New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-12
THE LEEDOM MYSTERY.
LIGHT ON THE DISCOUNT BUSINESS DONE
BY THE SERGEANT-ATARMs.
THE TESTIMONY IN THE CASE LAID BEFORE
THE DISTRICT TT0RNEY-WHERE is THE
MONEY 1-MR. LEEDoMs STORY

Washington Dec 1.-The Leedom mystery deepens'
Early this morning the testimony taken by the HOUSE,
select Committee laid before the United s.a'c'
District Attorney for the District OF Columbia H. as
many of the best lawyers believe, the Sergedn'-at
Arms IS an officer Of the Government he Will icei
personal interest in this fact While scott apparently
has vanshed-whether in the wilderness oil Gamma vi
the miss of the South Atlantic, as his friends WOMB
fan have one beeve-lnterest IN Silcott Is DIMINISH
ing. while interest in Leedom is Increasing IL
understood that the preliminary report OF the oelcc'
Committee which will be laid before the House To-
morrow shows that Mr.. Leedom and his wicked part
ners Silcott did not keep bank OF deposit ana us
counts for fun" alone, but for profit a. we'll am
that in the space OF fifteen months discounts y the
amount of some $1,000 went into the pockets OF
Ieedon and silcott one or both. 1t was the under
standing in the office of the sergeantatArms that Mr.
Leedom had these discounts Now II he be dis
bursting officer, officer OF the United STATES
handling public funds this business was unlawful
IL is further understood that the testimony shows
that among the assets Of the Office Of the Sergeant
alarms when the safe opened three or four days
after Mr. Leedom ceased to hold that Office was Mr..
Leedoms personal check for 81 000 which counted
In the aforesaid assets" cash. On this check was
the memorandum that $3.50 had been paid Mr. Loedom
explained this transaction by saying that he had de-
posted some sort of bond collateral security for
the money but that he ready to pay in the money
and take up the check If thought advisable. He was
informed that he might act upon his own judgment in
the matter and 1t appears that he has not yet founn
It convenient to take up the check and pay In the
money The bond not deposited until after the
discovery of the check OF course, If Mr.. LeedOm was
an officer of the Government handling public funds,
his giving Of his personal check against said public
funds and drawing money thereon is penitenilaIy
offence, being violation Of Section 5,455 of the Re
vsed Statutes, which prohibits any discussing officer
from converting TO his use, in any way whatever.
or with without purpose
not prescribed by law any public money ntrused to
him.
1t will be observed that this matter has nothing TO
do with Silcott. the wicked partner, whose alleged
fight has engaged much Of the public attention
during the week. 1t IS understood that another
list of forged notes turned up to-day The forgery
business apparently, must have covered consider
able period. Among the notes in the list found TO
day those of at least a dozen men who have
already testified before the select Committee that they
never had any notes whatever discounted In the man
ner shown TO the notes hastily redeemed by slcoH
before the day he is said TO have run away.
Where is the money is a question which good
many people have begun 10 ask There is strong
suspicion that it carried beyond the limits
of the District Of Columbia just as there is strong
suspicion that Sicot has left the limits of the
United States 1t is reported that on the eve OF his
alleged flight Mr. Sicott left with his family S17OO, TO
be used I'm paying any bills which might be presented
In his absence As he had already paid his bill at the
hotel and he had explained that he expected TO be
absent only twenty four, or at the most, forty eShl
hours the allowance of 81 200 for family expenses in
the meantime would seem TO have been extremely
liberal. lie went the Treasury the bank early
on the morning of November 80 and between that
time and D. IN. had drawn the money which has dis
appeared, and returned to his office In the four or
five hours which elapsed there plenty of time for
Silcott hide $4,000 or more. 1t Is true that he
left his hotel for the station that night an hour and
tia ttafp irh
would give him anaopportunty to recover the money,
in case he had placed it in convenient place. 1t
formed bundle Of considerable bulk he having failed
TO obtain, no desired, number OF 81 QUO bils al
the Treasury Department or the bank, and having 10
content himself with more plebelan denominations
Now, as to the hunt for Silcott. Mr. Leedom says
that he sent two men, not exactly detectives 10
Canada to find Scott, and shadow him; and that, II
they succeed In finding the fugitive he proposes 10
90 up there and-wel, nobody knows what he VIII do
then One Of Mr.. LeedOm's friends to-day said that
the ex-Sergcant- at Arms had clegIaphed 10 somebody
somewhere TO watch certain steamer, which han
left for some South or Central American port at some
time in the past with the idea of catching Slcott.
1t is to be hoped that sllcOtt will be thus caught
While number of members of the House are pom
derng over board bills, and wondering how they SHAH
fill tire Christmas stocking Mr. LeedOm appears 10 be
| hush-n fact, to have plenty OF money-a clrcum-
| stance which has begun to attract attention
To return the discount business. Mr. Leedom
when confronted with It, testified that he had always
private fund in Mr. sllcotts side of the SAFE rang
ing from $500 to So 900, and that this private fund
| was the basis Of the discount business In other
words. he carrying line OF discount averaging
| about 81 800 a year, basis Of 500 to $1,000
When pressed by Mr.. Stewart on the subject OF tie
means at his command. he said u" I had money there
and Mr.. Slcott had money of his and whether lie
| took the money out of the funds that belonged to
Members OF Congress or not, do not know sup
pose If he did not have the money on hand he LOOK
| it out OF the general fund.-
Being further asked to who received the dement,
| of the discount, Mr.. Leedom artessy replied:
at has gone to Canada. That amount represents
| the amount of cash ought to have in the safe"
| When Mr. Leedom testified on this subject he prob
ably was not thai the Paying Teller of the office
| had been previously examined In that examination
| the following question by Mr.. Stewart asked:
Z" / want to know whether these discounts went TO
the credit of deposits or 10 the pocket of the Sergeant
| alarms"
| Mr.. Balantine's answer was: " 1t went into the
pockets of the Sergeant-aArms."
ono important fact disclosed by the investigation
thus far is that, during the entire period of Mr..
Ieedom's incumbency the books of the office of the
Sergeant alarms have been balanced and checked
against the cash hand. Mr.. Leedhom's idea of
bookkeeping seems to be Of the vaguest sort. In
his first statement before the committee he said
had the utmost confidence In Mr.. ScO and have had.
all my lfe until this disclosure. The business of the
Office has been conducted in such way that there
never was a question suspicion of rrcgulary. OF
course, there times when there little diff
ferences in the books but that mere matter of
calculation. Sometimes the books would not balance.
but it was generally mistake in adding" There
seems to have been no mistake in subtraction.
There is pathetic side to this Leedom mystery, and
Il may be well to give Mr. Leedom the benefit of his
own pathos This is the he described the emotions
of anxiety at the unexpected absence Of sllcott;
"The first believed that there was anything wrong
or that there any crOOkedness last Wcdnes
day evening at 4 go O'Clock Scott went over saiur-
day TO Ncw-York leaving Saturday night. He came TO
me ON Saturday and said John, have some money
coming TO me In New-YOrk, and am going over there