Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-05-29
COL. BURNSIDE ARRESTED AS AIDE.
FAULTER.
THE USUAL STORY OF UNLUcKY sPECULA.
TIoN.
A SEQUEL TO THE LEWIS FlASc0
Results Of an 1nvestigatiOn Ordered
by the Postmaster General-COI.
burnside Removed from Office and
Placed Under Arrest-A Hearing This
Afternoon, &c.

the disbursng officer as soon as the department
was opened this morning and were greatly as
tonished to ind the notice torn down and the
doors shut All the satisfaction they received was
that the oilce had been closed by order OF the
postmaster General
REPORTED SHORTAGE OF $4,000
Rumors OF various kinds were at once set afoot.
The prominence OF Col James o. p. Burnside in the
oil speculations which ended In the sudden disap-
pearance OF the broker, Geo. Fl. Levls at once sug-
gested solution OF the mystery which presented
itself to the clerks who stared at the closed door
The rumors gradually assumed a definite form.
COL burnside was reported TO be short, and the
amount OF his shortage in his account with the
government was placed at different amounts, the
highest named being $4,000.
An INSPECTOR IN CHANGE OF COL BCRNsIDEs
OFFICE.
Meanwhile Chief Post Office Inspector Sharp,
with an assistant, took charge OF Col Burnside s
office, and no one was admitted 10 the room occa-
slonally there was consultations going on between
the Postmaster General and some OF his subordl-
mates with relation TO the con Ition OF affairs in
Col Burnside's room. The postmaster General de-
cnned Ia the morning to give out explicit fnforna-
ion, merely Stating that the affairs OF the offce
were being Investigated, and he would make a
statement after I2 o'clock OF the affair." 1t appears
that the suspicion OF the Postmaster General was
aroused by The part played by Col Burnside In the
Lewis anair. Inspectors OF the department were d-
recteo TO investigate the accounts or the oce, and
began their laborS three days ago. The fact or a
shortage having been discovered would probably
not have been made known to-day If II had not
been for the disappointment OF the clerks who went
after their pay.
TIE INVESTIGATION.
When the Lewis tasco and Col Burnside's con-
nection with it became public Postmaster General
Gresham sent for Col Burnside and inquired how
1t was that man with his salary could speculate
as extensively as IL was reported that he had spec
ulated Col Burnside replied that be had means
independent OF his salary, and also that his wife
had means He denied positively that ne had used
ha hang
ment The Postmaster General then stated
that he considered it his duty to have
an investigation made OF Colonel Burnside's
accounts Col Burnside did not decline. but did
not express his desire TO have such investigation
made "ThiS," the Postmaster General said to-day
confirmed my suspicion that there was something
wrong" The investigation began two days ago
II was in progress yesterday afternoon when the
Postmaster General left the department After
covered, and the postmaster General was imlnedi-
atey informed OF it. He gave directions at once TO
Chic. Inspector Sharp to take Col Burnside into
CUSTODY and take charge OF the Office.
COL. BURNSIDE REMOVED.
About half-past eleven o'clock the Postmaster
General signed an order removing Col Burnside
from the Office OF dsbursing clerk and superntend-
ent OF the Post Ofhce building.
IN CUSTODY.
This afternoon, at O'Clock, Col. Burnsidewfll be
brought before U. s. Commissioner Mills for
hearing. In company with special officer OF the
last evening" he left the department this afternoon
In search OF some one to go on his bond.
Under the advice of counsel. Col Burnside re-
fuses to talk TO any one at all about this matter
Inspector Sharp stated 10 STAR reporter this
afternoon that he did not believe that the defalca
tion extended back further than the past four or
i've months He supposed that all the money went
into the hands OF Lewis. Col Burnside told the
committee that the defalcation began three years
ago, when his safe was robbed.
Statement of the Postmaster General.
A SHORTAGE OF $4,000.
