Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-05-10
EWING'S SHORTAGE.
A FORMER WESTVIRGINIANIN TROUBLEAT
WASHINGTON.
Particulars Of the Delinquency in the Discussing
Clerks Ace0gHS-The Shortage Rams Back
as Far as iSS2-Cerk Branuigan, Of
S,5ubsly,e, Succeeds Him.

| Special T,'sgrUg 10 he Register.
I WASHINGTON, May General James
W. Ewing, of West Virginia, who has for
many years held the position Of Disburs-
ing Clerk for the Department of Justice,
has been removed, and be leaves the Gov
ernment service under cloud. His many
friends, both here and in West Virginia,
will be pained to hear this, as he has been
very popular and companiOnable. The
Generals successor is Mr.. Frank o. Braa-
nigAn, of Steubenville, Ohio,
1t seems that the first Controller of the
Treasury has recently been overhauling the
accounts Of Gen. Ewing, and it is said, has
discovered a shortage Of from s., 600 to
$40. 900. I IL Controllers attention was
first called 10 the accounts by the dilatOTy
manner in which returns from Gen. Ew.
ing's office came in to him and at various
times he asked the General to be more
prompt in his reports Gen. Ewing said, in
explanation OF his delay, that the duties of
his double position and the small clerical
force that was given him rendered it al
most impossible TO prepare his returns
promptly. The Controller finally called
the attention OF the Attorney General to
matter, and the latter at once ordered an
Investigation.
The work OF investigating was completed
Yesterday, the result showing that Gen.
Ewing's accounts were short So, 500 Gen.
EwiUg's bond is for $1,000, Representa-
tive Nathan Gotf, IT., being one OF the St
curitIes. Il Is said that s., 900 OF the short
age belongs 70 the accounts for 1852, l~~3
and 1854, and that the delinquency in rem
iering accounts runs back as far as the first
named year. Gen. Ewing was appointed
number Of years ago from West EIr-
giuia, aud was a Union soldier with
good record. Gen. Ewing claims
that this deficiency can be accounted TOR,
that most OF il was caused BY disallowed
rCuuisitiOns, among them being those for
the portraits Of eN.Attorney Generals De.
veus aud McYeagh. IL is understood,
however, that the investigating committee
dld not take into consideration any of the
items which had been diSallOwed by the
accounting officers. but that nevertheless
General Ewiug's accounts were found to be
nearly $40 600 short The ma ter is dis.
posed of 50 tar az the Department OF JUS
tice il concerned, but it is probable that it
will take several weeks to carefully inves-
tigate the accounts in the Treasury Depart
uent.
The government will not sustain any
loss. So slow have the vouchers been COM
ing in to the FIst Controllers Office from
the department OF Justice that the requi-
sjtiou tor money from Gen. living were
pared down to the lowest point, and there
was about SIS on hand yesterday. The
appointment OF Brannigsn as Gen. ESing's
successor was made on the recommended
tion OF Assistant Secretary Thompson.
The office Is within the classified service OF
- UuU, and it was necessary to make the
appointment by promotion. lie will as
sume his new duties a. soon rs his bond Is
approved, probably tomorrow.
The new appointee was appointed TO a
81 POO clerkship in lSS6, under civil ser
vice rules, aud has been advanced with
great rapldity He is good Democrat
and is about twenty SIX years old.