Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-07-10
CONSCIENCE MONEY.
One Of the Most Peculiar Sources
Of Federal Income.

one or the Most Peculiar Sources
OF Federal Income.
How Persons MaRe Peace with Them-
seIve s for Cheating Uncle Sam-The Most
Common Explanations VOuchsafed by
Anonymous Correspondents.
Not long ago remittance of twenty dol,
lars was received at the Treasury from
Cleveland as a contribution to the ''con-
science fund" The other day, writes the
Washington correspondent of the Cleveland
Leader, had talk with the chief clerk of
the division of public moneys in the Treas
ury Department about it. The money so re-
ceived is not kept in separate fund but is
turned into the Treasury the same as money
that comes in from other sources Of revenue
The amount received each year appears in
the annual reports. 1t varies a good deal
One year it may be $500 and the next &, 900.
1t Is usually made up of small sums, though
not infrequently single remittances run up
into the hundreds and now and then into
the thousands.
1t will be understood that these amounts
are sent by persons who have purposely or
otherwise defrauded the Government, and
are induced by the smitings of conscience
to make restitution. In forty-nine cases
out of fifty the money is sent in such a way
as not to afford the slightest possible clew
to the identity of the sender. The fact that
Uncle Sam has the money seems to be a
sufficient sedative to the perturbed con-
science, without that "open confession
which is said to be "good for the SOUL"
Sometimes brief explanatory notes are sent,
stating for what the money is due the Gov
ernnent, but signature of any kind Is ex-
frnmnlv SOmo pnnraiv 10
money belongs to the United States" or
words Of similar purport. In many cases
there is not scratch of pen or pencil, the
money being simply enclosed in an envel-
ope, perhaps folded in sheet of blank
paper. All such are presumed to be cases
OF conscience" and are so treated It is
Of course, impossible to give any receipts
for the money. Now and then one will
write: "Please acknowledge receipt in the
newspapers" This is the reason why care
is usually taken to have the receipt of "con-
science money" mentioned in the Associ-
ated Press dispatches. The senders are
likely to be watching for such items and
when they see that the money is in the
A~easury they no doubt feel that they are
in better shape Ior the final reckoning in
the hereafter.
1.-THE only cases." said the clerk, (which
have anybody's name connected with them
are those similar to one we had a year or
two ago. A Catholic priest IN Boston wrote
that one of his parishioners, on his death
bed, confessed to him that he had wronged
the Government out of $50. He could not die
in peace without making restitution, but
desired that his name be withheld. The
priest indorsed the amount, with interest
for nine years at per cent, $50 IN all. The
man evidently didn't want that debt to
hot hn him IL, ha ,nxyfr -lI
his stay in purgatory. The priest, of course,
signed his own name and we acknowledged
by letter the receipt of the money. We
have had number of instances of that
kind, in which conscience seemed to be
quickened by serious illness or the confes-
sional
''The most common reasons given for re-
hitting, when the senders make any ex-
planation at all, are that the money is due
for internal revenue taxes or customs duties
evaded, or for petty frauds to avoid the
payment OF postage. remember one case
of wealthy lady who, after spending some
time abroad, returned to this country,
bringing with her a valuable article of
wearing apparel / think it was for her
personal use, and not strictly dutiable, but
her conscience troubled her about it. She
went back to England, and while there told
the story TO one of the Consuls, requesting
him to ascertain what would be the amount
OF duty on such garment. He did so, and
she promptly remitted it to u.s. She sent
with 1T nice little note explaining the mat
ter 1t was full of contrition, and expressed
the hope that Uncle Sam would forgive her
But she hadn't the courage to sign hern
to it,
"a single enclosure of 81, ,OO0ls the largest
amount l remember to have been received
from one person. 1t was little singular
that for this large sum there was absolute
ly nothing to show whence it came except
the postmark on the envelope. Even that
may have been misleading, as it is quite
possible that the repentant sinner sent it
away from home 70 be mailed. He was
evidently very careful to conceal his iden-
tity, as the money was in four 81 900 bills.
Upon the paper wrapped around the money
was written: please place this to the credit
Of Conscience and that was all. A draft,
you know, would have furnished a clew
that might easily have been followed up, If
we had chosen to pursue the matter. / do
not remember ever receiving conscience
money in any other form than currency
They are all too smart to send drafts or
money-orders.
II remember one remittance as small as
ten cents, and that was funny case too
The money was inclosed in quite long let
ter, unsigned, in which the writer said that
when he was boy he received letter
from friend, the three cent postage stamp
on which had escaped cancellation. More in
a spirit of mischief than any thing else he
detached the stamp and used it on his an
swer to the letter, thus making it do double
duty, and cheating the Government out of
three cents. He wrote that although 1t
seemed like a trifing matter it had always
troubled him-on the principle, suppose,
that 1T is sin to steal a pin, even though
it may be greater to steal a 'tater' It had
been nearly twenty years since the offense
was committed, and the writer said he pre-
sumed the interest would increase the debt
to seven or eight cents. He inclosed ten SO
as to be sure there would be enough"