The National tribune., 1886-09-09
SOME OLD DEBTS
That the Government Owes, and Others
That People Owe the Government.

Assistant Register of the Treasury, in compl-
ance with a resolution adopted by the House OF
Representatives in January last. The list, as
far as il goes, embraces all individuals, firms,
banks, etc, that are indebted to the Govern
ment by reason of default, bankruptcy, dis
allowed items. overdrawD salaries, or for other
causes; and also those having balances due
them from the Government. on account of
errors in their favor discovered on final settle
ment, judgments unclaimed, etc. When the
Congressman called for this list they intended
TO have it complete, covering all the Depart
ments, but the effort to get this resulted in fail
ure. This pamphlet includes the Treasury,
State. Justice and Interior Departments. The
Secretaries of War ar of the Navy did not re-
spond at all. For the Post Office Department
Sixth Auditor McCOnv!lle replied: 81 have the
honor to inform you that it will probably re-
quire the entire services of
TWENTY-FIVE CLERKS FOR FOUR YEARS
to prepare the statement required by the terms
of the resolution" He goes on TO say that his
office adjusts the accounts with more than half
the civil officers and employees of the Govern
ment, requiring aceOInts with more than
$1,000 receiving and diSbursing officers, includ-
ing mail contractors, transportation agents,
money order postmasters, etc In view of all
these facts Auditor McConyille gives it up as
too big job to undertake without a reinforce
ment of clerks and an appropriation. When
this was communicated to the House, few
days before adjournment, it promptly passed
another resolution directing the Secretary of
the Treasury to go ahead and print what he
had.
AT first glance this work of the public PAM
phleteers appears to be about as interesting for
perusal as a dictionary or Patent Office re-
port, but a closer examination reveals many
curious facts and figures The list contains
lS,4O0 names. About One-third ofthese persons
are indebted to the Government, while two
thirds have various suns to their credit on the
books of the Treasuiy. Most of the latter
amounts are small hundreds Of them are
below dollar; many age
BUT A PEW CENTS.
The first 90 pages of the book contain IL, 800
Of these but the aggregate of the credits is only
half the amount due the Government from a
single famous defaulter-Samuel Swartwout,
Collector of Customs at New York, whose de-
falcation in 1888 shook the administration of
Martin Van Buren, TO its foundations. Swart-
won't is charged with 81 ,2O5, ,035.60. This is the
largest item that appears in the book. The
smallest-which carries with it an impression
of painful exactitude in Treasury bookkeep-
iDg-is one cent. This stands to the credit of
George ]. Abbott. who WAS Vice Consul at Shelf
field, England, in 1871. The cent has been
carried along on the books since that time.
Another credit of four cents dates back to lSl0.
Not few of the items are nearly as old as the
Government itself.
The first 500 of these credits are classed as
the Decedents' Trust Fund" This list cru
braces persons known 10 be dead TO whom money
is due from the Government, aud which
HAS NEVER BEEN CLAIMED.
A few of these sums run up into the thousands
of dollars, but most Of them are comparatively
small.
Then follows a list Of 1900 outstanding
liabilities which have beeu covered back into
the Treasury under the act Of Congress of May
2, 1866. This provides that in all cases where
Treasury warrants arc Dot presented and paid
within three years from the date of issue, the
amounts shall be covered back into the Treas
ury. OF course the money has not been paid
out, but whenever a warrant is issued the Treas
urer is credited with tie amount. SIMS re-
turned to the Treasury are charged to him.
The three years limitation does not vitiate the
claim. If warrant nose than three years old
is presented it will be taken UP and duplicate
issued. If awarrant has heen lost or destroyed
the money may be drawn upon filing bond of
indemnity aud going u. ough the prescribed
| formalities.
This is the way these $4,000 amounts, vary
| ing from few cents to 1000, have been re-
turned TO the Treasury and appear in this list.
| They represent almost every conceivable class
of claims, all of which are just and legal, and
have been adjudged in favor of the persons
named. By accident or carelessness the war
rants have been destroyed or lost and have
never been presented for payment. Under date
| 0SlS are several hundred items Of 500 each.
ThSS are
| BoUNTIEs DUE To SOLDIERS.
Among them are the names of more than a
hundred Indians, who served in far-Western
regments-Samuel Bean-stick Deer Scare
Bear, Drunkard, Jumping Grasshopper, Shoe
| Boots, Mouse Jack-up, Isaac Bull-frOg, Liar
| Good Luck and many other untutOre1 sons oi
| the forest have 500 each due them for their
patriotic services. large number of item:
also appear Of SIP and S2i each. These are foI
unclaimed pensions.
fund is S50.050.9I The 1900 unclaimed
amounts that have been returned to the Treas
ury aggregate SOS, 9,40S5l.
OF the 5000 and over who appear as debtors
TO the Government, many of them are not act
ually in default. This is particularly true O
those in the Diplomatic service, great mum
Der of whom appear rs having Overdrawn theil
salaries and being in other ways indebted Il
the Government. Deputy Register Fish say
this is chiefly due to the
BAD BooKKEEPING
| in the State Department. From the published
list il is impossible TO tell who of these ar,
|
ent inaccuracy is true of the Diplomatic people
who are credited. some with large amounts i
is not in human nature for public official z
retire leaving thousands of dollars standing Il
his credit on the Treasury books. The appear
ance OF large percentage of these items, boil
debit and credit, is chargeable TO carelessneS7
technicalities and tangles, which have not beer
Strengthened out.
SOME BIG DEFAULTERs.
The largest amounts due the Government ar
from defaulters in the Customs and Interna
Revenue service and among the various custO
dians of public money. Among the Collector
of Customs who appear in default are the FOL
lowing:
Name. Port. Year. AMI
Robert Arnold Perth Amhoy Nj 1916 s77 90
VIM Brown New Orleans Is20 lO7 0l
Perry Fuller do. 1881 200 81
James Holmes Charleston, =. O. lSIS l6i =
Jesse Hoyt New York lsi2 2is.s7
| +. G.. Morgan New Orleans 1916 2l22S
$. SwaTtwout New York Iss I.2OJ 03
Richard Wall Savannah, Ga lS6 E4h5
Collectors of Internal Revenue also furnis
some big figures as defaulters:
Name. District. Year. Amount
| j. II. Bailey 4lhNY 1865 SI65 g
| do. 3sd do ls7O B. q,
| J.. II. Collins 81 La ls6G G.8s6
John Crane 5th NC. 1863 ~ 81
| Fideiio Hunt 2d Miss Is66 II ~
| Eugene Ti-lalo "a La. I5S- ia n