paid to Super.
visoTs and Social Deputy Marshals at the
election of 1880 more than $4,000; and 1 say
that whereas the Law ccntemplatestba that these
Supervisors Of Election shall serve one day,
almost every man of them charged and was
n daUa
sssert that myself carried these
vouchers 10 the First Comptroller and
called bis attention to them aud offered to
bring him 100000 of the same sort, and
assert that over my protest the claim was
allowed and paid This is one instance of
the kind. / assert that Senate executive
document, forty-eighth session, No. $50,
which is supplemental, and shows additional
expenditures in the Star-route trial only
begins 10 show the enormous sums that were
actually paid ont in the so. called Star.Toute
trial, and assert the cum of S11, 900, shown
to have been wrongtully expended on that
document, bears two false statements, made
by the First Comptroller. He says VI now
ascertain that this was settled ia my office.
without being called to my attention, OK that
OF the chief OF divlsion.n
THAT STATEMENT Is NOT TRUE
took the account Of the First Comptroller
and pointed out its illegality before II was
allowed, and assert that after the allowance
of this Sill 900 that the chief of the Judiciary
Division, through whose hands the bill
passed, denied having passed it within six
DAYS of its allowance. And I assert that
whereas the payment Of witnesses in this
Star route trial should appear as having been
paid in the District of Columbia, that bills
Of those witnesses for attendance and mile
age were sent by such witnesses from various
States and territories. and were paid.
assert that clerks of the United States Courts
charge illegal fees that are allowed, and
/ say that @. IA. Hill at Boston uni
formly charges per diem for every day
in the year except Sundays, the Fourth
Of July, and Christmas. when everybody
knows that court is not always in session.
assert that II. c. Giesberg clerk at Kansas
City, Mo-, filed an emOlument return tor
1888 that bears unmistakable evidence of
fraud, and 1 assert that I was ordered by
the chief of the judiciary division to pass
the account just rs it was presented. aad
when refused to do so l was reprimanded
by the First Comptroller for not doing so.
sssert that on my own motion ] went 20 the
Department of Justice, and that the matter
was investigated by an agent being sent to
Kansas City and portion OF the illegal
items were disallowed. 1 stand ready 10
prove by the vouchers on file in the registers
Office of the Treasury Department that mill
ions of dollars haye thus been Wr0ngfuily
taken from the United States Treasury. Very
respectfully, your Obedient servant.