The morning news., 1889-05-31
CON SCIENCE MONEY.
How Persons Make Peace With Them
selves for Cheating Uncle Sam.

Selves IOr GnSdbluB CnC4S SdQ.
From the Cleueland Leader.
WASHINGTON, May 1Z-Not long ago
remittance of $40 was received at the treas
ury from Cleveland as a contribution to the
conscience fund" The other day had a
talk with the chief clerk af the division of
public moneys in the treasury department
about it. The money SO received is not
kept in a 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 $4,000
1t is usually made up of small suns, though
not infrequently single remittances run up
into the hunireds, and now and then into
the thousands.
II will be understood that these amounts
are sent by persons who have, purpoSely or
other wise, defrauded the government, and
are induced by the smitings of co science
to make restitution. In forty nine cases
out of fifty TIE 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 le
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
government, but a signature of any kind is
extremely rare. Some merely say, This
money belongs to the United States or
words of similar purporS. In many
cases there is not a scratch of pen or pencil,
the money being simply iuclosed in an en-
velQpe, perhaps folded in sheet Of blank
paper All such are presumed to be cases
of ''consc. .ence" and are 50 treated. 1t is, of
course, imp ssible to give any receipts for
the money Now and then one will write,
PLEASE acknowledge receipt in the newspa-
pers.n This is the reason why care is
usually taken to have the receipt of con
science money! mentioned in the Associa-
ted Press dispatches. The senders are hkely
to be watching for such items. and when
they see that the money is in the treasury
they no doubt feel that they are in better
shape for the final reckoning in the here
after.
1.-The only cases." said the clerk. (which
have anybody's name connected with them
are those similar to one we had year or
two ago. A Catholic priest in Boston
wrote toat one Of his parishioners, on his
deathbed, confessed to him that he had
wronged the government out of 500 He
could not die in peace without making restl-
tuition, but desired that his name be with
held. The priest indOrsed the amount, with
interest for nine years at per cent, $50 IN
all. ne man eNluGullY ulIl4 WIFI lldb
debt to bother HIM in the next world and
proong 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 in
stances of that kind, in which conscience
seemed to be quickened by serious illness or
the confessional.
Tho most common reasons given for re-
hitting, when the senders make any expla-
NJ -
internal revenue taxes or customs duties
eyaded, or for petty frauds to avoid the
payment Of postage. | remember one case
of a wealthy lady, who, after spending
some time abroad, returned t. this country,
bringing with her a valuable article of
wearing apparel. think it was for her
personal use, and not strictly dutiable, but
Ler conscience troubled her about it. Sle
went back to f gland, and while tle q
told the story to one of our c1nsuls. re
questing him to ascertain what would be
the amount of duty on such a garment.
He did so, and she promptly remitted it to
Us. Size sent with it q nice little nota, ex
planning the matter. 1t was full of coutri
tion, and expressed the hope that Uncle
Sam would forgive her. But she hadn, + the
courage to sign her name to it.
"a single enclosure Of $4,000 is the largest
amount | remember 90 have been received
that for this large sum there was absolutely
nothing show whence it came eAcep5 tho
postmark on the envelope Even that may
have been misleading, as it is quite possible
that the repentant sinner sent it away from
homo to be mailed. He was evidently verv
careful to conceal his identi y, 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 Con
science and that was all. A draft, you
know, would have furnished clew that
might easily have been followed up, If we
had chosen to pursue the matter. / do not
remeaber ever receiving conscience money
in an other form than currency They are
all too smart to serd drafts or money orders
"l remember one remittance as small as
10 cents, ana that was a funny case too
The money was nclosed IN quite Il long
letter, unsigned, in which the writer said
that when boy he received a letter from
friend, the 3-cent postage stamp on which
had escaped cancellation. More in a spirit
of mi chief than anything else. he detached
the stamp AMI used it on his answer 70 the
lei er. thus making it do double duty, and
chel ing the government OUT of 3 cents. He
wrote that although it seemed like a trihng
matter, 1t had always troubled him, on the
principle ! suppose, J1at 1t is a sin to steal
pin, even though it may be- greater t.
steal 'tater.' II had baea nearly twenty
wears siace the Cffouse was com nitted, and
the writer said he presumed the interest
would nc'case the debt to Z or cent?. He
inclosel 10 nts 50 as 70 be sure there
would be enough"