National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-01-03
PAYMAsrER sMYTH.
lie Turns Up In This city and Makes
Good His DefeJcation,

bN AhAH wy fAhN AAs~A~NH
Good His DefsICation.
Mai. Smyth, U. s. A., the paymaster
who left his station at Savannah 80 un-
ccrcmonicously and irregnlarly last Mon
day in company with large amount of
government funds, put now phase on
his case yesterday morning by appearing
at Paymaster General Roohester's Office
with a friend, and surrendering him
self.
Mai. Smyth at once turned over to Gen.
Rochester S5,153 Of the funds ho had car-
riod OF from Savannah aud then drew
his pay OF $3.50 for the month Of Docem-
Der and added that to the amount, when
the friend then produced and gave the
major SD7 which was also turned over,
thus max ing the full amount Of $500.
Mai. Smyth explained his very serious
oscapade as follows to q reporter 81 got
to drinking in Savannah, and when l
drew the money to make my st, Angus
tine payments didn't know what | was
doing. The fact is, ] don't know when |
left Savannah. All / know IL that re-
gained consciousness on steamer that
had nearly reached New York. l ar
rived in that city yesterday, and at once
telegraphed my pay clork at Savannah
that | would be back as soon as possibly
could get there and fix matters all right.
He replied that II would be best for mo
to report to the paymaster general in
Washington. / followed his advice and
here | am."
1t is tho opinion of army officers here
that the explanation of Mai. Smith, even
If wholly true. will not relieve him from
the charge of grave official misconduct,
which can hardly result otherwise than
in = court.martial unless by tho clom-
ency of tho war department officials he
is allowed to resign to avoid trial and
dismissal.
In the case of Mai. Wasson, the pay
master who claimed to have been robbed
in Texas and was dismissed and sent to
hard labor in the ponitentiary, President
Arthur, through the secretary OF war,
definitely announced, in answer to the
efforts of friends to save that officer, that
no clemency whatever could or would be
shown under any circumstances toward
any officer who misappropriated public
funds, and this principle was reaifirmed
last fall in the case of Capt. George L.
Olmstead, u. $. A., who embezzled signal
telegraph funds In Arizona, and also suf-
fered dismissal.
In this case Mai Smyth has disobeyed
tho most positive and stringent regula-
tions and orders governing the conduct
of army disbursing officers, and committed
the offence Of leaving his station without
permission, or absence without leave"
Another account of Maj. Smyths
movements is to tho effect that
while still under the influence OF his
prolonged debauch, ho was unde-
cided whether to draw the necessary
funds and proceed to st. Augustine to
mako his regular payments to the Sd
artillery troops ut st. Francis Barracks,
or to go to.Albany and spend New Years
with his family. The result appears to
be.that he did both. On his arrival at New
York he proceeded by train to Albany.
where his father Hon. John L. Smyth,
state superintendent of insurance, had
already heard of the trouble and took i'm
mediate action by starting him for here
by tho next train in charge Of n friend.
Yesterday morning Mai. Smyth and the
friend in charge arrived here BY the early
train and proceeded to the St.Jsmes Hotel,
where they registered as L. A. Poole aud
&c. ii. Hart" Albany, and were assigned
TO room 80, paying their bill In advance
for the day. Each had a valise and small
travelling bag, and after breakfast they
loft the hotel at 8 o'clock and went to the
paymaster generals office, where Smyth
surrendered himself and made up the
money, as stated above. Mr.. Poole and
his charge, Hart" left the hotel toget heI
last night about z o'clock, and could moi
be found at late hour.
1t is assumed that Secretary Lincolr
will at present decide only the question
whether Smyth will be placed under
arrest at once or allowed to visit his fam
| the war department.