New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-07
CONGRESSMEN IN A FIX,
REPRESENTATIVES, SERIOUSLY EMBAR-
RAISED BY SILCOTT'S FLIGHT
MANY OF THEM WILL HAVE TO GO WITHOUT
THEIR NOVEMBER PAY-THE HOUSE CON-
MITTEE BEGINS ITS INVESTIGATIONS.
tBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIDUsEI


MTTEE BEGINS ITS INvEsTIG ATOMS
tBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIDUSEI
Washington, Dec 6.-Few Of the Representatives
who visited the Capitol to-day failed to drop In at the
office Of the Sergeant Arms of the House, and their
uniform mission there inquire what the chances
were of recovering, in part at least the November
instalments Of salary on which the missing CASHIER
Sicot is presumably celebrating his accession 10
the American colony at Montreal. Mr.. Lecdom's re-
manning force was, in fact kept busy all the morning
answering questions, and every now and then mem
Der would como In with belated certificate, only TO
be turned away with the statement that the sergeant
alarms was not doing business to-day.
Meanwhile, upstairs the special committee Of the
House was trying to straighen out the tangle In which
silcotts fight has left the sergeantat Armss affairs
Nr Adams of Illinois, the chairman, presided, and
seated around the long table Messrs. Payne
Reed, Of Iowa; Stewart, of Vermont Holman, Blount
and IIemphl. Presently Mr.. Leedom, carrying in his
arms big bundle of books, entered the committee
room. He accompanied by exCongrcssman
Phl' Thompson, of Kentucky, who SAID that he was
present as counsel for the retiring Sergeant alarms
But tho committee decided that Mr. Leedom was not
actually on trial, and did not need counsel and Mr.
Thompson sent away. 1t was voted that ali the
proceedings should be secret and the other ookerson
requested TO follow the eX-COngIessmcn from
kentucky out into the corridor. Mr. Leedon gave
testimony until after / O'Clock. when recess was
taken, and then, reassemblng, James W. Whclpy,
the Assistant Treasurer of the United States, explained
to the committee how Representatives salaries were
usually paid. He was followed by r. d. True the
cashier OF the Treasurers Office, who told about inc
circumstances under which ScOtt had drawn the three
blocks Of salary last week Nothing new, was stated
afterwad, developed by the examination of these
witnesses, and the committee then went down to Mr..
Leedoms office and looked over the books and papers
in the SAFE
50 far Il lnour him
S71 900 drawn as salary to the account Of members
The $4,000 belonging to Mr.. Leedom and many
smaller amounts deposited for safe Keeping III INC
Office will swell his embezzlemcnts to between
100000 and 100000. The $4,000 left in the saie
and now available for general uses was, it has been
discovered, locked in a separate compartments u
which only the paying teller. Mr. Ballantine, had tho
key. Sicott could not get at it without breaking
the lock- and apparently he did not care to take this
additional risk.
Members Of the House have been busy all day
figuring out the amounts which were due them on
salary account and which they are likely to get now
only by extra legislation Probably two hundred and
fifty or sixty Representatives signed receipts for
November which silcott cashed, and they Will be
deprived temporarily at least, Of months pay.
other members have signed certificates running back
far last spring, leaving the money, as IL was
drawn, in the hands Of the SergcantatAr
Representative Clark of Wisconsin, has not collected
cent OF his pay since March, and has an account WIN
Mr. IeedOm for 81 200. Mr.. Belden, of New-fork,
+, credited with being $4,000 behind in his pay. He
thought he had signed any certificates recently.
but the books, Mr. Lcedom says. show him about nine
months behind. According to calculation made this
afternoon Mr.. Geissenhaner, of New-Jersey, had let
about $500 accumulate in Mr.. Leedom's hands
w. d. Owen, OF Indiana gave sllcott a chance to take
81, 800 to Canada; so did Mr.. Bayne, of Pttsburg.
General Bingham of Philadelphia, had 81 900 on the
I Sergeant at-Armss books Mr.. HaImer, of Phladel-
pha had $4,000, and ]. d. Taylor, of Ohio was
credited with being Mr.. LeedOm's creditor TO the same
amount as Congressman Bclden, 50 600 Major Nc
| Kiney, Of Ohio said TO have missed his regular
October and November payments. but to have drawn
some small checks against them General Abner Iay-
lor was put down as back on his salary for nine
months. Mcssrs. Ralnes, Laidlaw, sherman Payne
and Wallace Of New York, had each about S42O due
from tho se1geant- at-Ams's Office Among those
who hal personal deposits with Mr.. LeedOm, ana are
likely 10 lose all part Of them. are the following:
Rife Of Pennsy Yania 81. 300 Butterworth, of Ohio.
! 5000; Herman. Of Oregon, $500; Connell. of
Nebraska, 81 800; owen of Indiana, So Bowden. of
/ Virginia, Sj17 Buckalew, Of Pennsylvania $1,000;
Burrows. Of Michigan $500 Gambler, of Massachusetts,.
$500; Clune of California. $500; Dubois Of Idaho,
| $500, Enloe. of Tennessee, 800; Fitch, Of New
York. ~ 200; Hooker, of Mississippi, ZOO; Mash,
| of Pcnnsy lvania, 800; Mason, OF Illinois. $500;
McAdoo, OF New-Jersey, SIG; Mccormick of Pennsyl
vania 500; McCreary, Of Kentucky, $500; Mchenna'
of California 800; Morrow Of California. 500; Pick
Ter. Of South Dakota II 200; RUSSELL of Connecticut,
| 300; Stahlncckcr, of Newiork, 800.
Mr. Boutelle of Maine, says he has had no business
transactions whatever with the Office He has $1,000
in pay still due him, however. ConGre ssman Price
Of louisiana has not any salary at all since his
election and has a credit now of over $500 Mr..
Adams Of Illinois, the chairman of the committee, was
| one Of the lucky members He had Overirawn his
| account by 600 General SpinOla had also got the
full amount of his November pay, ard beameu r@liaN
to-day over the points of his high collar Felix camp
bell of Brooklyn. has signed no certificates since last
spring, and IS safe whatever happens Judge houch'
Of Tennessee, also ahead OF his pay ana can lose
nothing.
Few, however have been fortunate, and 1t Is
no cAaggerdtiOn TO say that ScOt HlEh hdS nl,
number OF members Of the House III an enDdIrd>o.ue
predc ament Their business afIaneeihcns sa,,i oa
month have been upset, and they VIII uo ll ma az
measure Of relief, that committee OH n'i' a. the
appointed at 10 settle up me ~ooul.S VI ,-or
members This will tide most OF me se Tnncv will
untll the January payment ol c9uiso oi & IIo;,sc of
eventually be returned TO the victims III tr R 9,ot
nap hazard system Of dong Da,ings, U.s., forded by
precedent It seems scarcely Just that Congres1Icd d
should lose salaries which they have larry Ca e9o ebnd %
have been deprived OF by the fault OF aD'uiu ,Int
| In collection II is probable INA,
bin will be introduced the result OF '4o to tbc
losses and changing fbe law with regard 10 me pay
salaries An effort has also been nTGo ,rop 10
show that the certificates were paid without PioPIr
authority at the Treasury. The money II Is Saiu:
not due until December ~ Ddt 9..cu -, - u.oro
bGk Of II several days before that. The 3rlers WeIe
oral Clark, while II they were dated DecclU t9 now "
eler had no right 10 sign mem to,c e The Clerk has
authority TO s9n certificates only during me recess
months All these questlons hoWeyg @i which bo Is
expected 10 continue its sessions tomorrow at the
Capitol