The National tribune., 1889-09-19
further information from any comrades who
may have known the man.

at wonder what becomes of all this Con-
science Fund money that is sent in so fire.
quently2" said gentleman a few days ago to
q friend.
WELL" was the answer, eff you can find out
anything about il at all--the amount that has
been received during the past % years, or what
is done with it-you will be able TO make good
fee by selling your Information to the news
paper correspondents.
when / was 'on the Row. number of
years ago got quiet hint, rather mysterious
in its way, that / would find an interesting
field for research in the Conscience Fund, and
| went TO work Tho more inquiries j made
the less / found out. and from the strange ex-
preston that came over the faces OF officials
and clerks alike when approached the sub
icct, made up my mind that there was some
thing the matter that could not be told of.
"A former clerk that | got hold of was in
Clined To be communicative for a time, over n
damp lunch, hut suddenly pulled himself to-
Eether as il he had rec0llected all at once that
he was trcadinr upon some forbidden ground,
and became rs dumb as y Little Neck clam on
that subject although garrulous enough ON all
Others that came up. When l returned To the
Conscience Fund subject. he remarked: The
fact is. | hope to get my place back, and that is
matter that cannot Toe talked about
"Why2"
"Well Just because it can't; at least, If
hone 10 get back
"Of course this whetted my appetite further
for news; but could get no further, although
! kept at il spasmodiCally for months, aud
then dropped IT, as other avenues of news were
more available. The impression left on my
mind, although / cannot exactly say how 1T
was produced. was that the fund was being used
in some manner IN the Department, but how
could not divine. My half groggy friend the
ex-clerk half intimatcd that someone, or ones,
had pretty good thing out OF 1.-THE Con-
science Fund.
No one can-or will-tell what becomes of
that money. Receipts of contributions TO tho
fund are duly announced through the news
columns of the daily papers and that is the
last that is heard OF it. The money is not &C
counted for i'm the statements of cash in
hand nor is it placed among the public funds
| by covering warrants
while trying to draw ont tho ex-clcrk-
/ who got his place back, by the way-I incl
| dentally remarked that the fund must amount
| 20 fully million lie smiled sarcasticaliy,
as well as suggestively, as he answered: 1t
| would make almost twice that much, and, al
! ter pause, i il il was there That was the
point where he shut up.
Fooled in my own search ] took brother
! correspondent into my confidence TO help. but
I he came out rs badly as / bad, and both OF us
4 got mad. In the succeeding session of Congress
/ a Representative was induced 10 offer n rcsolu-
4 ton calling upon the Secretary Of the Treasury
/ for information on the subject, and the resolu-
4 ton was duly referred 10 the appropriate COM
mittee. IL was never reported back, and 1t was
/ dErng the rush of work during that session
/ that we dropped the matter, and at least for
/ got about the matter.
There is another big fund" went on the
| ex-correspondent that the Government dis
| honestly holds possession of. but ] do not be-
/ lieve there IS anything wrong about that. ex-
cept that it lies idle in the Treasury vaults,
while the Government has no more claim To It
or right to hold it than that bootblack outside.
'ffhis fund has accumulated from unpaid
/ Postofiice money orders, and must amount TO
rs much if not more, than million dollars.
For a long time no attention was paid TO
/ the unpaid orders. until the accumulation
amounted 10 close upon S2,000,O00 tSl,1Uo,uOgt,
| and then Congress took hand aud tried by
| legislation 10 correct the gross wrong by pro-
viding extra force OF clerks TO iabulate the
'advices' aud try and hunt up the persons who
/ had deposited he money aud pay them. The
intention was good, but the legislation, being
! hHFTied through ar tho tail-end OF session,
was slip-shod, aud but comparatively little prog
/ ress was made. My impression - that this
/ accumulated fund amounts now TO only about
1 million bot If it were only 500 the Govern
1 ment has no right 10 hold It, Tor If the payee
/ does not present himself the money should be
/ returned 10 the deposition through the Post
master that received it aud issued the order
lit is my observation. based watching
/ affairs here for many years, and with some ex-
! perience IN military accounts before. that the
! fixed practice Of the Government is never to
pay back money that comes into its possession,
II possible. to pay Claim against IL II 1t can
/ be avoided. while at the same time il is inexor-
/ able, and at times unjust, in pressing an alleged
indebtedness against an official q private in
| diyidual The woods arc fuil of cases could
cite TO back up both Of my propositions"
AN ARMY sHARPsHooTEE's SCORE.
Gen. David S. Stanley. commanding the Dc.
/ partRent OF Texas, has just issued an order
announcing the general results Of the target
I shooting in his command for this yesr aud
/ saw a copy Of tie order a few days ago at the
/ War Department. / write of this especially ia
/ tell Of tho wonderful score made by an old
veteran OF tie war, Capt. Frank ID. Baldwin.
( 9Th II. S. Inf. lie is stationed at Fort Davis,
aud during tho target season." June. July aud
1 August, qualified by bis firing 90 he Ii sharp
shooter. Only five ia all the command so
qualified, bot Capt. Bald win not only leads the
Others but ! believe his score has never been
equaied, at least, la army firing At the known
distances OF 200, 100, 500. GO and 800 yards
be made the respective score VI 1854, l57, 40
IB9 and lag, a total Of 756 in a possible 900
In the skirmish firing az the four targets
and unknown distances. he EIade 60, A., 81
aud 20, total Of 22s. The grand total there.
fore Of his score in earning the designation of q
" sharpshO0ter" j. lOI4. The lowest score oil
the FIVE who qualified sharp,ho0lers Is 4jG
The highest score after Capt. B4dwin's is 9I5
made by a private in the ID Cav.
Capt Baldwin, who is well known here from
his frequent visits with Gen. Nelson A. 81 lies
on whose staff he used 10 be-. served during tho
early days Of the war AS Lieutenant in tn,
organization known the Michigan HoTs'
Guards. aud aftsrward, until the Fall Of 1854
as Lieutenant aud Captain ia the 10Th Mich.
ARMY AsD NAVY.
The Secretary Of the Navy acted upon tia
findings Of the court martial last week In Tia
case Of Commander Purneil f. Harrington, win
was charged with slranding the practice shil
Constellation near Cape Hatteras on June Ii
J The court found him guilty aud sentenced hin
10 suspension from duty for two years on wait
: ing orders pay. bat united unanimously in rec
! OmmendinR him % ciemeuey, ia view of hi
high character aud distinguished professional
services. On account Of this recommendation
3 Secretary Tracy, after approving the finding
Of the court added a Communication Of the sen
> tsnce 10 one years suspension from July -
J tic day the record WAS received al the Nav,
7 / Department
] he cruiser Atlanta, one Of the new vessel
s / Of the Navy, about which some concern va
r felt at the Navy Department, as si1 was out 4
Z the cyclone Of last week, arrived safely at New
Q port, L. j., on Friday The officers ia comman
e Of the vessel were jubiiant over the way /
which she acted during the hurricane TIL
Z wind was 50 strong and the waves 30 high tina
/ UIe far