St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-10-11
CHEATED UNCLE SAM,
The Third Auditor Of the Treasury Dis
covers Something that Sayors
Strongly of Fraud
In Connection With the War Claims of
the State of Indiana Against the
National Government.
Hoosier Officials Enormously. Inn
properly and Unlawfully'' Sc
cure About $4,000.
Gen. w. III. III. Terrell and Thomas B.
McCarty Believed to Have
Made the ssErrors.''
Needs Explanation.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10.-Third Auditor
Williams. of the treasury department., has
| addressed letter to the governor of In
| diana, in which he states that. in view of
the unsatisfactory condition of the records
| OF his office concerning the claims of several
states against the United States filed under
the provisions of the act of Congress ap-
proved July 81, 1881. to indemnify the states
for expenses incurred by them in defense of
the United States and acts supplemental
thereto, he had found it necessary to make
thorough examination of such claims in
| order to arrive at an intelligent understand
ing OF their present condition. The exam
nation of the war claims of the
state OF Indiana under the acts re-
ferred to has just been completed. and
ne lncloses for the governors infoIma ton
and such action as he may deem advisable
an abstract showing in detail the amounts
which. he says. have been erroneously. i'm
properly and unlawfully allowed the state:
First, in excess of vouchers presented: sec
ond, twice for the same service, and third.
amounts allowed without vouchers, amount
ing In all to SAG. 1913. The abstract, he
says, served to show gross carelessness or
something worse in the settlement and adj
Justment OF these accounts. for which some
person or persons then in the third audit
or's Office are responsible. This, Mr.. Will
Jams says. is evident.
PRETTY GOOD PROOF
Take. for example, voucher No. 100, ac-
count of D. P. kenrick, charged on abstract
filed by the state and allowed by the third
auditor, for $3.50, whereas the voucher it.
self called for 1880, thus raising the amount
$1,000. Voucher No. 1914, account of Robert
Bennett & Co., vouches for S54 1t is charged
on the abstract filed by the state and allowed
by the third auditors Office, S., 425, differ
ence of $5,31. Voucher No. 4.611, account
of A. Bookwalter, amounting to $3.50, is
charged on the abstract presented by the
state and allowed by the third auditor, for
$3.50. There are other like items for smaller
amounts, which will be observed in the course
OF an examination Of the abstracts.
Mr.. Williams says further:
The amounts allowed and paid twice by the
government will also attract attention. 1t is
assumed. as it was the uniform requirement,
that duplicate vouchers were taken in the
settlement OF these accounts. 1t appears
that at one time it was the custom of the
state officials having these accounts in
their charge to file one Of the duplicate
vouchers for ordnance and ordnance stores
in the second auditors Office, which is
charged with the settlement of ordnance ac-
counts, where it WAS allowed and paid. The
other voucher was filed in the third auditors
office, as claim against the government,
under the act of July 81, 1851, and allowed
and paid. In large majority of the claims,
however, it appears that the agents of the
state, after presenting to the third auditors
office the original of the duplicate vouchers,
which was settled and paid in subsequent
settlements, presented the other voucher,
and it, too, was audited and paid, thus max
ing double payments to a very considerable
amount.
RESTITUTION SUGGESTED.
Auditor Williams respectfully submits
that the next legislature should promptly
provide for the restitution of this money.
If it be said that there is still an unsettled
account between the state and the general
government, growing out of the expenses
incurred by the state in furnishing troops
in the war of the Rebellion, for which it
should be reimbursed. as provided for by
the act of congress. the general government
has not only been generous to Indiana, but
to all the states in the adjustment and pay
ment of their claims, and that, so far as he
is concerned, he is prepared to promptly
and without delay adjust and settle
all accounts of the state of Indiana
where the necessary and proper vouchers
are presented, but he is inclined to the
opinion that he ought not to pass upon a
single claim on the state until the sum Of
$40, 1913 is covered into the treasury. The
auditor concludes by stating that it is per-
haps proper that he should add that the err
roneous and unlawful allowances shown in
the accompanying abstract occurred at
various times, first in the year of 1865 and
continuing down to the year 1874, and that
the claims in which the errors and over
charges, or whatever else one may please to
Call them, were discovered, appear to have
been formulated and filed by Gen, W. b.
81. Terrell, late military secretary to the
governor, and Thomas B. McCarty, former
auditor of state, who were the legal repre-
sentatiYes Of the state in such matters.