Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-09
a DELINQUENT OFFICIAL.
The Disbursing Clerk OF the Urea
sury short in IIts Accounts.
lBy telegraph TO tho Dispatch.


WASHINGTON, May Sit is understood
that General James W. Ewing, discussing
clerk Of the Department OF Justice, hos been
found short I'm his accounts TO the extent OF
$1,000 or $4,000. Ewing is bonded IN the
sum Of $4,000, and Representative Nathan
COT, Jr, OF West Virginia, is one OF bis
sureties. Ewing is Union soldier OF good
record, ana Is one Of the best.known men in
the city. lie was appoiated from West Viz
giuia, and has been in his present office for
many years.
some months ago the First Comptroller OF
the Treasury Informed the Attorney.General
that Ewing was somewhat slow in rendering
his accounts, and said 10 might Ice we'll TO eX-
pedite them. The Attorney.General called
Twiu-'S attention 10 the matter and IN
siructed him to be more careful. Ewing said
he was delayed by lack az necessary clerical
assistance, but promised there should be no
further cause for complaint. lie followed
no his statement by submitting large num-
ben OF vouchers for The Attorncy-GencraPs
signature which he sad he had been unable
IN prep3re sooner. These were trans
mitied to the accounting officers aud
made things all right for the time.
lie fell behind again, however, and
the First Comptroller made another
complaint to the Attorney-General. The
latter became annoyed over The matter and
determined that it should tie thoroughly In
ycstigated. lie therefore detailed two
trusted EMPLOYEES and instructed them to
take immediate charge Of the Office, iunds,
SO az the disbursing clerk, and 10 report TO
MIN the exact condition Of his accounts.
This was several days ago. and the invesu-
cation was completed to-day. In the mean
lime a clerk in the First Comptr0leTs Once
was detailed 10 examine E~lng's accounts
As shown by the records In the Office OF the
accounting officers. The three lnNesllga-
tors had q conference to-day, ana II Is
shown, so Il is stated, that there was a
discrenoncy I'm the accounts Of about 5000
~ So ooO. Attorney. General Garland and
FIRST comptroller Durham were Interviewed
an the subject this afternoon, but neither
vVas inclined 10 be very communicative.
,rhey each admitted that General Ewlng's
accounts were being Investigated, but de-
cliped 10 state the result until II had Oeen
oficisllv reporcd by the committee con-
ducting the investigation. Attorney-"eh-
oral Garland said he had ordered tue inVes-
tira,loa Is soon as the necessity Tor II Wa
brought 20 bis attention. The committee ha1
about finished their work, be thought anu
would probably report to HIN 10 morrow
lie had OF course general idea OF the state
Of affairs, but was NOT ihVilutN W ney "."N"
about IL until entirely satisfied that there
was something wrong. He would saw
boweyrr. that the interests OF the
government were fully protected 10
his case for the reason that the
nenalty bond was perfectly good Tor more
,hsn the amount I'm dispute between the ex-
ampers. As for General Ewing he bad
always found him exemplary In character
and proficient ia the business OF bis oiace.
The First Comptroller admitted that
Ewlpe's accounts were not Altogether
straight, but ADDED that even u there was
sbortage cf $4,000 1t was well secured by
bis official bond. Subsequent inquiry re-
yesled that Ewing bad been delinquent IN
rendering his SccountS - far back As So
and that over $1,000 o; the money said u"
nave not been accounted for belongs 10 The
accounts for 1882. 1883, and 1854.
General Ewing says that as soon os me
examination now in progress IS compiet "a
!, Mi be found that toe Government wlll
lose nothing. The discrepancy, he ssld, Is
d,,e IN . large measure 10 the suspension
sod disallowance OF vouchers by The Fifst
Comprroller that bad been paid by him IN
sood faith and approved by the Attorney
General