Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-20
THE GOVERNMENT ROBBED.
Heavy Defalcations in Federal omoes
in Louisiana,


From the Ne,o York Sun.
NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 16.-The Demo-
Gratis appointed to Federal Offices in Lou
isiana have either occupied them or will
take possession in very few days. 1t re-
uuired a great many efforts to persuade
the President to make these changes, and
he had the question before him five
months before he acted. 1t is claimed
down here that the Aufdemorte robbery
of sos, 600 in the United States sub-Treas-
urv in this city, which occurred a few
weeks ago, was the final straw" The
President Immediately acted on the Lou
5siana appointments. and sWept tue GUS
tom house and other Federal Offices clean.
His delay was A matter little understood
here. for the case presented TO bum rela-
tive TO defaulting Republican omcefs IN
Louisiana was very strong.
A disagreeably large proportion OF the
holders Of Federal Offices iu Louisiana
under Republican Presidents have been
defaulters. either robbing the government
themselves or being robbed through their
employees, the result being very neaYy
loss 70 the government. Take the United
States Sub-Treasury, for instance.
Messrs. T. 2. May and W. Whitaker
were the first two holders Of this office
after the war. Both are on
the Sub-Treasury books to-day
as short. the amount lost through
them being 500 600. Under Whitaker's
successor. Geo. =. Walton, the government
lost only $40. 600. that being the amount OF
a forged check paid by hin. His srcces-
sor. Charles Clinton. afterward Auditor
OF the State, was robbed OF 50, zoo, which
Congress RENTED. Next came the pres
ent Treasurer, DIR. p. e. Herwig, who is
soon to retire. His losses through the
defalcation Of his confidential clerk, Aut-
demOrte. were $4,000, making a total loss
since 1866 for this department alone or
S742, 700.
The Internal Revenue Department did
eQually9s bad. Gen. Benton who took
possession of the Office Immediately after
the war, was short u quarter OF million
dollars, all of which the government lost,
il being impossible TO collect ANYTHING
from his securities. Gen. j. B. >teadman
was similarly short another quarter ~
million, and the money was lost, his
bOndsmen living away from here in Ohio.
Steadman's successor. Charles smith,
was short $4,000. James ). Chapman,
also IN the internal revenue office, vas
short $4,000, which his bOndsmen
made good. Chapman was sue
ceeded by Oscar Rice, who
was a defaulter for $4,000. Rice. by
the by. was the only one OF the Federal Of
fcials in Louisiana who was really pun
lshed, the others being fined very small
part OF the sum they robbed the govern
ment Of. Rice was found guilty and sen
fenced to the penitentiary from which he
wasTeleased only last week. His exam
PIE, however, was productive of no good,
FOR his successor, r. T. Beauregsrd, SINH
larry defaulted for $500 which amount
was collected from his bondsmen.
In the Assessors office A. W. NorcrOss
was defsulter to the sum Of $1,000 all
of which was q clear loss TO the govern
ment, as nothing could be collected from
his bondsmen.
Ia the post Office the showing is equally
bad, except that 1t was not the PostHas.a
Ter who defauited. but some inferior clerk
Col. ". b. Smallwood was vtctimiZed in
this way to the tune Of $4,000, all Of
which ne had 10 make good, although il
ruined him. MIR. YaliaterrO, VINO sue
ceeded him, was out $4,000. which bis
bOndsmen made good Z. W. Lowell, at
one time Speaker Of the house in Lou.si-
ana. VAS out a very large sum. and his
b0ndsmen persuaded the government 10
compromise 10 for IS 600. Both OF his sue
cessOrs. Messrs. Parker and Merchant,
had on more than one occasion to make
good the shortages Of their employees.
In ihe C0llectorship, Perry Fuller, the
III at Collector under Republican rule,
csme here from Indian Territory, in which
faT-af region his bond was made. When
his accounts were ascertalned 20 be short.
there was no way OF getting the money,
aud Fuller was allowed to 20 scout free
and his defalcatlon credited to profit and
loss.
These are a few Of the striking cases in
the Federal Offices here during the last
eighteen years; and it was on this show
ing that the PTesidect was asked TO clean
out taat Augean stable. the New Orleans
custom house. 1t will be noticed that in
many Of these instances the defalcations
We're not due to the chiefs of the depart
ments themselves, but to their employees,
Tor whose honesty, OF course, they were
responsible.
The total Of these several defalcations ia
$500, 900, OF which the government loses
nearly 81, 100000.