The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-06
portance. but all the others have the metrl-
cal or decimal system, and we alone cling
10 that Of the dark ages.


| Alt0HeintI. MI. Iidlflt HdN ~ -'i't'
complicated problem before him. Jnles' be
wants the Pan Afnerican Congress 10 o.
generate into mere lunching expedition,
! he must be.tir himself. Already the mai
contents are openly declaring that we nave
nothing to propose. 80 eminent an author
ity as Senator Sherman has admitted thal
we can expect no trade with our neighDoIs
under existing tarif conditions. nat
then. is 10 be done. The delegates have
practically completed the formulation Of
the rules which are TO govern the proceed
ings. and business Will soon be in order.
III Mr. Blaine accOmplishes anything al All
il will be a miracle. He Is confronted Dy
tremendous material obstacles, and he l.
handicapped by the barely concealed hostil-
ity already described. The situation Is OF
profound interest.
CONSERVATION OVER sILCOrTs STEAL.
A bombshel was exploded at the Capitol
today when it was suddenly announced
that there was defalcaton of nearly 3lp.-
600 i'm the Office of Charles i. leedoln,
of Ohio, late Sergeant-at-Arms Of the
House. The details Of this calamitOus ai-
fair will be given in the general press
reports. but no details can give
an adequate idea of the grief that
filled the bosom of the average Con-
gresham, and especially Of the Democrats.
The latter had, only three days ago. paid
LeedOm the sincere if frlliiless compliment
of an unanimous denomination. After the
first shock, some OF the Republicans began
TO guy their brethren on the other side Of the
floor, but the effort 10 extract from the situa-
tion was a failure, and gloom held undis-
puted sway. Indeed. the Republi-
cans soon realized that they were the
chief losers. All have lost, for the
time being, at least November pay; but
several had allowed funds 10 accumulate 10
their credit among them, Hon. Ezra B.
Taylor, Of Ohio, nearly three thousand dol
lars, and Mr.. Boufelle of Maine, about one
thousand Mr.. Perkins, Of Kansas, bow
ever, went further. He actually deposited
two hundred dollars with Leedom few
days ago, and now finds there was no entry
made Of the deposit
[By United Press
THE AMOUNT.
&. r.. silcott, cashier Of the -eigcant-at
, Arms Office of the last Congress is an en-
bezzler in the amount Of about $50, 900,
$4,000 Of which is government money.
He has bond on file for $50, 900 with good
securities. so the government will not suffer
so severely as individuals. The chief suf-
ferer will be the Sergeant-at-Arms Of the
last House, J. Z. Ieedom, who loses $4,000
cash, and is held responsible for the short
ace Of SilcOtt above the amount which may
be recovered from his b0ndsmen.
>ilcott left the city Yesterday, and he is
supposed TO be in Canada.
CAUSED SENSATION.
The announcement Of the defalcation
created sensation in the House. Silcot
was well-knOwn 10 at least one hundred OF
the old members. His little STOPPING figure
and his gray head were familiar to every one
who had had occasion TO go to the office OF
the Sergeant-at-Arms to draw money in the
last Congress.
Many of the new members had become
acquainted with him during the past sum-
mer. lie was, TO all appearances. man OF
good habits. steady and trustworthy.
Among his people in Ohio he had borne
good reputation. ii was as though the Ser
geant-at-Arms had accused one Of their own
of embeIzlement when the members of the
House listened tO the announcement that
there was a shortage in silcOtts accounts.
MR.. LEEDOM.
Mr.. Leedom seemed to take the matter
quietly and with some fOrtitude. although
ne told the newspaper interyiewers who
crowded about him that he was In no con-
ditiOn to talk. "All Of this money has been
drawn since Wednesday" he said 10 a
United Press reporter. as he sat in the back
room Of his little office gazing at the stream
of anxious Congressman who poured IN the
door 80 look at the big empty safe, and 70
ASK questions aud offer sympathy. I'VE
did not suspect ANYTHING wrong until ti30
Yesterday afternoon. and we had no absO-
lutte knowledge of the extent Of the defaioas
tion until this morning just before j made
the report of il 10 the House."
WENT TO NEW YORK.
"Mr. Silcott went 10 New York SATURDAY.
.ll baf 40 haI 0aliagf
money. sunday night he telegraphed 10 his
wife that he would he back Monday night.
We did not know what had happened to
him when he did nOi appear, but we thought
that he had been Killed. We never sus-
pected the truth until his absence became
prolonged, when we began 10 investigate.
we did not believe the truth until We bad
gone 10 the treasury as a last resort, hoping
that he had not drawn the money. There
we found that be bad drawn sl5J,WO since
Wednesday, apparently with the intention
OF carving il away. Thea / determined to
report the matter Immediately TO the House,
and await its action. The shortage is sll,-
S2 had $4,000 i'm the safe, and >ilcott
had a like amount up to saturday. That
il all gone. ! suppose silcott has IT with
him ~ Canada
slcott came flop Youngstown, Ohio,
where be was a merchant foT Bany years.
His bond Is for $4,000, and his bonds.
men. fifteen In number. are all residents OF
Ohio and vicinity where ne lived. silcOtt
has been cashier for about six years. He
handled about sj,Vo,0OO a year, and gave a
bcHd ofsjO,OVO. -
W. LeedcM gives a bond for like
amount.
silcott has married son and two little
daughters. Mrs. slcott is ne ariy distracted.
TUE qoyEFNNENr WILL LosE NOTHING.
The government will nor be loser by the
defalcatiOn Of silcoit, Ills su.etits ani
those OfMr. LeedOm will be obliged 10 make
up the amount Of government money taken
By him.
Mr.. Leedom, in order to recover the
honey for his bOndsmen, will be obliged 10
apply 10 cGngTess. There is some talk
among the member or passing 2 I'll for the
immediate relief Of the members whose
money was taken by silcott. Several mem
bers hold hat this cannot be done. The
Sergeant-at-Arms ca, ries on regular bank
ing business through his oilice, AID many
oftbe members had deposits there outside
of their acc0unis with De government pre-
ferring 10 trust 10 the honesty Ol me ser
geant-at-A Arms, because OF the COM enience
Just how much money wa. deposited TO
those privare accounts is not known. but Il
statement covering the ground will proDa-
bly DO prepared for the inspection oi the
Investigating committee appointed b!
SpeakerEeed when it mee,s io-Eerrow'
COMMITTEE AProINTEp.
Mr.. Adams,of llllpoi-, offered resolution
which was unanimously adopted, apihosiz-
ing the appointment OF select committee 10
investigate the matter. After the appoint
ment of this committee, and the following
co,.miitee on rules: The Speaker Mchin-
lev. Cahns., Carlisle and Randall, the
House at l2:l5 adjoutheG gr'i Monday.
CoMMEMORATiON CEREMONIES.
The loinf cvawi,tee Of Congress having
charge of The arfangements for the cere-
monials in commemOration of'the Inaugural
tion of George Washington, 10 be held IN the
hall Of ihe lIogse Of Representatives De
cembeF u, Aas SIasga1 ~ elaborate
programme for the day, thc lonse
will meet at the usual hour, aud VIII
notify the senate that IL IS In session. The
senais having assembled. and the members
oS liza supreme ;"""ri. Of The Diplomatic
Corr. and oiheg bodies, having s:e,'herea ~
geiher, tley WilI plQceel 70 he iiali 9i the