Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-01-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. l6, 1886.
No THE SoITTU KENTUCKIAN:

WASHINGTON, ID. u, Jan. 10, 1901
To THE South KENTUCKIAN:
Another of the Navy Department
fraudulent voucher cases has ended
in the acquittal of the defendant:
These suits are what might be called
technical fraud suits, and why inno-
cent men, standing high in business
and social circles, should be put to
the expense of defending them is
mystery. Just before Chandler re-
tired from the Navy Department as
its Secretary he instituted an lnves-
tlgation into the manner OF conduct
ing business by some of his Bureau
Chiefs, and rumors of immense frauds
were telegraphed from the Atlantic
to the Pacific. All the defendants SO
far tried have been acquitted, and as
a matter of National interest it may
briefly stated how color was given to
the charges. Congress IN making
appropriations for the different De-
partment specifies particular tund,
out of which specified articles or ex-
penses are to be paid; for instance,
There is a fund for stationery, anoth-
er for furniture, &c, sc. Any un-
used balance from any of these funds
is 10 be turned into the Treasury at
the close of the year, and the account
ing officers are not permitted TO pay
for purchases in one specified class
out of another fund. 1t frequently
bappcns that one fund is exhausted
before another, and then when artl.
Giles ofthat class are wanted tits usual
to purchase them and charge them up
in duplicate vouchers prepared by the
Government officers under the name
F of articles coming under the head
of the unexpended fund. These vouch-
ers are receipted by the seller, and the
, Government gets what it needs, and
, the accounting officers on the face oil
= the papers pay only for what was
! authorized by law. 1t will thus be
seen that the Government in such
p cases receives an equivalent for every
y cent paid out but the charge is made
I under a different name from wha'
I was actually received, so as to comply
e nominally with the law. This prac
+ tice has been very common one, anC
+ the evidence in these fraud trials ha!
q proved to be so. If any person VIC
n lated the law it was the Government
n officers, who did so to supply tn
II needs of the Government, and if an.
n person should be punished it is thes
4 officers and not the merchants win
# actually furnished an equivalent TO
I every cent received. This is littl
ID bit of inside Government history tina
II will explain to people away from her
re why it is that so many men tried o
N these fraudulent charges are acquitl
In ed. Merchants here understand
N but most people away from here d
IN not.
I'd The other day the house of d
adj Emil Bessels, who was with DIR. lila
a, in his Arctic expedition, and who
supposed to know more about u
I cause of DR.. Halls death than
10 cares to tell, was burned to the grour
tie and the Doctor was compelled
,r- Jump from the second story to sa'
Ter his life. The library which was col
I'm pletely destroyed contained lar
nm collection of rare and costly scientl
is books, valuable manuscripts a
tn Arctic charts.
all Senator Hoar, of Massachuset
hat has introduced a bill fixing the til
md for the meeting of Congress in IL
ev- and every second year thereafter,
md the first Monday in October inste
Itch of December as now, and in 1887 a
nm every second year thereafter, on
,ge, second Monday in November. l
me thought that by thus adding Fl
ow two to three months to the Sess
out of Congress, the business of the col
sed try can be properly attended to. !
ar fact that 5000 bills have already b
ard introduced, makes apparent the
hut cessity for Congress to do someth
,wn more than it has done in the pas
scat enable it to act ON the business CO
not ing before it.
the Within the past week stra
orth visitor from the sky shot Its
tbe through the roof of house and N
,ded ly frightened to death young
scat occupant, who thought that s.
ated evil disposed person was MAXI
rner pistol target of her. The meteor
ey- for such Prof. Yeates, Of the SIN
bed sonian, pronounced it TO be, ma
INV hole about two inches in diamet'
tand the ceiling, and exploded after Ell
vater ing the room. No damage was
and other than to knock down SON
" of the plaster, and unstring the nj
IT in of the young lady for some days.
This 1t is believed that Congress
in tn this session make provision
4 mr. erecting a grand National Lit
ound building, which subject has been
way cussed to some extent i'll every
side gress for the past five years. 4
d il. has Just been introduced by
al YER Long, to purchase for $55O,0U
sum square just east Of the Va
I'd nv grounds. This square has on it
in the residences erected within the
n. o two wears for which Congress "
nailed course have to pay a stiff price,
rune then have them torn down to
him room for the Library building.
h the increased cost Is que 10 ING ~
@ flew Congress in not buying the S
er and when it was talked OF, and
Tn see have been bought for muct
:. Well money, three years ago. i ~,
s teeth another illustration OF lhe iol
looked the proverb penny Wise anu
II next foolish"