Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-15

SPECIAL COMMITTEE.
Investigating the Shortage of Cashier
Silcott-New Developments.
WASHINGTON, December 14th.-The spe-
cial House Committee investigating the
defalcation of cashier Silcott held session
to-day. According to the instructions of
the House the committee Immediately be-
gan an examination of the laws bearing
upon the subject. One of the members of
the committee said If it was decided that
the Sergeant-at-Arms is the disbursing
officer, then a serious question arises as TO
how individual deposits and accumulated
salaries of members are to be regarded,
while if it should be held that the Sergeant
alarms is not discussing officer, then
the extent of his agency and other various
questions remains to be settled.
A special committee will probably take
further testimony Monday, as some facts
have come to light which cast a suspicion
OF forgery or other fraud upon certain
transactions had by Silcott with the Ma
tional Metropolitan Bank.
LEEDoM CRITICISED.
WASHINGTON, December 14th.-Ex-Ser-
geant-at-Arms Leedom has asked of the
Special Committee the fullest investigation
of his own personal conduct in connection
with the Silcott defalcation. The commit
tee has assured him that he shall have all
the investigation he wants.
Mr.. Leedom's friends claim that while
the committee sharply condemns him
they have not allowed him to see the evil
dence ON which they base their condemna-
ton. 1t is understood that the committee
has concluded that Silcott was de fdcto il
not de jure disbursipg officer of the Govern
ment, and that they will report deficiency
bill to cover the shortage.
1t is definitely ascertained that Mr.. Lee
dom's sureties are not responsible on his
bond, for Silcott's deialcation is distinctly
limited to liabilities occurring in the Fiji.
tieth Congress, and the defalcation occurs
in respect to salaries of members elected
for the Fifty-frst Congress.
Prominent members of the Special Com
| mittee discredit the story that Silcott has
gone to Chile. An indictment for forgery
is an extraditionable offense, and one
colt, who will be brought back if in Can
ada.
A FEW ovERDRAFTs.
WASHINGTON, December 14th.-The EUen-
ing Star has the following: The develop
ments in the case of the shortage in the
Sergeant-at-Arms of the House, while they
do not fix dishonesty upon anybody but
Silcott, show astounding looseness in the
financial transactions throughout that
office.
Members of the House criticise Lee
dom for this and for the alleged fact that
he discounted members notes out of the
public money.
Among other things that they condemn
him for, is that, as they say, he was per-
fectly aware of the bad habits of Silcott
and yet trusted him in the face of this
knowledge. Leedom and Silcott were
both fond of attending the races and bet
ting, therefore Leedom knew of the habit
of his cashier, and he alleged that he knew
Silcott was leading a fast life in other re-
spects. This was known, Of course, to q
number of the members also.
The habit of discounting notes appears
to have grown out of the rapid pace al
which certain members of Congress were
going, to some extent, It's thought, in COM
pany with Silcott.
The moral atmosphere within certain
circles in intimate association with the
Sergeant alarms offices does not appear
to be clear.
While thirty-fve of the notes referred to
in the Star some days ago are alleged to
have been forgeries, there are lot of notes
in the safe which are genuine, and this
loose discount business appears to have
been going on for years.
The committee are under the impression,
as indicated by some OF its members in
discussing the matter, that the advances
which were made were from the public
fund, and if Leedom was not aware OF
this fact it was because he knew nothing
about the state of his own or the public
finances in the hands of Silcott. On this
subject Leedom stated that discounting
during the session of Congress was done
with his own money, or with private
moneys deposited with him and not out of
the public funds, and when Congress was
not in session the discounted notes were
negotiated with the banks.
When he was notified by the paying
teller that he had overdrawn, he simply
got the money out of his own fund in Sill
colts part of the safe and made the neces.
sary deposit.
1t appears from The books of the Ser
eeant- alarms that Adams, who is Chair
man of the Investigation Committee, has
overdrawn his account TO the amount of
$79; that ex.Speaker Carlisle has over
drawn his account SAG; that Reed has
overdrawn his account to the amount of
ST., 934. Other overdraws were also shown.
A reporter made an investigation Of the
case of Speaker Reed and discovered it was
in fact not an overdraft. Reed placed a
certificate in the Sergeant-at-Arms' office
on the 4th of December, when the money
was due for additional salary as Speaker,
and authorized the procurance of draft
for the amount on New York. A day or
two afterwards he got the draft. His GER
tificate should have been taken to the
Treasury, the money drawn and the draft
procured.
1t appears, however. that the money was
not drawn from the Treasury, though the
proper sum was paid TO Reed. This gives
the appearance of an overdraft.
Adams of Illinois, Chairman of the Sill
colt Investigating Committee. said his ac-
count with the Sergeant-at-Arms was over
drawn to the amount of $40 through a
misunderstanding.