The Postmaster General furnished for publica-
ton to-day the following statement:
"By direction OF the Postmaster General a COM
mittee consisting OF A. G. Sharp Chief Post Office
Inspector; G. W. Wells, chief division OF finance
and JAS T. Smith, chief or the bookkeeping divi-
sion, sixth auditors Office, examined the accounts
OF Col j. o. P. Burnside, superintendent and dis
bursing officer for the Post once department The
result or this examination showed q shortage OF
about $4,000 His accounts have not oeen fully
audited by the Treasury department since the 30th
OF june 1884, and 1t is probable that the misappro-
priation occurred from time to since that date
The Postmaster General dismissed him from Office,
ana caused him TO be arrested and proceedings in
stituted for embeZlement"
COL BURNsIDE's OFFICIAL BOND.
The bond which Col Burnside gave was for
600, which Will more than cover the entire de-
felt His sureties are Gen. " L. Jerries, the es-
tate OF E. c. IngerSo and the estate OF Commodore
Hastings
FOLLOWING IN THB FOOTSTEPS OF HIS PREDECESSORS.
The ofice OF disbursng clerk OF the Post ONCE
department seems TO be under some fatality. Two
Of Col Burnsides immediate predecessorsleft Office
under circumstances similar TO those which. IL is
stated, have led to COL Burnsioes removal
Edwin B. Olmstead, OF Ohio, who was appointed
A shortage OF about $4,000 was found in his ac-
counts. II was discovered by OlmStead's suddenly
leaving the city without explanation. He had been,
II Is stated, making unucky investments OF goy-
ernment funds In North Carolina lands and mining
property.
Frank A. Mccartney, who was appointed to the
once by Postmaster General Creswel. was removed
on similar charges His shortage IS stated 10 have
been about $4,000. He was college mate OF Post
church II Is said that his difficulties arose ousof
the Indifferent and unbusinesslike way OF manag
ing the Office
COL BURNsIDE!s RECORD AT THE POST OFFICE.
j. O. p Burnside was appointed a third-cass
clerk In the Post once department June 29th,
1869. The record shows that his appointment was
recommended by senators Burnside. Logan, Cul-
lom. Nye, Morton, Yates, Williams, Edmunds and
many others, and l3 N: C.'s" February 5, 1875,
upon the retirement OF Mr. Chenowtth from Office
he was appointed disbursng Clerk and superintend-
ent OF the building, at salary OF s2.loO.
BuRNsIDEs ARMY CAREER
Col J. o. p. Burnside is veteran OF the late war;
He was born in Knox county, Indiana. but previous
to the outbreak OF the rebellion he became citizen
OF Freeport Illinois. where he edited and published
paper for eight years. When the first call for
troops was made In 1861 he enlisted as private ia
the Fifteenth Illinois regiment, and afterward be-
came captain OF company G OF the same. He grad
uaIly rose in rank until he was finally made a
lieutenant colonel OF the Seventy-rst Illinois lnfen-
try, and participated in the western campaigns
during the first two years OF the war. In the cam
paign OF 1868, which Included the battles or Chan
cellorsv1lle and Gettysburg, he served on the stan
OF Gen. s. s. Carroll, who commanded the famous
"Gibraltar Brigade" OF the second corps army OF
the Potomac Since the war he has resided In
Washington, and has for some years held the I'M
portant position OF disbursng officer and supezn-
tendent OF the Post offce department
ARGUING EXCEPTIONS IN TIE BIGELow CASE
The case Of B. F. Bgelow, convicted on Noyem-
Der l4th last OF enlightenment from the National
Bank of the Republic and sentenced In the Cr1mi-
nal Court Judge Wylie) 10 nve years IN the New
Hampshire State prison, was before the Court IN
General Term this afternoon on exec itions taken
in the court below. Assistant District Attorney
TagHart appeared for the government and MeSsrS
W. A Cook and W. B. Webb for the prisoner.
A VERDICT FOR DEFENDANTs.-In the suit OF
Moore agL Barber q Langdon-wherein the plain
TIL claimed $4,000 damages, resulting from the
draining Of houses In LIE DrOit park into stream
running through his lands-the jury to-day, In the
Circuit Court brought In a verdict Tor defendants
under the rulings OF Judge Hagner.
Vim. 2. Young, real estate broker, has sold for !
ex-Attorney General George b. Williams, part Of |!
lot Is and lot 49, In square 156 fronting 19e feet
Inches on the south side OF Massachusetts, avenue,
east OF 18th street, TO Mr. II. Grafrun Duany, IT,,
Tor 81 900.