The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-04-10
THE CONSCIENCE FUND.

Some Instances of Restitution Dy Pomiisut
| Robbers of the National Governments.
! In the vaults of the United States
Treasury at Washington there is the sam
of $500, tlG % whice is entered upon tie
books of the Treasurer as miscellaneous
receipts from persons unknown, ard
which sum constitutes what is known as
the Conscience Fund, as it is supposed
to come from people who have at some
time defrauded the Government and wi o
wish to make restitution by refundirg
the amounts of their populations.
This conscience fund.- said Tree
sury official, ''has been steadily increas-
ing for sixty years, until now it reachos
the enormous sum of nearly quarter Of
million dollars. The first money Of the
kind received at the Treasury was $3.50,
received in 1927, from an unknown pei
son who explained in his letter that lie
was refunding some customs that he had
once defrauded the Government of. Since
that time remittauces of all amounts
ranging from cents to -, 800 have been
coming in. They come from all over the
country, and even from foreign lands. \
letter was received not long ago from a
| fellow out in the Sandwich Islands ell
closing $3.50, which, ne explained, was
the proceeds of the sale Of some old brass
he had stolen from au Ameicau man-0r-
war several years previous at the Mac
Island Navy Yard. The recollection Of
his crime worried him until he had to re-
fund to ease his conscience.
ga great deal of this money is received
| from priests and ministers, who write
| that sore sinner in their parish requested
them to send it in. During the small
pox epidemic in Canada Catholic priest
in Quebec sent us draft for $50 which q
dying Canadian had given him, confess
ing to have stolen that amount from the
United States Government, but not Civ
ing the details. Frequently nothing az
companies the remittance to indicate
what it is for, but generally line or two
of explanation is given. Not long since
we received letter enclosing an old and
creased SO bill with a epte as follows:
''GRIDLEY, Georgy, February /.
"Nlister tresury pleas take this ten do
ers it is all have got and | have had it
long time but don't want it no more fer
my old man said as how lie had stole a
mule from the yankees just after the
surrender and as how he recKin it mite
| be stealln for the war was done over with
and he did not have any rite to take notl-
ing from the yankees no more aud 50 |
don't want no stealth III my family and |
reckin the mule warn't with more than
ten dolers for it war spawned old crit
ter anyway and | amt got no more
money your umble servint
Gam GRAY Hoes.
'P. S.-My Old man died last week.
"fhere was case of true conscier-
tiousness. Another time we received Il
letter containing four two-cent stamps,
| but not a line Of explanation. This,
| believe, is the smallest contribution ever
sent in. Another letter, postmaked at
Kansas City, was received enclosing ten
> bills, with note saying. This money
belongs to the government y fellow
out in Missouri sent in $2l, with the e.
PLANTATION that he had broken into 4 post
Office in New York state some yeas pre-
vious and stolen that amount, but hay
ing since joined the Methodist church
be felt that he could not be forgiven far
his sin until he refunded the money.
Two letters were received from men
who said they had been quartermasters
in the United States Army during tie
war and had delrauGcd the Government
one Of them RENTED the amount Of his
speculation, with interest AT six per cent.
for twenty years. \ bookkeeper in some
wholesale house in New York wrote that
in making out bill for seine supplies
furnished the Government lie had "
mistake overchaIged $50, and, nos wish
ing to acknowledge his error for fear of
being discharged, he wanted to pay back
the money
In January we received IN Off :ial er-
velole postmarked at New York, and
obtaining - 800 in bills, one of LOCO,
two of 500 and five Of 800. They were
II !, t,r, ,i+i, sr,r1
80 Wv :" '"'' "''A :" ',"''' F'e0o GU
from the centre, and the word ear
celled" written across the face. 4 noe
enclosed ran this:
s.JIaro oro - 1Oo Initial c.,+o.l..u.
,,,t;1otad So - irs,,-n 49,, 49,, III
ments getting the money. Whatsoever
SnyaJ rho wind md nv, ,d.,;',,. 49,
rhirI,ind rLis :. nav+ - ~, r. Wv
,n,t ,ino cd or,nt ',,o s,, a,,u n'l,'i psS
NV $50
we h"u receive" f'oo from Ne" OK
shortly before, and circumstances cor
nected with the two rCmittances ind
Gated that thev ue,,, Io.l, f,.,,,, +t.. so,,,,
.
P',I, LOO ,..,
''e iiah Sent III d slo0 bi.' Win
most contllte letter brimful of remorse
atd repentance. The bill was found TO
n. counterfeit
On december i, 1850, the Postmaster
| General received the GLOWING letter.
,.t-mo,kod Cho,,o,,ro ga. w, ~.
,sa- vs. ''>'
: 1901
Mr. ppSTNAsTEp GE%rI.,T - S;,. T,;. II
10 have vour assistance in ,ipbtinq n
wrong that caused in the wear 1864 or
| 1855 and 1866 or 1867. While in fl q
Post Office at Peru, Neb.. the devil tenn
pted me (while the Postmaster had his
back turned) to take letter containing