Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-05-08
THE CONsCIENCs FUND.
Letters Uncle Sam Receives Full of Re-
morse and Repentance.

Letters Uncle Sam Receives Full of Re
II morse and Repentance.
New York Sun.
In the vaults of the United State
treasury at Washington there is the sun
of 2O,747.26, which is entered upol
the books of the treasurer, as 'smiscellane
GUS receipts from persons unknown,
and which sum constitutes what is know
as the conscience fund" It is sup
posed to come from people who have a
some time defrauded the government,
and who wish to make restitution By
refunding the amounts of their pecula
tions.
''This conscience fund.-" said treas
ury official, "has been steadily increasing
for sixty years, until it now reaches tn
enormous sum of nearly $250,000. Thu
first money of the kind received at tn
treasury was $3.50, received in 1872
from an unknown person who explained
in his'letter that he was refunding fol
customs that he had once defrauded thu
government of. Since that time remit
tances of all amounts ranging from
cents to $4,000 have been comil & in
They come from all over the country
and even from foreign lands. A lettel
was received not long ago from fellow
out in the Sandwich Islands inclosine
$3.50, which he explained was the
proceeds of the sale of some old brass he
had stolen from an American man. Of
war several years ago at the Mare Island
navy yard The recollection of his crime
worried him until he had to refund tc
ease his conscience.
"a great deal of this money is re-
ceived from priests and ministers, vino
write that some sinner in. their parish
requested them to send it in. Dur
ing the smallpox epidemic in Canada {
Catholic priest in Quebec sent us draft
for $50 which dying Canadian had
given him, confessing to have stolen that
amount from the United States govern.
ment, but not giving the details. Ere
quently nothing accompanies the remit
lance to indicate what it is for, but gen.
orally line or two of explanation is
given. Not long since we received a
letter inclosing an old and creased $40
bill, with note as follows:
"'GRIDLEY, GEoRGY, February 4.-Mister
treasurer please take ten dollars it is { II 1
have got and 1 have had it long time but 1
don't want it no more for my old man said
as how he had stole mule from the yankees
just af.er the surrender and as how he reckin
it mite be stealth for the war was done over
with and he did not have any rite to take
mn hfy frOvv yor,lyn NO
din't want no stelin in my family and
reckon the mule warnt worth more than ten
dollars for it war a. spawned old critter
anyway and l amt got any more money
your umble servant,
ANNIE GRAY H1GGs,
esp. S.-Ny old man died last week.
''There was case of true conscious
ness. Another time we received a letter
containing four cent stamps, but not
line of explanation. This, I believe, is
the smallest contribution ever sent in.
Another letter, postmarked at Kansas
City, was received inclosing ten SIS bills,
with note, saying: This money be-
longs. to the government A fellow out
in Missouri sent in $21, with the ex.
PLANTATION that he had broken into post
Office in New York state some years
previous and stole that amount, but hay
ing since joined the Methodist church,
he felt that he could not be forgiven for
his sin until he refunded the money.
1.-Two letters were received from men
who said they had been quartermasters
in the United States army during the
war, and had defrauded the government.
One of them RENTED the amount of his
populations, with interest at per cent
Tor twenty years A book-keeper in
some wholesale house in New York wrote
hat in making out bill for some sup
plies furnished the government he had
oy mistake overcharged $50, and not
wishing to acknowledge his error for fear
Of being discharged, he wanted to pay
back the money.
''In January we received an official en-
7elope, postmarked at New York, con-
aiming $4,000 in bills-one of $1,000,
wo of $500, and five. in 500. They
we're all cut in two, with a small piece
Tut from the center, and the words con-
'ealed' written across the face. A note
nclosed ran thus:
Here are $4,000 in United States
,ills, mutilated SO as to insure the gov
getting the money. What
oever man sows that shall he reap. /
lave sowed the wind and am reaping the
vhirlwind. This is next to the final pay
nent due. God grant me speedy re-
ease.'
"We had received $500 from New
York shortly before, and circumstances
with the two remittance indi-
ate they were both from the same
party.
'.There is tale connected with con-
science item of $500 we once received.
\ gentleman down in New Orleans
wrote, inclosing check for $500, with
he following explanation: He said that
Up to few weeks previous there had
ived an old man at the mouth of Calca-
ieu Pass, in Mississippi, who was report
ID to be smuggler. He lived in a mis-
'rable hut rear the beach, and was osten-
IDLY fisherman. This gentleman who
ent the money, and whom we will call
smith, was out duck hunting one day,
nd severe storm coming up, he sought
heller in the old fsherman's hut. He
ound the old man very sick-in fact, dy-
ng. Smith stay ed with him all that
light, and about daylight the old man
led, having made Smith swear that he
7ould send $500 in bills, which he would
md secleted behind board in the wall,
D the United States treasury. The old
IAN said that year before, while tax ,
ng out his nets one morning, he found